Sven-Göran Eriksson doesn’t really do regrets. The Swede has had an extraordinary career – and it is still going – having managed 16 teams in eight different countries but, he says on a sunny day in Abu Dhabi, there are not many things he would have done differently over the past 42 years.
Not a single one? “Well … Maybe one then … and that would be that last World Cup.”
In 2006 England travelled to the World Cup in Germany with a squad including Steven Gerrard, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand, John Terry, Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen. They progressed through the group and beat Ecuador in the last 16 to set up a quarter-final meeting with Portugal.
In Gelsenkirchen, after 120 minutes and no goals, no Beckham (injured) and no Rooney (sent off), England scored just one spot-kick to lose 3-1 and exit a major tournament at the quarter-final stage under Eriksson for a third time in four years. Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Jamie Carragher all missed and Eriksson says now: “I should have taken a mental coach for the penalty shootout. I thought we were experienced enough and we had players who were specialists in penalties.” He shakes his head, smiling, and then adds: “It is history now.”
He still follows England and there was no jealousy of Gareth Southgate and his players as they reached the World Cup semi-finals in Russia. Rather the contrary. “I was very happy for them. They did well but they also had a good squad – young, hungry players. And when you see them play for Tottenham and [Manchester] United, they are playing great football and are confident. They also have one very important thing – pace – and so they are very dangerous on the counterattack.”
Eriksson also notes that these players then go back to their clubs and are coached by some of the best tacticians in the world. That, too, makes a difference. “When I was in Italy in the 90s, early 2000s, everybody wanted to go to Italy, all the players. Today they want to go to the Premier League and it is the same with coaches.”
And that includes Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. Eriksson, sandwiched in the club’s managerial roll-call between Stuart Pearce and Mark Hughes, left the then City of Manchester Stadium in June 2008, almost a year after joining and just two months before the Abu Dhabi United Group took over. Again, there is no jealously at the hundreds of millions that have left this sprawling city to fund Manchester City’s rise.
“It would have been great, no? I was there just a little too early,” he says with that familiar smile. He is a fan. “They are great and I think they will be a great, great club for years to come.”
After stints in China and now southeast Asia, Eriksson is well-placed to see whether City can rival the other Manchester team in terms of popularity in the world’s biggest continent where the sight of light blue shirts is still rare. “They can, but it will take some time because you know that, in Asia, United and Liverpool are huge with the history.” But there are signs of change. “I think that the young generation are looking at Manchester City, not Manchester United.”
City are leading the way on the field and managers such as Guardiola ensure that, even at 70, Eriksson has to work to stay abreast of modern trends and methods.
“If you want to keep up with the changes, then you have to watch as much football as you can. Live is the best way but also on television. All the best teams: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and now City. What are they doing? If possible, go and see them training. You can always learn. You will never be fully learned in this job.”
The ability to adapt is key even for a man who started at Degerfors in 1977. “Back then in Sweden it was 4-4-2 all the way, it was the bible. If it was 1-0 with three minutes to go and I take out a striker then I put in another one, 4-4-2 all the time.” Now, he says, he is much more flexible. “Over time I realized that the most important thing is not the system but the players you have. Then you make a system for them.”
But studying the game is not a chore. “I love football. I don’t use drugs but football is my drug. I had one year off before this job so I took care of my local team in the fifth division in Sweden and we went up to the fourth. I helped them with players too. It was great.”
Eriksson denies that money is the main motivation despite the fact that, due to the actions of a former financial adviser, the coach lost millions in the previous decade. “I am not here for the money, I don’t need to work if I don’t want to.”
He was appointed on a three-month contract in October, replacing Terry Butcher who resigned in August after 50 days in the job and no games. “I wasn’t looking for a job. I had just said no to Cameroon and Iraq. I thought it wouldn’t hurt to go and see the Philippines.”
He immediately felt comfortable. “I liked the players and I liked the people. I am here for three months, the weather is nice and it is cold in Sweden from November to January. Also, the Asian Cup is a high level.”
The Philippines may have the friendliest football scene in Asia but crowds at home are small. “There is a huge difference and not just with the interest and pressure. Behind the scenes with England, the organization and the rest, everything is perfect and was perfect even in my time.”
Instead of the Three Lions, the Philippines have the three B’s – billiards, boxing and basketball – with football sometimes struggling for attention in the former American colony. “It is not a football country but the generation of players they have are good and had their football education in Europe: England, Spain and Germany. If things can change a little bit to make football more popular in the country then now is the time.”
And when his time here ends? Well, it is more likely that he will stay east than go back to England, if the offer was to come. “It will not come. They are looking at age. Asia is better. They are looking for grey hair.”
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