Chapter 1: 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?
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Chapter 2: 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.
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Chapter 3: 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. We didn't really have someone on the bench who can come in and make that job. So, yeah, that was unlucky.
I want to speak to, I mean, we mentioned before those teams, Lampard isn't on the scene, Rooney isn't on the scene. I think we get to 2004, and certainly I think if you speak to also Gary Neville, who was a bigger part of the squad than myself, he always felt this was the best chance England had. There's only Rio really missing from that team.
He was suspended, yes. This is a very good team, for sure.
Your best team?
Yeah, I would guess so. Rio might be coming into that team and then it's very, very close to the best we could perform.
Friend, getting back to, obviously, Rio's suspension, the England team almost, well, there was talk of actually going on strike at that time for one game.
Yes.
I wasn't in the squad on that particular occasion. I think it was a turkey away. It was. What was your role in that and what was with the players? Was it almost just a players thing and you just supported the players? Was that a problem for you at the FA? No.
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Chapter 4: How did injuries impact England's performance in major tournaments?
was very, very big that we should go to the final. And when you're standing there to take a penalty, you feel it. Even if you are strong, even if you're experienced, even if you don't want to feel it, I think you do. And that makes it more difficult.
Yeah, listen, I actually took three penalties. I took two for Liverpool, I scored, I missed the one for England. Of course it's a nerve-wracking experience.
When you went on, you knew that was your mission.
Yeah, but listen, I was confident from training. Sven's right, it's not the same as training. Of course it's not. But I think this argument that Sven mentioned is exactly right. It's very difficult to recreate that. You cannot.
You cannot train it.
No, you can't train it, but people will then argue about recreating a golfer who has a putt to win the Open. That's a memory. Yeah, he has to still practice. And we did the practice. It's not like we never practice every day after training. And big players, actual penalty takers in Gerrard and Lampard. Exactly.
And we were better missing one against Portugal, hit one over the bar, don't know if that was just in the game. But I think it did become... A lack of belief, because whenever I've been in penalty shootouts with Liverpool, I've always believed we'd win, because even before the penalties were taken, I think, oh, we'll win this.
Whereas England, you always thought we'd lose, even before the penalty was taken, because there isn't that sort of belief. The fans felt exactly the same. I was in a stadium.
I can tell you, I felt that as well.
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Chapter 5: What was the debate around Scholes, Gerrard, and Lampard's midfield roles?
Gullit, sorry. The power.
The power. He came from... I had him in Sampdoria. He came from AC Milan. And I think Capello had sacked him. Or they were fighting. So when I came to Sampdoria, I wanted to show the world and Capello that he was good. And he was.
I remember when he went... Did he just play one year at Sampdoria and then he moved back to Milan?
And travel again and come back to Sampdoria.
So you played him as a striker. I remember watching Italian football was on Channel 4 at that time. So were you manager of Sampdoria in that game where they beat Milan 3-2? Yes, when he scored. Yes, and it was 2-0 to Milan and then 3-2 to Sampdoria. Yes, yes, yes.
We played as a striker, but also right midfield sometimes. Now he was the power he has. I mean, 190, something like that. Quick, strong, good technique, good vision. He and Reykjavik from Boston, they had everything you want from a football player.
And Juan Sebastian Varon, who we probably didn't see the best of in the Premier League here.
I know, and I don't understand that. We bought him from Argentina when I was in Sampdoria. Then I took him with me to Lazio. And he's brilliant. The football brain that guy has is out of the passing, everything. But I think he came to United and then he went to Chelsea, no? I think he needs to feel like a leader. If not, he will be South American, he will be a little bit down.
You mentioned in Chelsea, there was always talk of him going to Chelsea. We always thought that you were signing him for Chelsea because you may go to Chelsea as well.
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