Sven-Goran Eriksson will fulfil a lifelong dream when he walks out at Anfield on Saturday as part of Liverpool’s coaching team for the Legends match against Ajax.
The Swedish manager, who revealed earlier in the year that he has a terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis, was a boyhood Liverpool supporter.
Eriksson joined Liverpool legend John Barnes at a pre-match press conference on Friday ahead of the charity match, which raises funds for the LFC Foundation – and will see a new record crowd at Anfield, with almost 60,000 tickets sold in a complete sell out.
“I wrote to the club and asked if I come to see a training session (in 1979, during his early management days). So I came to the games and saw some training and I was honoured to go into the Boot Room,” revealed the 76-year-old former England boss.
“That was great, it was fantastic.”
Eriksson went on to enjoy a glittering managerial career that spanned five decades, managing historic clubs such as Roma, Benfica, Lazio, Gothenburg, Sampdoria, plus English clubs Leicester City and Manchester City.
He has previously spoken of his dream to manage the club, who he played against twice as a player for Benfica.
“It’s like a dream,” he said of the opportunity to be ‘Liverpool manager’ at Anfield on Saturday, when he’ll be managing players including Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres.
“I could never have dreamed of it. It must be the best atmosphere in the world and part of that is the song when the players walk out – You’ll Never Walk Alone.”
Erikkson also revealed he previously came “close” to managing Liverpool during the 2000s:
“It was close once. There were some discussions once, many years ago. It never happened, but now it happens. When they asked I thought it was a joke!
“When they asked, I thought it was a joke. Of course I would come to a Legends match. It is for charity, which makes it even more lovely.”
Speaking about his visit to Liverpool in 1979, Eriksson explained: “I think that at that time the philosophy lived in Liverpool and all the training sessions; they were playing one touch, two touches, and you never see them do any other things.
“They would just play, some warm up, just play – and the quality of the play was incredible.
“At that time, the coaches told them make it just simple, don’t try to dribble too much. so I learned a lot of course.”
Erikkson’s love of Liverpool came from his father and he revealed that the Legends match is even being shown live on TV in Sweden: “I don’t know (why his father supported Liverpool). He always is a Liverpool fan and still is.
“This game is going to be sent in television channel in Sweden live on a big channel, not the biggest but the second biggest.”
