Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson will be in the dugout as part of a coaching team for a legends game at Liverpool’s Anfield home next month, the club has announced.
Eriksson, 76, said he was a Reds supporter when he revealed in January that he had been given “at best” a year to live as part of a cancer diagnosis.
The Swede, who led the Three Lions between 2001 and 2006, will be part of a charity match against Ajax legends for the club’s foundation on March 23, when Liverpool icons Ian Rush, John Barnes and John Aldridge will also be among the coaches.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had previously suggested Eriksson could take part in the fundraising match.
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“It was obviously very touching news when you heard about it,” he said of Eriksson’s announcement.
“I heard for the first time about his admiration or love for Liverpool and that he was a fan for his whole life.
We are delighted to confirm Sven-Goran Eriksson will be part of the #LFCLegends management team for the game against Ajax Legends at Anfield 🔴
More info: https://t.co/qzBKmm4Htd PIC.TWITTER.COM/XSWR4KYUKF
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) FEBRUARY 13, 2024
“The only thing I can say is that, 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.
“To have him here and show him everything and how this wonderful club developed over the years, that’s definitely something we will tell him. He can come over and have a few wonderful hours here, I’m sure.”
Liverpool legends vs Ajax lineups
Former Liverpool players Jerzy Dudek, Sander Westerveld, Martin Skrtel, Fabio Aurelio, Gregory Vignal and Djibril Cisse will play for the hosts in the game, while Ryan Babel, who represented both clubs, will feature for each side.
More names are set to be announced imminently for an event which has raised almost £1.5m through two previous legends games, when Manchester United and Celtic were the visitors.
Eriksson coached Manchester City in his first appointment after being England boss and had a brief spell in charge of Leicester City.
A domestic trophy winner in his homeland, Portugal and Italy, Eriksson’s other international jobs came with Mexico, Ivory Coast and, in his most recent role, the Philippines from 2018 to 2019.
