Janne Andersson made the most of Sweden

With him, most Swedes connect the main arguments for the lead in the top 16 finals: Janne Andersson, 55 and coach of the Swedish national team up to victory with Norrkoping 2015 largely banal. About himself, the Halmstad man says that he is "process-oriented and boring".

He underestimates. At the latest, the tournament in Russia has unmasked: Andersson is the intelligent and dedicated project manager who can drive when needed quite out of his skin. When he was provoked by some second-row DFB-officials bullies with cheers, sprinted the Swedish coach with a bright red head in the direction of the German provocateurs.

Laying the Groundwork

"I had no idea where the road could go," said Andersson on the eve of his most important game with Sweden. "We had to start from scratch and form a new team first." The championship of Europe in France was one of the many lows of recent years. The old guard resigned as a group and without a victory.

The end of the era with eccentric icon Zlatan Ibrahimovic was both a challenge and an opportunity. The circle of service providers has expanded, the collective has had to develop. "We lost one of the best in the world," says captain Andreas Granqvist, "and we played well because we are fighting for each other. Janne laid the base.

Time and again, the track of success goes to the coach. For five seasons he has made IFK Norrköping financially and sporitively insignificant much more valuable. Now, history is repeating itself on another level. Northerners play at a much higher level, in some cases even above their ratios.

"Success bears his signature"

"He can claim a high percentage of success," says Andreas Lundin. Public radio journalist "Sveriges Radio" sees Andersson's contribution as crucial: "It improves the players and the teams, the success is his signature."

When Jimmy Durmaz was inundated with hateful comments on the internet and his family had to endure the vilest insults, Team together the next day together in front of the press and behind the national team. The impressive solidarity act was inspired by Andersson.

Unlike some unsure observers of their own, Andersson is confident in the sports field: "We respected all the opponents, nothing will change that. "And on absurd mental games, his World Cup team in 1958 (Sweden vs. Brazil) could be inspired, Andersson did not even happen.

He also answered the question ( suggestive) to know if the sixth-place Swiss were not overestimated in the FIFA World Ranking: "The ranking is based on work and I am not surprised. They have lost only one match since the summer of the European Championship. »(Sda / qae)