He will play against Ajax.
• Photography: Nigel Rhodes/Reuters
Ericsson
Swedish Sven-Goran Eriksson, the former coach of Benfica, who was diagnosed with cancer a few months ago, rejoiced on Friday that his “dream” of coaching Liverpool had been fulfilled at the weekend, in the old glories match against Ajax.
“My father was a Liverpool fan and still is, so my love for the club comes from there,” said the coach, who has also coached England, Manchester City, Roma and Lazio.
Eriksson will manage athletes such as Jerzy Dudek, Sander Westerveld, Martin Skrtel, Fabio Aurelio, Djibril Cisse and Ryan Babel, in an event that will also feature legends Ian Rush, John Barnes and John Aldridge.
“On TV, you could watch a match every Saturday. Then, in 1979 (when I was coach of Gothenburg), I wrote to Liverpool and asked if I could watch a training session. They responded and invited me. I watched a match and some training sessions and had the opportunity to be there at Dressing Room. “It was amazing and wonderful.”
When he learned of the pancreatic cancer case, German Jurgen Klopp, the Reds coach, decided to invite Eriksson to the football party that would bring together the old glories of Liverpool and the Dutch team Ajax.
“Being in this match is a dream and I could not have dreamed so much. When I was a coach, I always wanted to go to Liverpool, but it never happened,” said 76-year-old Sven-Goran Eriksson. “Lucky.” To admit it, “You usually have to die for people to tell you how good you are.”
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