Sven-Goran Eriksson hopes he’ll be properly sufficient to look at England v Brazil in March – and divulges one unfulfilled want

Jan 12, 2024 at 7:20 PM
Sven-Goran Eriksson hopes he’ll be properly sufficient to look at England v Brazil in March – and divulges one unfulfilled want

Terminally-ill Sven-Goran Eriksson desires to be properly sufficient to look at England tackle Brazil in two months’ time – and has revealed one want he by no means fulfilled.

The former England supervisor has pancreatic most cancers – with about a year left to live at the “best case” – and the 75-year-old informed Sky News’ Niall Paterson he desires to remain as wholesome as he can in that point.

He desires to “not have too much pain” and plans to make it to England to look at the Three Lions taking over Brazil on 23 March at Wembley.

Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed what he would like to do with the time he has left
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Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed what he wish to do with the time he has left

Asked how he desires to spend the time he has left, he mentioned: “Travelling, looking at a lot of football still.

“I hope possibly to go to England and see England versus Brazil in March. Great recreation, a warm-up for the World Cup, as a result of that is also the ultimate [of World Cup 2026].”

He mentioned waking up with out ache is a “great gift” that we “take for granted” whereas wholesome, however not when in poor health.

His youngsters had taken him to hospital after he “felt dizzy” and “fell”, with docs telling him he had a “small stroke” earlier than revealing his most cancers.

Since revealing his analysis on Thursday, he says he has obtained “a lot of messages and phone calls” from former colleagues and gamers he coached, together with from his days as England boss.

England soccer captain David Beckham (L) and coach Sven-Goran Eriksson (R) pose for photographs with the squad before departing for the Euro 2004 Championships
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Beckham alongside Eriksson earlier than departing for the Euro 2004 Championships

He appears to be like again at his five-year stint with England with some remorse, believing the staff might have achieved greater than three consecutive quarter-final finishes in 2002, 2004 and 2006.

But requested if there have been any position in soccer that he wished did not go him by, he singled out Liverpool.

“My father is still a Liverpool supporter and I am a Liverpool supporter too, always have been,” he mentioned.

“So I always wished to be the manager of Liverpool and that will not happen, but I’m still a Liverpool fan.”

As England boss, Eriksson had many dealings with Premier League golf equipment as he referred to as up gamers, none extra so than Manchester United.

With key gamers like Wayne Rooney, David Beckham, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville enjoying for United on the time, he mirrored on some “hard words” he used to have with former Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

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“Sometimes we needed a lot of players from Manchester United, that’s normal, they were the best club in the country,” he mentioned, including he “fully respects” the Scotsman.

“So there were hard words, but I can understand Sir Alex that he defended Manchester United. He hated when we took players for friendly games.”

He added: “But if I saw him two weeks later, he’d say ‘hello, my friend, how are you’.”

Between 2001 and 2006, Eriksson coached the so-called “golden generation” of footballers within the England staff together with Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Rooney and Frank Lampard.

While that squad did not handle to succeed in a significant last, Eriksson believes the present crop is a “good team” and might win Euro 2024.