Sven-Goran Eriksson is honoured to hear the outpouring of love for him which he admits only usually comes out at a funeral.
Eriksson, 76, will take charge of Liverpool against Ajax today at Anfield in the LFC Foundation Legends game to complete a life-long ambition to manage the Reds. The former England manager revealed in January that he has ‘best case a year’ to live because of terminal pancreatic cancer.
But since his revelation, the world of football has paid their tributes to the former Benfica, Roma, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester manager. This week has also seen some of his Three Lions players pay tribute to him while there is a documentary being made on his life and career.
“I’m very, very happy and I’m very, very lucky that all the things I did well, they celebrate when I’m still alive,” he said as he got emotional ahead of today’s sold-out Legends game at Anfield. “That’s not normal.
“You [usually] die and go to the funeral before people are telling you how good you were. I’m happy they’re telling me when I’m still alive.
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“Well, sorry about that answer but it is true. I’m very, very happy of course and proud about what people are thinking. It makes my heart warm.”
Lifelong Reds fan Eriksson, who will be in the Anfield dugout alongside John Aldridge, John Barnes and Ian Rush today, was invited to manage the Legends side after the revelation of his cancer. He added: "It's like a dream and I could never have dreamt about that.”
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Eriksson has opened up on the love he has received since his diagnosis (Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Speaking to Channel 4 in the lead-up to the game, Eriksson opened up about how he has been going about his day-to-day life since his diagnosis. "You appreciate waking up in the morning and feeling well and normally you don't do that," he said.
"You take it for granted. In the beginning when you get the diagnosis coming from nowhere, it’s like a shock but after a while you learn to live with it.
"Today I have a normal life and I am not thinking about what's going to happen tomorrow or the day after. Otherwise you sit down and think pity of yourself. No. Leave it. I don’t talk about it very much. It is what it is. I can’t beat it, probably. Anyhow, life is beautiful."
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