Nigel Reo-Coker, a midfielder who made over 200 Premier League appearances, has revealed a remarkable anecdote from 2006, when he mistakenly told then-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson to “f*** off” during a phone call informing him of his inclusion in the 2006 World Cup standby squad.
“F*** off”: mistaking Eriksson for a prankster
The incident, recounted by Reo-Coker on the ‘Let’s Be Having You’ podcast and reported by GiveMeSport, occurred shortly after a training session. Reo-Coker, then a promising West Ham United player, initially believed the call was a prank by a friend.
“So I got the call, and that’s the time when Sven-Goran Eriksson – God rest his soul – he called me after training. And I told him to f*** off, because I thought it was someone playing a prank,” Reo-Coker explained. His disbelief was so strong that he hung up the phone.
However, the call came through again, with the voice on the other end reiterating the news. “I went, ‘Who the f*** is this? Like, f*** off, do one!’ I put the phone down. Then I got the call again, and he said the same thing. I was like, ‘Are you serious? Like, wow!'” Reo-Coker recalled, describing the moment he realised it was indeed the England manager.
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A career of nearly-moments and international aspirations
At the time of the call, Reo-Coker was a rising star. He had been an FA Cup runner-up with West Ham in the 2005/06 campaign and was a prominent figure for England’s youth teams, having made 23 appearances for the England U21s and captaining the side at the European Championship under David Platt.
Despite the initial call-up to the standby squad, Reo-Coker’s hopes of featuring in the 2006 World Cup were dashed when he was replaced by Phil Neville due to a back injury. He would go on to play for Premier League clubs like Aston Villa and Bolton Wanderers, before spells with Ipswich Town and MLS teams Vancouver Whitecaps, Chivas USA, and Montreal Impact.
Reo-Coker’s ambition to represent England at senior level remained strong throughout his career. In 2010, he notably rejected a call-up from Sierra Leone, holding out hope for an England cap that ultimately never materialised. He retired from professional football at the age of 33, after a short-term deal with MK Dons in March 2018 failed to yield any appearances. According to Transfermarkt, he officially retired on July 1, 2018.
Sources: www.givemesport.com, www.transfermarkt.co.uk
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