Sven-Goran Eriksson has described scenes resembling the "Wild West" when two England supporters were shot ahead of Saturday's Euro 2004 qualifier in Slovakia.

The England manager was just yards away in the team hotel when private security guards opened fire on a crowd of fans on Friday night.

t is the most beautiful game in the world and should be a party every time

Sven-Goran Eriksson

On his return to the UK on Sunday, Eriksson said: "I heard the shots from my hotel room as I was watching a video and I thought they were fireworks at first.

"I looked down into the square below and it looked like something out of the Wild West.

"I could see the police and I wasn't sure exactly what was happening. I stayed in my room."

Phil Holland, 31, from Worcester, was shot in the leg while Gareth Jones, 30, from Coventry, was shot in the throat.

Two people are in police custody over the shootings in central Bratislava.

Eriksson also spoke of his shock at the outbreak of violence in the stands that marred the first half of the match against Slovakia.

He compared what he saw to the Heysel Stadium tragedy of 1985, in which 39 fans died.

Sad scenes

"It looked like many years ago when I was in Belgium in the Heysel Stadium.

"It is crazy football should still be like that. It is sad to see.

"It is the most beautiful game in the world and should be a party every time.

"There should be rivalry between fans - but only in a sporting way.

Racist abuse was targeted at Emile Heskey

"Otherwise, it takes away from the spectacle."

Eriksson urged European football's governing body, Uefa, to take stronger action against countries whose fans step out of line.

And he also had harsh words against the torrent of racist abuse from the home fans directed mainly at England striker Emile Heskey and defender Ashley Cole.

The Swede insisted playing fixtures behind closed doors must be the ultimate punishment for racial abuse.

"You have to do something.

"It is crazy to boo people of another colour.

"These things should not be possible in 2002.

"It is awful and we must fight it."