11 months ago
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Ex-England and Manchester City star Danny Mills has heaped praise upon his 'brilliant' former manager Sven-Goran Eriksson.
Former England manager Eriksson revealed he has been diagnosed with terminal cancer and told he has 'at best a year' to live.
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Eriksson managed the Three Lions from 2001 to 2006 during which time they competed in the 2002 and 2006 World Cups as well as the 2004 Euros.
Mills, who was handed his England debut by Eriksson in 2001, said the diagnosis was 'devastating' news.
He praised the 75-year-old for the pioneering style of management he had brought to the game, comparing him to iconic Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
He told talkSPORT Breakfast: "Sven will have his detractors but he was a new era of manager.
"When you go back to when Arsene Wenger came in - all the teacup throwing, screaming, shouting managers - Arsene Wenger came in and changed that."
Mills fondly remembered how Eriksson epitomised Wenger's new model of a softly-spoken, but effective manager.
He said: "I don't even remember Sven raising his voice, let alone shouting.
"He was incredibly knowledgeable about football, and very very intelligent, alongside his assistant for many years, Tord Grip."
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He added: "His team talks were almost a whisper at times, but he would sit down and he would explain things very, very simply, but in great detail. "
Eriksson oversaw England's famous 5-1 victory over Germany during the qualifying stages for the 2002 World Cup and went on to win 13 major titles in his career.
But Mills highlighted that what stood out was Eriksson's personability and great respect for those under his management.
Mills also spent five years as a Manchester City player during which time he also played under Eriksson as manager during the 2007-08 season.
And he described how Eriksson's treatment of his career while at Manchester City was a perfect example of his character.
He said: "If I'm honest, he was brilliant to me. I'd been injured, I'd suffered a couple of broken legs back-to-back, and he brought in the likes of Elano, Jorginho, Corluka, the Croatian.
"He was very open and honest with me, quite happy to allow the senior players to do their thing and be respectful.
"He told me I wasn't going to play because I'd been out for a couple of years.
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"But he then said it's my decision: I can sit on the bench and twiddle my thumbs and pick up my wages, or if I wanted I could go out on loan and go out and play football.
"He was quite happy to leave that decision to me, and I was very respectful of that. He was good in that way."
Mills was indeed loaned out from Manchester City three times during his time there, to Hull in 2006, Charlton Athletic in 2007 and Derby County in 2008 before announcing his retirement from football in 2009.
But what he most remembers about his former boss is just how much Eriksson's thoughtful and generous style of management had stood out even during his short time in charge of the Citizens.
He said: "He spoke five, six, seven languages, at times. I had him at Manchester City as a club manager where he would speak to every single player in his own language.
"I think that's how he was."
