19 January 2024 , 23:24
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Jurgen Klopp has invited Sven Goran Eriksson to come to Liverpool ’s training ground for a day to sample being the Reds manager.
The Kop boss put out the open invitation to the former England manager after he revealed his love for the Reds in the aftermath of his terminal cancer diagnosis. Eriksson, 75, said it was his wish to have been Liverpool manager during his illustrious career but it never came true.
There have been calls for the Swede to manage the club’s legends side in an upcoming charity game against Ajax in March. But Klopp has also invited him to the club’s training ground for a day.
He said: “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.”
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Eriksson went public with his terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis recently. He first learnt of his illness after collapsing following a 5k run before his family took him to hospital. "I felt totally well - it came like a very, very, very big surprise," he said.
“When you get a message like that it's like a shock because I was fully fit, and rather fit as well in training. It came from nowhere. Of course you feel very bad... but you have to fight against it, and that's what I am trying to do at least."
Eriksson enjoyed an illustrious managerial career despite never taking charge at Anfield. After starting his coaching career in his native Sweden, he managed the likes of Benfica, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester, among others.
Sven Goran Eriksson bravely went public with his terminal cancer diagnosis earlier this month (ITV)He also led four nations including England, Mexico, Ivory Coast and finished his career with the Philippines after a spell coaching in China. Eriksson was in the England hot-seat for three major tournaments but fell short in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups and at Euro 2004.
Asked whether he'd heard about the calls from football fans for him to take charge of Liverpool legends at Anfield, Eriksson replied: "I didn't know that. I knew that they have a charity game in March.
"I think it is and my son… I'm invited to see that game and that would be great because there will be a lot of great footballers there but I should be their manager? No, I've never heard that.
"I would accept of course! That's always been my dream but like a dream, I'm not complaining, I've had a lot of good football teams - national teams and the clubs so I'm happy."