Swedish coach Lagerbäck resigns

Published: 11 Oct 09 17:02 CET | Double click on a word to get a translation
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/22590/20091011/

Swedish national football team coach Lars Lagerbäck announced on Sunday his intention to resign after the final World Cup qualifier against Albania on Wednesday, accepting that the Scandinavians are unlikely to qualify for the 2010 finals.

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Sweden lost 1-0 in Denmark on Saturday night and with Portugal beating Hungary 3-0 face elimination from Group One.

Lowly Malta would need to win or draw in Lisbon on Wednesday and Sweden to beat Albania by a large margin to see Lagerbäck's side reach the play-offs.

Long-serving Lagerbäck told a press conference that he and his deputy Roland Andersson would resign "whatever the result ... either after the World Cup in South Africa, or after a play-off or after the Albania match," on Wednesday.

Sweden have failed to even score in qualifiers against main rivals Denmark and Portugal and Lagerbäck, who has coached the national side since 2000, has come under increasing fire despite managing to guide the team to the last five major football championships.

Among Lagerbäck's potential successors has been named former England and Manchester City coach Sven-Göran Eriksson as well as his former assistant Hans Backe.

Former European champions Denmark secured automatic qualification for the 2010 finals after downing Sweden in Copenhagen. Sweden have 15 points, behind Portugal on 16.

Only group winners secure automatic qualification for the finals in South Africa next year, with the eight best group runners-up being forced into a two-leg play-off.

AFP/The Local (news@thelocal.se)

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19:03 October 11, 2009 by sherkovic

thank God! I thought he had a permanant job and that he will never leave. Lets hope for a better coach for the swedish national team. They are good and deserve better!

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21:52 October 11, 2009 by The Green Turtle

wooooooooo! not soon enough though sadly

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23:48 October 11, 2009 by DaTraveler

Sven-Goran Ericsson will try for the job.

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02:28 October 12, 2009 by ronyasif

Thanks God for save Swedish football team from a foolish coach. He deserve firing.....though he got much support from benevolent Swedish football association. Now time to bring new foreign coach and new young players...no more Larsson, no more Lagerbäck...

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07:38 October 12, 2009 by Ian11

High on talent low in morale....

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07:49 October 12, 2009 by peropaco

He really looks like quite an angry fellow :-D

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08:29 October 12, 2009 by Mike #1986

finally some justice !!!!

now its too sack all the old players and in with the new!!!!

GO SWEDEN

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12:19 October 12, 2009 by Aureliano Buendia

Dear Swedes, you do not have players whose quality could be enough for VM. one Zlatan, one Larsson (though old) and one Kallstrom are not enough... So I am sure that Lagerback was the best option, and he knew this team since 1994...

You should grow new generation, and there will be no need for changes of coach.

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02:13 October 16, 2009 by justanotherexpat

Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!

Too busy laughing really to comment more.......

Svennis to take over? Sure - if you can afford him! The biggest mercenary in football . more than Michael Owen. And that's saying something!

Okay, I have recovered sufficiently to comment more.

No Sweden at 2010 means we are spared the sanctimonious rubbish that SVT, Viasat, Canal+ commentators and studio "experts" usually deliver in these events. Thank **** for that!

Sweden messed it up in the early stages and gave itself false hope.

Seriously guys - stick to Ice Hockey and Kubb.....

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