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‘They just wanted the best man for the job’: How Sven-Goran Eriksson became England manager

Perhaps, Eriksson’s greatest moment as England manager – that 5-1 win over Germany in 2001.

But the Three Lions were languishing in late 2000. They had crashed out of that year’s Euros before facing a bruising defeat at Wembley to Germany. Their manager Kevin Keegan had resigned in the toilet. 

They needed a new manager, and fast. 

The Football Association had its sights set on Sven-Goran Eriksson, who had impressed by leading Lazio to a domestic double that year.

‘Should the England manager be English?’

But it would be the first time England had a foreign manager, so the FA chose to sound out some of the team’s senior players first. 

“I was rooming with Michael Owen at the time,” Sky Sports pundit and former England defender Jamie Carragher recalled.

“I think David Davis from the FA phoned Michael and asked some of the senior players to ask about whether the English players felt it should be someone foreign or someone English?

“A lot of people, Owen, and I’m sure a lot of the England players, just wanted the best man for the job – and the FA felt it was Sven.”

FA chief executive Adam Crozier led the board’s unanimous choice to approach Eriksson in late October 2000.

Heartache marked Eriksson’s rollercoaster England career

When he was picked up by the Football Association in 2001, Sven-Goran Eriksson had a glittering managerial career – but the England role proved to be his toughest challenge. 

The Three Lions were struggling when he came in. His predecessor Kevin Keegan had resigned in a Wembley toilet after the team played poorly at Euro 2000. 

Not everyone was happy with Eriksson’s appointment. He was the first foreigner to take up the role, and at his first news conference he arrived to find a critic holding a sign reading: “You’ve insulted the English, FA hang your heads in shame.”

‘The Golden Generation’

But it didn’t take long for Eriksson to make his mark.

In September 2001, England thrashed Germany 5-1 in a match that saw Michael Owen score a memorable hat-trick.

The team was also helped by the talents of David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard, who helped to make up what was known as the “Golden Generation”.

England qualified for the 2002 World Cup after a Beckham free-kick at the last minute that saw them avoid a tricky play-off with Ukraine. 

Hopes were raised when the Three Lions trounced Denmark 3-0 in the last 16. 

But their meeting with Brazil in the quarters was the first major disappointment of Eriksson’s England career. 

David Seaman’s misjudgement of Ronaldinho’s free kick saw them head for the exit, and Eriksson was also criticised for dithering over subs and tactical changes.

England fans were bitterly disappointed – especially as it had been Turkey in the semi-finals and Germany (a team they hammered just five months earlier) in the final. 

It may have been their best chance to go all the way. 

Eriksson’s contract was renewed after that and at Euro 2004 he led England to the quarterfinals (helped by a teenage Wayne Rooney).

Again, England failed to move past the quarters after being knocked out by Portugal.

Critics lamented the talents of the Golden Generation were going to waste, but the FA stuck with him for the 2006 World Cup. 

England managed wins over Paraguay, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ecuador, but again they were knocked out by Portugal in the quarter-final (on penalties, of course).

Eriksson was then replaced by Steve McClaren.