Tributes have continued to pour in following the news of the passing of former England manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson.
The Swedish football manager, who rose to prominence as one of the sport’s elite coaches, tragically lost his battle with pancreatic cancer.
According to a report by AS in January 2024, Eriksson was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer and was given a year to live under the ‘best-case scenario.’
At 76, Eriksson made one of his final public appearances in March during a legends’ match at Anfield, the home of Liverpool, which was his favourite club as a child.
However, amid the flood of tributes for the late manager, a report has resurfaced detailing how he missed out on coaching the Super Eagles of Nigeria.
How Eriksson missed out on coaching Nigeria
In his autobiography, titled My Story, the Swedish manager, as captured by Vanguard Sports, detailed that he was initially slated to take charge of the Nigerian national team in the lead-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
However, his plans were thwarted by corrupt officials within the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), leading him to withdraw from the role.
‘We met at the Hilton Hotel in Abuja. In the meeting room, about ten people sat behind a table, as if on a panel, and immediately began asking foolish questions,’ Eriksson recounted.
‘After the meeting, they informed me that half of my salary would be deposited in a special bank account, which I refused. That was why I wasn’t given the job.’
His compatriot, Lars Lagerbäck, eventually took the position and led Nigeria to the World Cup, where the team was eliminated in the group stage. Meanwhile, Eriksson went on to manage Ivory Coast at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
