Sweden has got a Danish national team captain, but it is English that applies when he meets the press for the first time at the national team sponsor Adidas’ office in Solna. He opts out of Danish so that everyone can understand, he explains. And his Swedish:
– I’m sorry, I’m a nightmarethere I am a nightmare, he says.
He has received specific wishes from the Swedish Football Association about the way the national team should play football, both he and football manager Kim Källström say.
– My task is to create an international football identity, an offensive approach, it’s a challenge that I really love, says Jon Dahl Tomasson.
How much is it about wanting to play a certain way and how much about pragmatically looking at the players you have and letting that guide you?
– Of course, football is about winning matches. That is the first. But it’s also about showing that you like it. To create entertainment and excitement. And excitement for me is scoring goals, creating chances. The fans should almost feel that community, that they want to be on the pitch, he says.
He points out that Sweden have very good offensive players.
– Everyone should see that this team likes to score goals, create chances, and be part of a wonderful journey.
Jon Dahl Tomasson is Sweden’s first foreign national team captain. Photo: Jonathan Nackstrand/Bildbyrån
While there are many offensive players to choose from, in recent years the national team has been marked by midfield crises and far too many goals conceded.
How do you see the defensive?
– Of course there are many good defenders as well. But first, the defensive game starts with the attackers. They have to do their job too. And I know they want to. We attack with the whole team and we defend with the whole team. Because the team is always number one, says Jon Dahl Tomasson.
A Danish reporter suggests that his speech about “adventure, community, excitement” sounds like something the Danish national team captain Kasper Hjulmand could have said.
He has not looked at what his compatriot says, says Jon Dahl Tomasson.
– Ultimately it’s about winning, but we have people who pay a lot of money to go to matches, and we have to give something back.
The first matches for the new national team captain will be international friendlies against Portugal and Albania at the end of March. Then awaits his own home country Denmark in June, this autumn games in the Nations League’s C division and then qualifiers for the World Cup in North America.
– Now we will start implementing the way of playing, says Jon Dahl Tomasson.
He has long been based in the Netherlands and will not move to Sweden, but wants to establish a good contact with Allsvenska coaches and follow Allsvenska players on site. So far he has not been able to contact players, but now that his contract has come into effect from March 1, he will start straight away talking to and visiting them, he says.
Jon Dahl Tomasson has a contract over the qualification for the WC 2026, with automatic extension if Sweden goes to the championship. A perfect length, he says, with six months to prepare before the competitive matches begin.
– In the Nations League, we will still implement the offensive style of play, and at the same time try to win matches. So it’s a very good preparation period for the World Cup qualifiers. In football, you usually don’t have such a chance for preparation, especially not in national teams.
Facts. Jon Dahl Tomasson
Born: 29 August 1976 (age 47).
Position as a player: Attacker.
International matches/goals for Denmark: 112/52 (tangent goal record).
Clubs as players: Køge, Denmark, Heerenveen, Netherlands, Newcastle, Great Britain, Feyenoord, Netherlands, Milan, Italy, Stuttgart, Germany, Villarreal, Spain.
Merit in selection: Dutch league champion (Feyenoord, 1998–1999), Uefacup champion (Feyenoord, 2001–2002), Champions League champion (Milan, 2002–2003), Italian league champion (Milan, 2003–2004), German league champion (Stuttgart, 2006– 2007). Appointed footballer of the year in Denmark in 2002 and 2004.
Coach assignments: Excelsior, Netherlands (2011–2013, both manager and assistant), Roda, Netherlands (2014), Vitesse, Netherlands (2015–2016, assistant), assistant national team captain for Denmark (2016–2019), Malmö FF 2020–2021, Blackburn 2022–2024, Swedish men’s national team 2024–?
(DN/TT)
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