Sven-Goran Eriksson on MNF
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What are Sven-Goran Eriksson's achievements as England manager?
Oh, wait. Bombay. Nick Bombay! England's first goal under Sven-Jørgen Eriksen.
The first goal of the Sven-Jürgen Eriksen England era and Sven is our special guest tonight on Monday Night Football and this was his record 67 games overall with a win percentage of 60 but competitive games 38 only five defeats and two of those were by penalties as well so only three actual defeats Sven over 38 games and of course you were the first foreign manager that we had and reached three quarter-finals and You were for a time looming largely over all of us in England. We had a really good start as well. Did you feel like you hit the ground running?
Yeah, if you talk about Spain, the first game, that was good to beat Spain, of course, in the first game. And then it came slowly up to the German game. And of course, if you beat Germany away, life was much easier.
Did that feel like a turning point almost, or you'd won the hearts of the nation?
I would guess so. After that game, I didn't hear anything about a foreigner as manager of England for a while.
I actually, before you were getting appointed, I wasn't someone who was in the England squad too regular, but I actually was rooming with Michael Owen. And I think it was David Davis of the FA actually phoned Michael and I think a lot of the senior players and actually asked about you because did the English players feel it should be a foreign manager? Do you have a problem? Do you think it should be English?
How did Sven's tenure begin with a win against Spain?
And I think a lot of them, certainly Michael Owen in the room that night, and I'm sure a lot of the England players They just wanted the best man for the job. And obviously the FA at that time felt you were the best man for the job.
That was England played Germany at the old Wembley. That's right.
Kevin Keegan's last game.
They lost 1-0. What?
That was my first squad. First one I was in. Yeah. I got a manager sacked.
Yeah, yeah. You lost 1-0. Goal of Didier Hamann. Didier Hamann, yeah.
Your old friend Didier. So this was the reverse fixture, the 5-1.
Yeah.
So there was probably not great expectation at that time from England fans.
No, but we had done some good results. But of course, Germany away, nobody would think we would win 5-1 against them. Absolutely not.
Sven, that's the team in front of us there, you see the team, and obviously this is before Wayne Rooney comes onto the scene, but that was your first, that was the best England team, if you like, that real 4-4-2, Owen and Heskey's relationship at Liverpool, and those midfield players also, we should say, before Frank Lampard maybe came on the scene as well.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Rio Ferdinand, yeah, he is in there, yeah. John Terry came, you came.
Not that often. What was the secret to being so successful in that particular game, Sven, do you think?
I think it was a night where everything went well for England and everything went badly, very bad for Germany. Because just before halftime, they have a chance to score and they didn't. And just a minute after, Steven Gerrard was scoring 2-1. So I think that was The game changed a lot there and then second half we defended well and made counter-attacks against them.
Of course, all in the country thought that was it, we were going to win the World Cup after beating Germany 5-1. Did you start to have those thoughts as well at that time? No, no, no.
No, I didn't think we should win the World Cup 2002. I thought we were not ready for that. Why not? I don't know, but I didn't feel that. 2004, I thought we should have reached the final. 2006, I was sure we would win the World Cup.
I just wonder why we weren't ready in 2002. No, but I think if you actually look at the team, this is the team that played against Brazil, Sven. It's a lot different from the team that beat... Germany, was that one of your feelings going in there? You know, you've got no Steven Gerrard missing from midfield.
What was the significance of the 5-1 victory against Germany?
Gary Neville's missing, injured. So did injuries make you lose that belief going into the tournament?
Yes, and if you talk about all the tournaments we went into the three, when you get Michael Owen injured, you get Rooney injured and Rooney sent off and things like that.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What are Sven-Goran Eriksson's achievements as England manager?
0:08–1:58
2
How did Sven's tenure begin with a win against Spain?
1:58–4:35
3
What was the significance of the 5-1 victory against Germany?
4:35–20:34
4
How did injuries impact England's performance in major tournaments?
20:34–33:04
5
What was the debate around Scholes, Gerrard, and Lampard's midfield roles?
33:04–40:53
Speakers
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