United in farewell to the..Understated gentleman of football

PR chief and England players all hail Swede who led team with kindness and generosity

- MARK JEFFERIES

MUCH-LOVED former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been remembered as a thoughtful, understated gentleman ahead of his funeral in Sweden next week.

The farewell for Eriksson, who lost his battle with pancreatic cancer on August 26 aged 76, will be at 10am on Friday. September 13 at Fryksande Church, Torsby, in the Swedish county of Varmland, where he spent his childhood.

Expecting a huge turnout, vicar Johan Bonander said: "We will set up a large screen in front of the church for those who cannot get a seat inside."

The service will be followed by a musical procession to a rural community museum, where speeches and eulogies will be given, his family added.

Eriksson spoke about his final resting place in the Prime Video documentary Sven, released just before his death.

Walking with his son and daughter by Fryken Lake, which the church overlooks, he said: "A beautiful place, it makes you calm, makes me calm.

"I always thought, [a] great place, to sleep. The ashes could be thrown into the water here. It feels like home."

Eriksson led the England men's football team from 2001 to 2006 before being replaced by Steve McClaren.

During his tenure they got to the quarter-finals at the World Cup in 2002 and 2006, as well as Euro 2004.