Quotes from Sven-Goran Eriksson

My private life, I prefer to have that private.

In Italy, so long as you are not criminal, they couldn't care less about your private life. It's when you lose a football match that they criticise you - a lot.

My private life has absolutely nothing to do with my football.

My private life was not very private in England.

If I am going to write a book, which I have done, I think we have to get it right - whatever has been written about me, about football, about my private life.

I thought I was prepared for England but I was not prepared for things outside football, my private life. I am not very proud that fans could probably name three of my former girlfriends. I don't think it damaged my football results. But my image outside football it damaged, yes.

I have a big TV screen and I sit there and watch the Premier League and I get angry sometimes - 'I'm better than that guy sitting there.' Of course, I am joking. But I analyse. I look at it technically, how they play, how they defend, how they attack, why did he change that player? That's the only way I can look at it after all these years.

Yes, England lost to Iceland at Euro 2016 but you need to look at what Iceland had, as well as what England didn't. Maybe Iceland were not technically strong but they looked very strong together and England were not the only ones surprised by them.

I must say, the standard of football we play in League Two is better than I thought. I think, if you compared it with the fourth division in other countries, such as Italy, Germany and Spain, League Two is much, much better - and that's very positive. The intensity and the tempo is as high as the Premier League.

The only real failure in life is the failure to try.

David Beckham, for me, every time he came to England camps he was an extremely professional football player.

I had a lot of respect for Ferguson. How could you not? He had built so many great teams throughout the years and I appreciated that his teams always tried to play attacking, positive football.

The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.

I liked friendly games, but I took them like a test to test new players. People didn't like that very much.

There is so many good people in Africa. And a huge talent among the football players.

If you're manager, you're always responsible for the good times and the bad times. Every time you don't win a game you think if you could have done it another way.

Sir Alex Ferguson was a genuinely nice man. We met many times and even had dinner together on a few occasions. But woe to the person who threatened or bothered Manchester United in any way. Then Ferguson would not spare his venom. I know, because he often aimed that venom at me.

If you want to keep up with the changes, then you have to watch as much football as you can. Live is the best way but also on television. All the best teams: Barcelona, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and now City. What are they doing? If possible, go and see them training. You can always learn.

If you are the coach of Bayern Munich, Barcelona or Real Madrid, the chances to win something are huge. When you go to the Premier League, you have six, seven, eight teams who are fighting to win.

Over time I realised that the most important thing is not the system but the players you have. Then you make a system for them.

I'd won three cups with Lazio - then, against the odds, we won Serie A, the Italian equivalent of the Premier League. Rome went wild. Thousands of people filled the streets, and fans even jumped on my car. I became known as Il Mitico - 'the legend.'

Gerrard is quiet; if he speaks people listen. If he has something to say, it's important and clever. He's a hard worker, disciplined.

Sooner or later, an African team will win the World Cup.

The player picked as No 23 in the squad will not win the World Cup for you.