Sven-Göran Eriksson’s appointment as England manager in 2001, when he became the first foreigner to be given the job, was seen as a symbol of a more outward-looking nation. But his subsequent treatment by the press now feels more like the relic of a bygone age.
For decades, England managers provided colourful fodder for Britain’s ferocious tabloid newspapers. Glenn Hoddle and Kevin Keegan had their faded glamour and short-lived pop careers, while Terry Venables’s gruffness bought him respect from the red tops.
