The splinters from Friday; Sven-Göran Eriksson writes a letter to England's national coach Gareth Southgate.
12.07.2024, 13:38
12.07.2024, 15:13
SDA
The letter from Eriksson
The terminally ill former England national coach Sven-Göran Eriksson has addressed emotional words to Gareth Southgate, England's current coach, ahead of the European Championship final. A letter published in the "Telegraph" newspaper entitled "Dear Gareth, do it for me, Bobby Robson and England" is intended to spur the Three Lions on. "The job of England coach comes with a huge amount of pressure. You hear so much about 1966 and Sir Alf Ramsey's team. You know how big the expectations are on you to end all those years of pain. I felt it. Sir Bobby Robson felt it. Every one of the 13 managers since Sir Alf will have felt it," wrote Eriksson, who is terminally ill with pancreatic cancer. "None of us made it, but no one was closer than Gareth Southgate."
"Then I'll drink a real beer"
Declan Rice, the worker in England's midfield, does not fit the image of the hard-drinking British player. The 25-year-old explained that he has never had a real beer. If beer, then mixed with lemonade, the Arsenal player told a media roundtable with English newspapers. If he wins the title in Berlin, Rice would get over himself: "Then I'll drink a real beer." Even if he has to hold his nose, "because I hate the smell".
