"Svennis" hailed in Degerfors: Tears and warmth

Sven-Göran Eriksson has been hailed on Europe's major football scenes.

Stora Valla in Degerfors doesn't belong to that category. Yet, last Saturday's event was special.

So he was back where it all began.

"Svennis" has been hailed at Anfield Road in Liverpool, at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon, at the Olympiastadion in Rome, and at Gamla Ullevi in Gothenburg. Last Saturday, the circle was closed when the audience sang the 76-year-old's name at Stora Valla in Degerfors.

Sven-Göran Eriksson started his coaching career in Värmland nearly 50 years ago, during the seasons 1976-78. It was the era of training overall and nicknames. "Svennis" took a cup of coffee with longtime team captain Tord Grip and then went out to instruct "Gubben", "Sala", and "Tött".

Before Degerfors' match against Utsikten in Superettan, "Svennis" and Tord Grip will make one last trip together onto the grass of Stora Valla.

It was in January that "Svennis" revealed that he had been diagnosed with incurable cancer in the pancreas and that he had at most a year to live.

The step is not what it used to be, and it looks stiff when he lifts his leg over the VIP tent bench, but otherwise he's surprisingly lively.

Or as he himself says, with a smile:

"Svennis" does most of the time. He has said that the tributes help him keep the dark thoughts at bay.

Jubilation and song warm the heart.

Sven-Göran Eriksson left Degerfors and became just as appreciated in costumes of the latest cut as in a red training overall. He led IFK Göteborg to SM-gold and victory in the UEFA Cup. He won the Portuguese league with Benfica three times and took Lazio to both Italian league gold and the Coppa Italia title.

"Svennis" made three World Cup finals as national coach, with England in 2002 and 2006 and with the Ivory Coast in 2010.

Among many other things.

He says that about the tributes, but the quote could just as well describe his career:

Linus Schröder/TT