Ivory Coast boss Sven-Goran Eriksson believes goalkeepers should be consulted when new footballs are being designed for international tournaments.
The Jabulani ball being used in South Africa for the World Cup has been widely criticised by players. "It's too late to do something about it in this World Cup," said Eriksson. "It's a decision for the authorities for the next big tournament. It should be discussed and everyone should listen to the top goalkeepers in the world."
World governing body Fifa has defended the Jabulani, insisting that it was "tested" and "approved" and manufacturers Adidas say altitude is the main factor affecting the way the ball behaves in flight and have blamed players for not practising enough with it before the tournament.
The Jabulani - its name derives from the Zulu words "to celebrate" - was made available in February and was used at this year's Africa Cup of Nations as well as a number of domestic leagues, including Germany, Argentina and the United States.
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The ball was tested at Loughborough University in England but it was not used in the Premier League because it has a contract with rival manufacturers Nike. England's David James, Italy's Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas of Spain were among the goalkeepers who criticised the Jabulani before the tournament began.
"The ball is dreadful. It's horrible but it's horrible for everyone," stated James, who said some goalkeepers would end up "looking daft". Eriksson, who was previously in charge of England and Mexico, said he he could understand why goalkeepers were unhappy. "Maybe we will see some goals. But discussion between managers, the company who produce the football and the football players, that would be good," he added.
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