SVEN GRATEFUL TO BOOTROOM LEGEND

locutusofliverpool · March 1, 2006

http://www.liverpoolfc.tv/news/drilldown/N...060301-1209.htm

Sven Goran Eriksson has revealed how a chat with a Liverpool legend helped inspire his footballing beliefs.

Eriksson will lead his England side out against Uruguay in a friendly clash at Anfield tonight as preparations gather pace for this summer's World Cup finals.

The England coach has never hidden his admiration for the history and tradition of the Reds and he admits talking to former Liverpool boss Joe Fagan gave him a helpful insight into the workings of a successful football club.

"As a young man I came here to Anfield now and then, and I visited the famous bootroom," he explained.

"Joe Fagan invited me there 30 years ago. I saw them training and I saw them play in games many times and I learned many things.

"Joe was a very nice man and I got to know him quite well. They were always very helpful and I learned a lot. But I think all the world learned from the great Liverpool teams of that time. They kept the ball, kept things simple. It was very difficult to attack against them.

"You can smell the history of this stadium. Liverpool have won the Champions League five times. It is one of those great, great clubs.

"You can compare them with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Manchester United you can't forget, of course, although maybe they would like to here! Ajax also.

"But you have one very special thing here which makes me freeze, and that's 'You'll Never Walk Alone' when it is sung before the teams come out.

"I don't know if they will sing it tonight, probably not, but it is a very special song."

If Sven had supposedly taken the lessons of Joe Fagan his managerial peformances to date don't certainly reflect that!

I find his last remark about the possibility of YNWA being sung tonight quite interesting. Deffo wont happen, although in a way I wish it would happen so that we could all be spared with another amazing rendition of God Save the Queen!

The Hitman · March 1, 2006