Sven Eriksson Quotes & Sayings

The only way I will leave this job will be because of results. I'm too stubborn to quit because of criticism - too stubborn. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

Since Sven Goran Eriksson took over, England have been fantastic. — Franz Beckenbauer

Football is much harder if you don't have the ball. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

I am quite sure they are a little bit angry, they want revenge. I think they've wanted that since Monday morning. They look forward to the game, they've been waiting several days now so the players will react very well. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

It was fantastic for me to see the cheering and clapping and it showed maybe not all of them want me out of a job! — Sven-Goran Eriksson

Sven must have neglected to pay tribute to one of those strict Nordic gods. But instead of cursing Eriksson himself, Thor has done a still crueller thing and cursed the England strikers. I can only assume that Eriksson was never informed of this curse, otherwise he might have more than a 17-year-old up his sleeve. — Simon Barnes

I've always said Crouch is special. He's tall and that makes him special but he is special because he has good feet as well — Sven-Goran Eriksson

The only real failure in life is the failure to try. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

David [Beckham] should think that talking is silver, but being quiet is golden. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

Scholes was England's best football player. It was impossible to take the ball from him, and he never mishit a pass. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

To be the England manager you must win every game, not do anything in your private life and hopefully not earn too much money! — Sven-Goran Eriksson

We need goals when the scoreline is zero zero — Sven-Goran Eriksson

He was magnificent; very clever with outstanding technique. He could pass the ball over five yards or fifty; he could see things to set up other people; he could shoot and he could score goals. If you gave me Paul Scholes and ten others, I would be happy. I would tell them to give him the ball and then we would have a good team. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

It's an incredible rise to stardom. At 17 you're more likely to get a call from Michael Jackson than Sven Goran Eriksson. — Gordon Strachan

You don't look for jobs. You don't phone up 10 clubs and say, Here I am. You are offered the job. I was in Benfica many years ago. I was leaving the training ground and I had a car after me. It went on for 10 minutes. Anyhow, he stopped and I stopped and he said, I'm from the Italian embassy. Ah yes, and what do you want? I want your phone number because Roma wants you as a manager next season. Three months later I was sitting on the bench in Roma. I don't think the rest of working society works like football. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

Whichever country you are, if you lose games you are criticised. It's only when it's England it's like a new world war. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

He has many qualities as a prince, but he is not a surgeon. — Sven-Goran Eriksson

[On England's elimination from the 2002 World Cup after losing 2-1 to Brazil] Never was Steven Gerrard more noticeably missed, for his ability to pass, rather than kick the ball over 40 yards and for his steely mentality. Not for the first time, Eriksson's substitutions were baffling. The situation cried for Joe Cole, the one England player with a trick to beat a man, but it was the convalescent Kieron Dyer who was sent on, in place of Sinclair. Owen, never fully fit, was withdrawn after 80 minutes, at which stage Eriksson sent on Darius Vassell and Teddy Sheringham in a move which smacked of desperation, rather than tactical nous. From Sven-Goran Eriksson: The Final Reckoning — Joe Lovejoy