Sven-Goran Eriksson: ‘I cried, it was beautiful’

Anfield was packed, the Liverpool squad boasted 985 caps and seven Champions League winners. The match was not the most competitive occasion the stadium will host this season but it was one of the most memorable on an emotional and perfect day for Sven-Göran Eriksson.

The Swede watched on as Liverpool came back from two goals down to win a cerebral thriller 4-2. Eriksson listened to the Kop serenade the boyhood fan with You’ll Never Walk Alone, making an old man very happy. He might have wanted a crack at the Premier League with Liverpool but 90 minutes on a cold March day was more than enough for the former England manager who has less than a year to live after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

There was a standing ovation and cheering for Eriksson when he walked out ahead of the two teams before being greeted by captain, Steven Gerrard. As well as living out his own dream, the Swede was doing it on behalf of the fans inside the stadium. Eriksson took centre stage in the group photo of the two squads as Liverpool’s anthem was belted out around Anfield. Tears were in many an eye, mixed with goosebumps for Eriksson.

“That will be a huge memory in life – absolutely beautiful,” Eriksson said. “I cried, it was beautiful. To sit on the bench for Liverpool was the dream all my life and now it has happened. It was a beautiful day in every sense.” 

It is not the first time Eriksson has taken charge of the home team at Anfield, leading England to victory over Finland in 2001, defeating Paraguay a year later in a friendly and Uruguay in 2006. He finishes with a perfect record in the home dugout.

It was an eclectic squad available to Eriksson et al from Agger to El-Zhar. Eriksson was part of a managerial team consisting of