Sven Goran Eriksson may not be everyone’s cup of tea when it came to coaching the English national team however his resume as a club coach is second to none. The Swede can proudly boast to being the only manager to have won domestic doubles in three different countries - his homeland of Sweden, Portugal and finally Italy.
The respective fans of IFK Gothenburg, Benfica and Lazio happen to think that the Sven is a genius and after cashing close to $30,000 a day from the English Football Association this past year for doing ‘####’ all, I’ve got to agree!
But now he’s back in football with the sleeping giant that is Manchester City. Despite myself, I’ve got to say that it’s good to see him return to the sidelines because there can be no doubt that he does bring that cool continental style to the Premiership that us English loudly denounce and yet at the same time secretly admire.
Thanks to the generosity of his highly controversial chairman, ex-Thai prime minister, Dr. Thaskin Shinawatra, Eriksson has been given a virtual blank check to remake a City side that disappointed in many areas last season – and he’s not been shy in spending lavishly but we’ll get to that in a moment.
What Sven has done is basically clean house and he’s done it by turning his back on the product that he’s worked closely with for the last five years…English players. Does the Swede know something we don’t…maybe?
Gone in double quick time from the City of Manchester Stadium are in no particular order, Trevor Sinclair, Stephen Jordan, Nicky Weaver, Joey Barton with Danny Mills and Paul Dickov soon to follow.
While coming into Manchester is a version of the United Nations. Geovanni (Brazil), Rolando Bianchi (Italian), Gelson Fernandes (Switzerland), Martin Petrov (Bulgarian), Javier Garrido (Spain), Vedran Corluka (Croatian), Elano (Brazil), and Valeri Bonjinov (Bulgarian) have all been seduced by the Swede and that in my view is a stunning message to English football!
Here is a man who had the cream of the English crop at his disposal but on three occasions he could only take the supposed ‘golden’ generation as far as quarterfinals. Who can doubt by these signings that he’s telling us that we’re just not very good? Judging by the results we saw at Upton Park I think it’s obvious that foreign players understand his method of coaching. This is a tough pill to #### but based on the ninety minutes I saw his cosmopolitan side play today, one that I may be forced to gulp down. Eight of the players who appeared at Upton Park on Saturday had never played Premiership football before and yet they spanked West Ham with a display of quality football.
For sure, one result does not make a season but it will certainly capture your attention especially when you think of the pressure the Swede was under. Rest assured the Upton Park press box was packed with jackals just waiting to feed on his carcass had he failed.
The same could be said for the City fans that initially weren’t keen on a failed and tarnished manager. Having spoken to a few City supporters recently though, they’re willing to forgive Sven his England follies if he can do the one thing that no City manager since 1976 has achieved…bring them a major trophy. With seventeen, that’s right, seventeen major club honors to his name, you’d be a fool to bet against him.
Eriksson has proven that he knows how to win at club level and he’s also proven that he is consistent at international level with those three consecutive last eight appearances. We slated him for not getting enough out of our players or bringing home the silverware but if City do win a trophy this year, he’ll deservedly have the last laugh.
Congrats on the little nipper! Spittin image i must say ;)
I guess the success that Sven will enjoy at Man City, although surely most sides wont be as poor as West Ham were, will cause england to wake up to what the world has known for a long time now - they just arent that good. Id say other than Gerrard on a good day theres not another player you could say would work there way into and national teams side. Perhaps rooney would have a role off the bench. Dont give me JT, too slow, Fat frank, cant pass.
Humor me, Nick. There's got to be someone that can help Tottenham in the midfield. The back four isn't that bad, when healthy. I think they've got to shake things up in the middle? Any suggestions?
On a totally unrelated note, do you think the boatloads of money that the premiership brings in can also be a detriment to the development of English talent? Why wait bringing along a local when you can go out and buy the better foreign replacement? I wonder if this will have any affect on the squad in the coming years...
Typical Spurs...predict them for 4th and they stink it up - Jol becomes the favorite for the sack race - and injuries decimate the squad. Unless they can get results at Old trafford and Anfield in a few weeks the season is over before it begins.
On the other note, can you believe that a 10 week old gets all the hair...gutted.
Nick, I must admit (and this sounds like i've got my head up your backside) I'm glad you are on the phone in now, Geber did my nut in!
In Eriksson's defence, and i'm not a fan, but he knew how to get the three lion's to qualify for tournaments, lets look towards the end of the season...... If Man City qualify for Europe then surely it proves that with a bit of money and using the kids that are already there that Sven knows his stuff, I think Sven is a quality coach, just couldn't lift England enough to win the big things, but I always felt safe that we'd qualify.
Eight foreign cabdrivers could spank West Ham Utd. with a display of quality football, and it was nice to score a goal at the Blue Camp in midweek (finally!!), and no knock on the two clean sheets. In short, so far so good, Sven. Sunday v. Man U will be a Wholly Other result, a splash of cold water and a jolt of Reality all rolled up in one. BUT ... don't be shocked if Sven actually steers this lot into a UEFA Cup berth for 08-09 (either through the Intertoto or a 7th place finish this semester, an FA Cup final loss or even a Carling Cup win). And remember who tol' ya so when Blues crash out of said Little Cup in the quarterfinals.
It's funny, I was thinking about the quote by Gareth Southgate at WC 2002 when he said, "Sven gave us Ian Duncan Smith insead of Winston Churchill" during his half-time speech against Brazil (we lost). English players are known to respond to the rousing 'come on, lets have 'em' and tea cup throwing while foriegn players want a more analytical approach. It looks so far that like latter is paying off at City - and who was City's last coach and what style did he preach...hmmmmm
Last edited by Nick_Webster on August 17th at 9:21 PM.
Who will break into the 'B4' and who will avoid the drop. So many questions will be answered over the next nine months because it's back - the greatest show on earth - The Barclays Premier League.
