Bizarre Dismissal: Sven-Goran Eriksson’s Unusual Departure from Manchester City
The ex-manager of the England national team assumed control of the Citizens in July 2007, twelve months after departing from the Three Lions.
The city began remarkably well, leading the table after three matches, achieving a league double against Manchester United for the first time since the 1969-70 season, and concluding in ninth place with a record 55 points.
However, during the spring, the team’s owner and ex-Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra suggested possibly parting ways with Eriksson, only one year into his three-year agreement.
This led to an outpouring of backing from the supporters, who collectively called to “Save Our Sven” and maintain the Swedish manager’s position.
Following a staggering 8-1 defeat to Middlesbrough on the last day, Shinawatra mandated that all players and personnel participate in a post-season trip to Thailand.
It was during the conclusion of this particular journey that Eriksson received his perplexing dismissal – after an outing at a karaoke establishment and without any clarification from the team’s owner.
Eriksson shared with Paramount+: “Shinawatra made the decision for the entire team to visit Thailand. Despite the players’ objections, they all ended up going.”
“On the final night of the trip, Thaksin extended an invitation to all the staff to join him at a karaoke establishment.
“Late into the evening, he grabbed the microphone and approached the table where the coaching staff was seated.”
“He began to sing, ‘Should I stay or should I go now?’
“I was astonished. ‘Is this a dream?’
“The following day, he requested to have breakfast with me before departing, and that’s when he informed me of my dismissal.
“I inquired, ‘Why?’
“‘I don’t know,’ he replied.
“I asked him thrice, and each time he said, ‘I don’t know, it’s a gut feeling.’
“That marked the second instance of my termination in England. It was painful.”
In the summer of 2008, Eriksson was succeeded by Mark Hughes at City, only a few weeks prior to the club’s acquisition by the affluent Abu Dhabi owners. Over the following 15 years, they invested billions into the team.
Concurrently, the Swedish manager had stints with the national teams of Mexico and Ivory Coast before returning to England to manage Leicester from 2010 to 2011.
He led three clubs in China, with his final managerial position being with the Philippines national team, from which he stepped down in 2019.
At 75 years old, he withdrew from his role as sporting director at Karlstad Fotboll in his native country due to significant health issues.
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