August 27 – Tributes are pouring in from across the game following the death at 76 of former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Eriksson, the first non-British manager of the England team, led the Three Lions to the quarter-finals at three major tournaments during his five-year spell in charge between 2001 and 2006.
He was appointed England manager after making his name winning trophies at club level in Italy, Portugal and Sweden.
His death comes eight months after he revealed he had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and had at most one year to live.
Fondly known as ‘Svennis’ in his native Sweden, Eriksson’s tenure in one of world football’s most high-profile jobs was remembered almost as much for what happened off the field as on it during a colourful private life that kept England’s tabloid newspapers busy.
Eriksson, whose management style was one of calm authority, later had brief spells in charge of the Mexico, Ivory Coast and Philippines national teams but the only silverware he earned came in the club game – at Sweden’s IFK Gothenburg, three Portuguese titles during two spells with Benfica and in Italy where he coached four clubs including Lazio whom he led to only their second league title. Altogether he managed 12 clubs and won 18 trophies.
News of his death led to a surge of affection from former players and clubs, a biographical documentary being made, and a visit to his boyhood club Liverpool who invited him to be manager for the day at a charity game.
“We laughed, we cried and we knew we were saying goodbye,” David Beckham, who Eriksson made England captain, wrote on Instagram. “Sven, thank you for always being the person you have always been – passionate, caring, calm and a true gentleman.”
FIFA president Gianni Inafntino said Eriksson was “both a great innovator and a true ambassador of our beautiful game” while the Swedish FA added, “We stand together in grief with his loved ones”
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson said Eriksson “lives on in the hearts of the Swedish people.”
Such was Eriksson’s positive mentality that when he revealed he had terminal cancer, he refused to let it dominate the rest of his life.
“I could go and think about it all the time and sit at home and be grumpy and think I’m unlucky and so on,” he said. “I think that is easily done, that you end up there. No, look at things positively and don’t wallow in adversity.”
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