PHOTO: Bildbyrån
No, there is no conflict between him and midfield talent Hugo Larsson.
Confederation captain Jon Dahl Tomasson makes that clear.
But he is evasive when asked if he could have handled the situation differently.
According to TV4, Hugo Larsson on Saturday evening having been asked to leave the gathering. Something the national team manager Stefan Pettersson denies.
– The fact that he went home had only to do with his sense of injury. There is so much speculation, but we know what we are doing, says Pettersson.
Tomasson’s words
That picture also gives Jon Dahl Tomasson. Larsson himself made the decision to fly home to Frankfurt due to an injury.
– Hugo felt something on Tuesday, but fought on. Yesterday he felt something again during the small team game. He spoke to the medical team. Hugo made the decision to go home, says Dahl Tomasson.
The article continues below.
At a press conference last Saturday, Hugo Larsson expressed his disappointment that he did not get playing time against Azerbaijan – and that the national team captain said publicly that the midfielder must play more forward.
Dahl Tomasson’s reaction:
– He is a young man, 20 years old, has a lot of emotions. This big for him. We have to take care of him. We have 23 players in the squad, everyone deserves to play, but not everyone can do it.
– When the press asks me about him, I have to be open. It is not a weakness that you need to develop when you are 20 years old. He is a young, good player with great potential and not the only young player. We have Ayari, Bergvall and Nanasi too.
“The team is most important”
Jon Dahl Tomasson fully understands that a footballer wants to play football – and especially in the national team. Therefore, he does not want to make a big deal out of Larsson’s disappointment and the criticism the midfielder has directed at him.
READ MORE: The star reveals the one thing he wishes for as a birthday present – with the most powerful appeal to Henrik Larsson(!)
But the national team captain also points out, time and time again.
– The team is most important, the team is number one. Sometimes you play, sometimes you are on the bench, sometimes you are not involved at all. We need each other
Is Hugo Larsson with Slovakia and Estonia in October?
– I take out the players who play well. He is an extremely good player, one of the players we follow.
3–1 against Azerbaijan and 3–0 against Estonia was the start to the Nations League the national team captain wanted to see.
– I think we saw a team that touched the audience. I think this performance gives us confidence. We all know the next game is against Slovakia who are an excellent team. We have to watch every game. We’re getting closer to being a decent team.
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