PHOTO: Bildbyrån
It took time, but as of March 1, Sweden’s men’s national soccer team has a national team captain again:
Dane Jon Dahl Tomasson.
– It’s the right man in the right place, says the Swedish Football Association’s head of football Kim Källström.
The protagonist himself was conspicuous by his absence when the union called a digital press conference on Monday evening. Jon Dahl Tomasson will be available to the media only after he takes up his new position later this week, so now it was instead Kim Kallstrom and General Secretary Andrea Mollerberg who answered questions about the process that led to the 47-year-old becoming the blue-and-yellow national team captain.
– We had contact with Jon already before Christmas, but then his conditions looked a little different, says Källström.
After the New Year, the union’s negotiations ran aground Olof Mellberg. And when Tomasson broke with Blackburn a few weeks ago, he emerged as an even hotter candidate for Blågult.
“Feels very good”
Some national team players have also had their say along the way.
– We have been in contact with a number of key players and perceive it as a very positive tone. It feels very good that we have that feedback, says Källström.
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He likes to talk about Tomasson’s offensively oriented football philosophy:
– It is important that our national team captain fits the player material we have. He had good success in Malmö where he played exciting and attractive football.
– I don’t think he fears that there might be a bit of an imbalance at the moment (with strength mainly among offensive players), having said that we have a lot of good defenders who are making progress all the time.
The Dane will be Sweden’s first foreign national team captain, with extensive experience both as a player and coach at the top level.
– It feels exciting to bring in some other influences and I think everyone who works with Swedish football can develop that.
The contract runs through the qualification for the WC 2026 and is automatically extended if Sweden reaches the world championship. But the first competitive matches will be played in the Nations League’s C division this autumn.
– There is a feeling of a bit of a new-build spirit in our football association, with negative results and we have missed two championships. We want to bring back a positive energy around our men’s national team, says Källström.
READ MORE: TV4 profile Olof Lundh’s clear criticism – says what everyone thinks about new national team captain Jon Dahl Tomasson: “It’s damaged”
“I do not understand”
Andrea Möllerberg notes that Tomasson’s salary is within the framework of the budget. Both she and Kim Källström questioned the criticism that it has taken a long time to find a replacement for Janne Andersson.
– I have always said that Q1 (first quarter) is a good target for us to reach, says Möllerberg.
– I don’t understand why it has to go so fast, there were no matches to be played and there was a January tour where we had a good solution, says Källström.
In a couple of weeks, Jon Dahl Tomasson will take out his first national team squad. The first international match is played away to Portugal on March 21.
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