The former England boss, installed as manager on Friday by City's new Thai owners, has been out of work since England's quarterfinal exit from the 2006 World Cup, his hopes of landing a major club job having been hit by a perception that he did not get the most out of David Beckham and co. in Germany.

But with a managerial c.v. that includes titles in Sweden and Portugal as well as an Italian league and cup double, Eriksson believes he is right to be confident about his ability to turn City's fortunes around.

"I have never worked in the Premier League before so I don't know if I have to prove myself or not," he said. "I know what I have done in the past and I am looking forward to an exciting job and an exciting season.

"Every time you are a coach, you have pressure whatever team it is. I hope I will have a big pressure as that means I am at a big football club. "Manchester City is a big club. It is the Premier League - I think it is the best league in the world and if you get an opportunity to work in it you should take it and I did."

Eriksson revealed that he had turned down several offers of employment over the last year in the hope that a club of City's size would eventually come along.

But he rejected a suggestion that the new post gave him an opportunity to make a point to those behind the critical mauling he received in the aftermath of Germany 2006.

"I'm not made like that. I don't feel that I have to have revenge or things like that," he said. "I know myself. I know what I've done in my years in England and outside England. You cannot take that away from me. I want to be judged on football results, I want to be judged as a football manager. It's good to feel the stress. It's good to feel the pressure. I feel much better then."

His enforced sabbatical had, he said, only increased his appetite for the game.

"You can be quite sure that I still have the same hunger, especially when you are living one year without football," he said. "That is the most stressful time I have had in my life."

Eriksson expects to make a number of changes to the playing staff at City but would not reveal how much of a transfer budget new owner Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Thai premier, had made available.

"I don't think I should care to speak about money," he said. "I can promise you will see new faces in the squad and the team when the Premier League starts. Let's wait until the middle of August and you will see. It's a big, big club and I think a lot of football players around the world would like to play for Manchester City, especially as they know this club will be bigger and bigger."