Jon Dahl Tomasson recently becoming the Swedish national football team’s permanent head coach. He’s committed to restoring the ship’s competitive edge and winning image through a long-term rebuilding voyage. A native of Denmark, Tomasson is determined to reshape the approach of the Swedish squad, which has faced criticism for its outdated style of play. He uses a high-pressing, modern 3-4-1-2 formation. This is all intended to foster a climate that stimulates new ideas and creativity on the pitch.
Tomasson officially took on the national team duties after his record-setting stint with Malmö FF. There, he successively led the club to league championships. His history includes taking Blackburn Rovers to their highest finish in a decade within the Championship. Now, with Sweden, he aims to foster a competitive spirit and a fresh playing philosophy that resonates with the players and fans alike.
At the center of Tomasson’s plan is his willingness to implement a more progressive, attacking brand of football. It’s no surprise then that Sweden’s prior tactics have been described as “stuck in the dark ages.” He’s excited to move beyond that old and tired story. Tomasson advocates for a sport in which players dictate the course of games. He feels this team-oriented strategy allows them to find more ways to score.
Tomasson has carefully tracked some 55 players for national team selection to formulate this fresh approach. He’s built a pretty darn good scouting system into his coaching staff. They’ve already adjudicated more than 1,800 matches. This massive undertaking allows them to isolate talent and future pros who can flourish under his brand new system.
“It’s a great challenge – and I love that,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
His first training camp to steer was a winning one. Our athletes were incredibly enthusiastic and quickly adapted to the complex new style of play.
“The first camp – the players were extremely open and they really wanted to make this change of playing style,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
Tomasson understands that several players are veterans of a dozen annual seasons abroad and used to more open styles. It’s those kind of fans that he thinks attacking, fluid, attractive football will appeal to most.
“A lot of the players have been abroad for years and have been used to something else. So this attacking, fluent way is quite suitable for the players – they love to play attacking football,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
What Tomasson values most is producing an environment that puts the onus on motivation to the player. He expects them to take the extra mile for their teammates. More than anything, he’s succeeded by filling his players with pride. In his view, this pride is necessary for their success on the international stage.
“And if you look at our journey so far, they have been great. They want to run through a wall for Sweden. You need that attitude and that pride,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
Tomasson knows all too well how important national representation can be. He wants Sweden representation to be more than a personal achievement. It’s a great tribute to his family, friends, and country.
“When you play for a national team, you play for your family, you play for your friends and you play for the whole country. So if you’re not able to enjoy it, then something will definitely be wrong,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
Prioritizing outcomes is extremely important. It’s just as important to stress how those results are achieved. He hopes to create a style of play that’s fun for the players and the fans to watch.
“First and foremost, football is about getting results. But it’s also the way you do it,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
“How do you play? How do you create the environment? It needs to be fun to watch,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
As Sweden moves into their intermediate competitions and beyond, Tomasson’s tactics and choices will be tested. Perhaps most impressively, he understands the need to connect with his team’s fans, realizing their enthusiasm can make the difference for your stars when battles loom.
“If you look at the crowd, you definitely need to get them behind you as a team. At the end of the day, you play football for people,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
An intriguing aspect of his strategy involves utilizing key players like Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres together on the field. This combination previously raised skepticism among observers.
“When I started, there was a lot of noise about those two – ‘Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres cannot play together,’” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
So far, though, Tomasson says he is feeling pretty confident in his ability to manage their partnership successfully.
“Great players can always play together. It’s my task as the coach to get the right scenery where they can perform and express themselves. And they’ve been great so far,” – Jon Dahl Tomasson
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