Obituary: Sven-Goran Eriksson, football manager

England football’s first foreign-born coach, Sven-Goran Eriksson, failed to take what was considered a golden generation of players to tournament glory. A phenomenally successful club manager, having won trophies in Italy, Portugal and Sweden, Eriksson could do no better with England than to reach the quarterfinals of two World Cups and the European Championships. After a modest playing career as a fullback in the lower reaches of Swedish football, Eriksson found his calling as a manager. When appointed manager of Swedish powerhouse IFK Goteborg few of the players had heard of him, but he went on to win two cups, a league title and the Uefa Cup. He then went to Portuguese side Benfica and enjoyed further club and European football success, before moving to Italy to manage Roma and Fiorentina. After a spell back at Benfica Eriksson managed Sampdoria and Lazio, with whom he won Serie A. His colourful stint with England followed, in which he became known as much for his complicated personal life as for football. Bespectacled and a straight talker, Eriksson was popular with his players throughout his coaching career and was regarded as an excellent man-manager. He finished his coaching career by managing two clubs in China before returning to Sweden. Eriksson died on August 26, aged 76. — Agencies