Under-fire Giovanni Trapattoni will remain as Italy coach until his contract expires in June 2004, the Italian football federation (FIGC) insisted today.
Trapattoni's job was thought to be in danger following a 2-1 loss to Wales in a Euro 2004 championship qualifier earlier this month, a defeat that leaves the Italians facing an uphill battle to qualify for the Portugal tournament.
And the Italians firmly denied they had approached Sven-Goran Eriksson about becoming their new national team coach.
Several British press reports today claimed there had been contact between former Sampdoria and Lazio coach Eriksson and the Italians.
But FIGC president Franco Carraro has sent a letter to the English Football Association chairman Geoff Thompson insisting there has been no contact with the Swede.
Italy have only won two of their last 10 matches and were knocked out of the World Cup in the second round by South Korea this summer.
Trapattoni, 63, replaced Dino Zoff as national team coach in September 2000 after the 2000 European championships in Holland and Belgium where Italy were losing finalists.