Sven Goran Eriksson has been robbed of his dying wish – after officials banned the ex-England manager’s ashes from being scattered at his favourite beauty spot.
Swede Eriksson passed away aged 76 on August 26 after a battle with pancreatic cancer.
His funeral took place last Friday in home town Torsby, attended by a host of celebrities including David Beckham and Eriksson’s former partner Nancy Dell’Olio.
The much-travelled coach remained attached to his home region, and recently told a documentary that he wanted to have his ashes scattered in Lake Fryken.
Eriksson said: “It’s a beautiful place. It makes you calm, it makes me calm.
“My father grew up below the mountain. If you look straight ahead there is Torsby where I grew up, and in the other direction is Sunne where I was born.
“I have always thought it was a good place to sleep.
“My ashes can be thrown into the water here. It feels like home.”
However local council officials have quashed Eriksson’s dream by forbidding his family from casting his remains into the picturesque lake.
The urn containing his ashes will instead be buried at a secret location.
Eriksson’s agent Bo Gustavsson said: “We have not been allowed to scatter his ashes in Lake Fryken.”
The ex-manager’s lawyer pal Anders Runebjer added: “We have withdrawn our application to scatter his ashes. They will be buried in an urn instead.”
Lake Fryken, in Varmland county, lies around 185 miles west of Swedish capital Stockholm.
Eriksson ended a five-year spell as Three Lions boss in 2006.
He managed Manchester City, Leicester and a string of leading European sides including Benfica, Roma and Lazio.
FOLLOWING Sven-Goran Eriksson's death from his battle with cancer, SunSport takes a look at his remarkable managerial career...
PROMISING START
It began in Sweden in 1977 where he won the third division with Degerfors, before he joined Gothenburg and won two Swedish Cups and the Uefa Cup.
He then took over at Benfica in 1982 and spent two seasons with the Portuguese giants where he won back-to-back league titles.
INCREDIBLE ITALIAN SUCCESS
Stints followed in Italy with Roma and Fiorentina, but he returned to Benfica in 1989 and reached the European Cup final before losing to AC Milan.
Eriksson claimed a third league title with Benfica the following year, leaving in 1992 for Sampdoria.
He spent five seasons with the Serie A side, winning the Copa Italia in 1994.
Eriksson then added another two Coppa Italias to his trophy cabinet with Lazio across a four-year spell.
ENGLAND APPOINTMENT
Then came the England job in 2001 where he spent five years at the helm of the national side.
He reached the quarter-finals of World Cup 2002, losing 2-1 to eventual winners Brazil.
England then suffered back-to-back eliminations at the hands of Portugal at Euro 2004 and World Cup 2006.
PREMIER LEAGUE SPELLS
After leaving the Three Lions following his third major tournament, he spent one season at Manchester City.
Spells followed at Mexico, Ivory Coast and Leicester, before he moved to China where he coached three clubs across a four-year period.
His last managerial stint came for the Philippines national team, a position he held from October 2018 to January 2019.
MAJOR HONOURS
Portugal League title x 3 (Benfica 82/83, 83/84, 90/91)
Copa Italia x 4 (Roma 85/86, Sampdoria 93/94, Lazio 97/98, 99/00)
Serie A title (Lazio 99/00)
Uefa Cup Winners’ Cup (Lazio 98/99)
Uefa Super Cup (Lazio 99)
BBC Sports Personality Coach of the Year (England 2001)
