Sven-Goran Eriksson reflects on ‘biggest job in the world’ at England following cancer diagnosis

Sven-Goran Eriksson has looked back on his time in the “biggest job in the world” as England manager following his terminal cancer diagnosis.

The Swede spent five years as England boss between 2001 and 2006, guiding the country’s “golden generation” through two World Cups and a European Championships.

Eriksson managed the likes of David Beckham, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard as the country's first overseas appointment, but failed to take England past the quarter-final stage at any of those major tournaments.

“England is something special,” Eriksson told CNN, reflecting on his time in charge. “I don’t know if football was born in England, but more or less.

“The Premier League is the best league in the world today. To be the England coach, it’s a big, big job. Probably the biggest in the world.”

Eriksson was often the subject of front-page interest in the country’s newspapers during his England tenure.

The 76-year-old said the nation's tabloids did not “mirror English people”, and admitted that he did not take much notice.

“When you talk about paparazzi and that kind of press, you can’t do anything about it,” Eriksson said. “You have to accept it or go back home to Sweden.

“I said to myself: ‘No, Sven. Don’t give up just because of this. Don’t worry about it and don’t read it and don’t talk about it.’

“It’s up to the press if they want to write it or not. And at the end, I couldn’t care less.”

Although Eriksson’s England side struggled at major tournaments, there were some joyous moments for the manager.

During his time, England thrashed Germany 5-1 in 2001, and a few weeks later, Beckham scored his famous last-gasp free-kick against Greece to guarantee the Three Lions’ spot at the 2002 World Cup.

“That was a beautiful goal,” Eriksson said on Beckham’s late effort. “That’s what the captain should do, and he did it.”

Fast forward 23 years, England are preparing to do what Eriksson and every England boss since has failed to do; end the country’s wait for major tournament success.

Eriksson believes England are looking “very, very strong” under Gareth Southgate and has tipped them to go far in Germany.

“I can’t see any team which is much better,” Eriksson said.

“It could be France, maybe; Spain are not as good as they were; Germany – you never know about Germany.

“But looking at the squad, the team England can put on the pitch, I think they are very, very strong.”

Two months ago Eriksson, who also managed Benfica, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester City in a glittering career, was diagnosed with terminal cancer.

Despite the news, he remains in good spirits.

“The doctor is saying I’m not OK, but I feel rather OK,” he said. “I have what I have, so I know that it’s a cancer and you can’t cure it. You have to try to stop it as much as possible. That’s it. But I’m OK.

“The treatment is going fine,” Eriksson added. “It’s up and down, of course. Sometimes, it’s growing a little bit; sometimes, it’s going backwards a little bit.

“It’s some sort of a fight, but I’m not sitting in a corner crying. I live the life as I lived before, almost. And it’s OK. I’m still on my feet.”

As a lifelong Liverpool fan, Eriksson will take charge of the club’s Legends team against Ajax on Saturday, five years after his last formal managerial job as coach of the Philippines.

“I’m a little bit lucky – they’re telling me how good I was when I’m still alive,” he joked. “Normally, it’s after the funeral you hear that. So, I’m OK. I shall not complain.”

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