Heroes & Humans of Football

Sven-Göran Eriksson: A life, a legacy, a tribute

Aug 26, 2024

01:13:49

Sven-Göran Eriksson, former England and Lazio manager, has died at the age of 76.

In this tribute episode, Mehreen and Simon discuss the colourful life and career of the small-town Swede who shook up English football as the country's first foreign national team coach and electrified the British tabloids at the height of media intrusion into the private lives of celebrities.

Mehreen and Simon are joined by Olof Lundh, Swedish sports journalist, on how Sven's career went from managing part-time players with Gothenburg in the '80 and ended in ignominy after an elaborate fraud involving the ghost owners of Notts County and a trip to North Korea. He was a perennial nearly-ran with England's "golden generation" of footballers, was duped by a "fake sheikh", and led a financially-doped Lazio in their greatest years, winning seven trophies in three years.

This is the story of Sweden's greatest ever coach and a remarkable footballing life. RIP Sven.

Timestamps:

00:20 Introduction

07:44: Humble beginnings and discovering football

13:25: Breakthrough with Gothenburg

15:51: Moves around Europe

17:50: The first foreign England manager

25:20: A calm demeanour in the hysterical noughties media

31:37: An English culture clash

34:08: Love affairs and the News International phone hacking scandal

38:19: Flirting with other jobs and the ‘fake sheikh’

45:31: Simon’s take on interviewing Sven

49:35: Penalties misery and protection of players

52:58: The end of England

55:16: The Scam move to Notts County

57:43: Naivete and a move away from European football

1:02:05: Sven reveals he has cancer

Join the Heroes and Humans Supporters Club!

Are you a fan of Heroes and Humans and can’t wait for the next episode? Why not become part of our exclusive community and get even closer to the action?

By joining our official H&H Supporters Club on Patreon, you’ll unlock access to behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, bonus content, and special Q&A sessions with your hosts, Mehreen and Simon. Whether you're looking for deeper insights into football’s biggest personalities or just can’t wait for the next episode, we’ve got something for you.

Don’t miss out! Support us and get more from your favourite podcast.

Join us today at patreon.com/heroesandhumans