Former England coach hits by cancer, discloses days left to be alive
Sven-Göran Eriksson revealed today that he has terminal cancer and may only have months left, declaring: ‘I have to fight as long as possible’.
The former England manager, 75, fears he has a year to live or at ‘worst a little less’ after the bombshell diagnosis last year.
He said: ‘Everyone understands that I have an illness that is not good. Everyone guesses it’s cancer and it is. But I have to fight as long as I can’.
When asked what the prognosis is, he told Sweden’s P1 radio station that he has ‘maybe at best a year, at worst a little less, or at best maybe even longer. You can’t be absolutely sure. It is better not to think about it’.
There had been speculation about his health after he stopped working as sporting director of Karlstad in his native Sweden. Today he revealed that he collapsed after a run last year and found out he was seriously ill, but is otherwise fit and healthy.
He said: ‘It is not good. Everyone guessed it’s cancer and it is. But I have to fight as long as I can.
‘But you can trick your brain. See the positive in things, don’t wallow in adversity, because this is the biggest adversity of course, but make something good out of it’.
Sven told P1 that he had suddenly collapsed while going for a 5km run.
After seeing his doctors, it turned out that Eriksson had suffered a stroke and also had cancer.
He said: ‘They don’t know how long I had cancer, maybe a month or a year’.
In a glittering managerial career Sven was boss of IFK Gothenburg, Benfica, Roma, Roma, Fiorentina, Sampdoria, Lazio, Manchester City and Leicester City.
He was also manager of Mexico, Ivory Coast and the Philippines.
But while in charge of England for five years he became the most famous football manager in the world.
Between 2001 and 2006 he guided the so-called ‘golden generation’ of stars including David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard but never won the major trophy that was expected.
His tragic diagnosis came almost exactly 22 years after he resigned as Lazio manager earlier than expected to assume his coaching role with England.
Daily Mail
