Learner’s Podcast 2 – Sven and ‘get off to a flyer’

Here is the second Learner's podcast of the season. We hope you enjoy it. Try out our worksheets or online quiz to help you practice your listening and vocabulary skills. If you click on the audio when it is playing on an iPod you can see the transcript below as you listen. It's a great way to practice listening and fluency. Transcript Yes, Sven. It all started so well for the Swede when he took over from Kevin Keegan as England Manager in 2001. The previous year, Keegan resigned from the England job after a 1-0 home defeat to Germany and England were in danger of not qualifying for the World Cup co-hosted by Korea and Japan in 2002. However, that defeat to their German rivals was forgotten as England began winning again and then thrashed Germany 5-1 away. (audio) England went on to top their group and qualify for the World Cup where, under Sven, they again avenged a previous defeat, this time against Argentina a€“ David Beckham converting a penalty to bring the win (audio). But after defeat to Brazil in the quarter-finals, the first rumblings of discontent could be heard, with Eriksson being criticized for being unable to change things around when the Brazilians went 2-1 up. On reflection, more than the managera€™s tactics it was perhaps the sweltering heat of the Japanese summer that was responsible for an uncharacteristically lackluster second half performance. Quarter-final exits at Euro 2004 against Portugal on penalties, and again in the World Cup 2006 in Germany to the same team, again on penalties made it very difficult for him to continue his job. (audio) Disenchanted with the England manager reached new heights in the press, who had always loved to focus on the Swedea€™s private life as much as his professional abilities. Notably, lurid stories about his relationships with Faria Alam and Ulrika Johnson made it hard for him to concentrate on his job as manager, and a newspaper sting before the World Cup where he was tricked into revealing plans to leave England after the World Cup in Germany made it impossible for him to continue. He rapidly became a figure of fun. (audio) He was replaced by his assistant manager, Steve McClaren, soon after the World Cup. And after such a dramatic start to his career with England it was a shame to see him hounded out by the press, even though it was time for him to go. His record with England is second only to Alf Ramsey and as many of his harshest critics now see the new McClaren is not the old Sven. They are probably wondering if he was as bad as they thought. It is in this more favourable light, almost a fondness for the quite-spoken Swede, that Sven has returned to England this time as coach of the Premier League side Manchester City. A 2 million a year salary showa€™s he has lost none of his skill at finding the plum jobs, but City fans are already believing he could be the real deal after two consecutive wins: 2-0 away to West Ham and 1-0 at home against Derby. Before the campaign began there was a lot of talk about him having signed players he had never seen play, and it looked as though the press was gearing up to give him another kicking, but these two impressive wins have silenced them a€“ for now.