Former England manager to join Liverpool Legends management team

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson will join a Liverpool Legends management team for a charity game at Anfield against Ajax Legends in March.

Following his cancer diagnosis, 75-year-old Eriksson disclosed in January that he has “best case a year” to live.

The Swede added that he “always wished to be the manager of Liverpool” and that he was a fan of the Reds.

Liverpool said Eriksson “will join a dugout of LFC greats, including Ian Rush, John Barnes and John Aldridge”.

Announcing that Eriksson will form part of the management team for the game on 23 March, the club added: “All connected with the club and LFC Foundation look forward to warmly welcoming LFC fan Sven and his family to Anfield – and seeing him in the dugout on the day – for a fantastic fundraising occasion.”

Liverpool supporters had called on the club to allow Eriksson to manage a Liverpool Legends team following his announcement about his health.

“I heard for the first time about his admiration or love for Liverpool and that he was a fan for his whole life,” said Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp last month.

“I heard now about the Legends [game] and stuff like that. I’m not in charge of that.

“The only thing I can say is absolutely he’s very welcome to come here and he can sit in my seat in my office and do my job for a day if he wants. That’s no problem.

“Being on the sideline might be a little bit more difficult. To have him here and show him everything and how this wonderful club developed over the years, I think that’s definitely something we will tell him.

“He can come over and have a few wonderful hours here, I’m sure.”

Eriksson, a Swedish coach, became the first foreign manager to coach England, and he took the team to the Euro 2004 quarterfinals and the 2002 and 2006 World Cup semifinals.

During a lengthy and fruitful managerial career that includes stints at Manchester City and Leicester City, he won the Uefa Cup with Gothenburg and the Cup Winners’ Cup with Lazio, whom he also guided to the Serie A championship.