Sundhage wants winning Sweden mentality
Sunday, June 7, 2015
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She won two Olympic golds as United States coach; now Sweden's Pia Sundhage hopes the US will be among her victims at the FIFA Women's World Cup.
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Despite their prowess in women's football, Sweden have failed to win a major trophy since Pia Sundhage converted a penalty that gave them the very first European title in 1984.
Having led the United States to two Olympic golds as coach, Sundhage returned home to take over the Sweden team in 2012 and the following year reached the UEFA Women's EURO 2013 semi-finals as hosts. On Monday they kick off their FIFA Women's World Cup campaign in Canada against Nigeria, before facing the US four days later, a sequel to a group fixture in Germany four years ago where eventual bronze-medallists Sweden beat Sundhage's subsequent runners-up 2-1.
Sundhage shared her thoughts with UEFA.com about the US and their other group opponents, the opportunity for the sport in Sweden if they win and instilling an American mentality into her squad.
On playing the US ...
Yes, it's weird, it will be different. Just before the game, I will get different kinds of questions from journalists: how is it, how does it feel, you know some of the players ... But at the end of the day, sitting there on the bench and waiting for the game to start, the referee starts the game and then it's a game.
Then it's like: how are we going to try to beat the best team in the world, the US team? So it will be fun. A little bit stressful in the beginning, maybe afterwards, because I get different questions, because I've been coaching the team. But it's football, two times 45 minutes, and I just love it.
On the rest of the group ...
It's very tough. And with Nigeria it's hard to get hold of games and see how they play. They are very strong, physical. Physically they'll be a tough team to play. I am looking forward to these one-on-one situations – everything happens in the box.
Recently I saw Scotland draw against Australia. The Aussies have a young group of good players, physical players. And they have a lot of experience: if you look back to 2011 and compare it to 2015, you have some players there, they are more experienced today, well organised and another good team.
Expectations for Sweden ...
We try to play our very best and win the next game. And hopefully we will get a medal. And if you look around, all the good teams nowadays, it's getting harder and harder of course. But we have the dream, we believe in what we are doing, so if you put everything together, everybody is healthy, which I do believe is very important, then we have a chance, yes.
On difference between coaching the all-domestic based US team and Sweden, whose players are spread out over different leagues ...
Well, it's such a big difference. It's being able to have the team in front of you all the time. I felt I had more of an impact in the way we played and the leadership because we were together so many days in the States.
Today, they have the club teams and they're coming in for just three, four, five days and then you play a game. So I think it's important for us to have stayed together just before the World Cup and had a chance to work with a cohesive team, work on certain things.
On the opportunity for the profile of the Swedish game if they can win in Canada ...
You know, getting the chance to play, win and play great football, and coming back to Sweden I think everybody would talk about the women's game. And I think we have things that are interesting for the crowds, because the way we play on the women's side is slightly different. I bring up the fair play, the ability to attack and dying to score some goals.
We do have some goalscorers as well. So I can imagine coming back to Sweden, we would be maybe heroes and that would be such a great feeling, where that little girl or little boy will look at the women, look at Lotta Schelin: wow, she's my favourite player! I think that's important for the women's game in Sweden.
On trying to give Sweden the winning mentality of the US team ...
There is one thing I admire [about] the States, all the players: they never give up and there is a little bit of, we call it 'attitude', no matter if it's the 89th minute or 92nd minute or whatever, they really believe in what they are doing. And it's contagious. And it starts with me. So with happy body language, and 'enjoy the road', I think we have a chance.