From guiding a Swedish club to European glory to managing England’s ‘Golden Generation’: A look at Sven-Goran Eriksson’s managerial career

Here’s a look at Sven-Goran Eriksson’s managerial career that spanned over four decades that included stints at various European clubs.

FILE PHOTO: Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson waves to the crowd after an exhibition soccer match between Liverpool Legends and Ajax Legends at Anfield Stadium. | Photo Credit: AP

Former Swedish player-turned-manager Sven-Goran Eriksson breathed his last on Monday morning after he lost his battle with pancreatic cancer at the age of 76.

The bespectacled tactician leaves behind a plethora of memories for his well-wishers to cherish.

As a player, he plied his trade as a right-back at various lower echelons of Swedish football. It was in his last club, Karlskoga, that the seeds of becoming a manager were sown in him.

Here’s a look at Sven-Goran Eriksson’s managerial career that spanned over four decades:

A Swedish sojourn

In 1977, Eriksson - who had hung up his boots at Karlskoga - took over the reins at Degerfors after Tord Grip left to become the assistant manager of the Swedish national team. As the man at the helm, Eriksson guided the side to promotion to the second division of the country’s footballing tier in his second season as coach.

His heroics at Degerfors won him a contract at IFK Gothenburg, which became the first Swedish club to clinch the UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League) in 1982 under Eriksson.

Passing through Portugal

Next on his list of managing clubs is Benfica.

There too, at the drop of a hat, Eriksson brought success to the Portuguese outfit. In his two years, he won two league titles as well as finished runners up in the UEFA Cup 1982-83 season after losing out to Anderlecht of Belgium.

An Italian stay, with a detour to Portugal

Roma was Eriksson’s first stop in Italy’s top flight. This is where a certain Carlo Ancelotti was given the captain’s armband, someone who would be heavily influenced by the Swede in his own sparkling managerial career.

His three-year stay with the Giallorossi wasn’t eye-blindingly shiny with success, but Eriksson did manage to scoop up a Coppa Italia title in 1986.

Next, he shifted base about 275km northwards in Italy as Fiorentina’s head coach. A trophyless time in Florence was followed by Eriksson moving back to Benefica, where winning ways seemed to come back. A final appearance in the 1990 European Cup (now UEFA Champions League) and a league title in the following year marked the manager’s return to Portugal.

Back in Italy in 1992, Eriksson was in Sampdoria colours this time. In the five-year stint, he added another Coppa Italia title to his trophy cabinet.

Then, Lazio happened.

With the Eagles, Eriksson won the Serie A title in 2000 and also the European Cup Winners’ Cup (now defunct) the year before.

When in England: a time painted gold and blue

Having handed the responsibility to manage, arguably, England’s best batch of players, which included the likes of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard, Michael Owen, Wayne Rooney to name a few, expectations were sky-high from Eriksson when became the national team’s head coach in 2000.

These expectations turned into exits at the quarterfinals stage at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, as well as the 2004 European Championship.

While the disappointment that was the World Cup in Germany left a sour taste in the mouths of English fans, Eriksson decided to return to England a year later as the Manchester City gaffer. Despite signing a multi-year contract, his stay in Manchester lasted just 11 months as he could only help City finish ninth in the 2007-08 season.

A dream fulfilled at Anfield

After the City job, Eriksson went on to have multiple stints as national team coaches for Mexico, Ivory Coast, and Philippines. In between, ahead of the 2010-11 season, he even spent a year at Leicester City.

The Swedish legend’s last few coaching roles at the club level came in China.

It was early this year that Eriksson revealed his battle with cancer. At the same time, he also let known his lifelong admiration for Liverpool, and how he’d always wished to be at the Anfield dugout one day.

His wish was fulfilled when he got to be the Liverpool manager in a charity match against Ajax in March. “It’s like a dream,” Eriksson told a pre-match press conference after match that the Red won 4-2.

“When I was a manager I always dreamt about Liverpool, but that never happened. It was close once, it was some discussion once, many years ago. It never happened. But now it happens!”