PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Sweden’s new national team captain has had a shaky start.
Sweden’s best-known football coach likes his philosophy – and has a wish.
– I hope we don’t sentence him far too soon, says Sven-Göran Eriksson about Jon Dahl Tomasson.
In February took office Jon Dahl Tomasson as the new national team captain for the Swedish national football team. Conclusion so far? A crushing defeat away to Portugal (2–5) and a narrow win at home against Albania (1–0).
Sven-Göran Eriksson have a lot of faith in the man who will lead Blågult forward.
– His big advantage is that he has an idea. A definite idea of how he wants Sweden to play football and I like that. Then it is as always in football, you lose and you are criticized, says “Svennis” during a press conference for the SVT documentary “Footbollens historia”.
Svennis admits
“Svennis” – who himself has extensive experience of the pressure that leading a national team can entail – does not think that one should draw too many conclusions from the clear loss against Portugal.
– If I had to decide, I would give it some time. The important matches are the next World Cup qualifiers. We must not miss a major football event again. We have missed the WC and EC. It’s for supporters and players. But also for the Swedish Football Association’s finances, he says and elaborates further:
– It’s huge money that you get to qualify for a WC and maybe go further. Then the money pot increases enormously. That must be everyone’s big goal, the next World Cup qualification.
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He then pauses his exposition to make a rhetorical point:
– Now I’m talking “we” here as if the team were mine. But in a way it is.
Tomasson’s words
One aspect he particularly likes about the Dane’s leadership style is his clarity.
– Because he comes up with a concept. He doesn’t come and say we’ll see how it turns out. But this is how I want us to play – and I think that’s very good. I think the players are up for it too. It feels safe to know that we will do this today, tomorrow and when we meet again in a month. It is good.
“Svennis” received a greeting from Tomasson after he publicly spoke about his incurable cancer. A message that warmed.
– It’s nice, says “Svennis”, who thanked him for his concern and wished Tomasson good luck in his new job.
READ MORE: The big club’s absolutely magical tribute to Sven-Göran Eriksson – the Swede’s words leave no one unmoved: “I cry”
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