Perhaps used to having Zlatan Ibrahimović write headlines for them for a number of years, Swedish journalists are growing frustrated at the new trend of fewer players coming out to face the media.
After all, the idea would be for footballers to be held accountable for both the positives and the negatives they produce on a pitch, but it appears the Sweden national team are ‘hiding’ the likes of Dejan Kulusevski, currently at Tottenham, keeping them safe from the critics.
This is, at least, what TV4 presenter Olof Lundh told Aftonbladet, making it clear that he wants to see more players giving interviews, with the public losing interest in what their national team are doing.
He said: “It’s no secret that the national team is weaker and colder than at any other time under Janne Andersson and that he doesn’t use his big stars any more… After all, Zlatan held two press conferences every single gathering until 2016.
“Why shouldn’t Dejan Kulusevski and the other big players be out more and talk about how much they love the national team? Then the national team can generate interest. I mean that they can do much, much more and it appears as an incomprehensible media strategy.”
However, the belief is that the vast majority don’t and those in charge of this have ‘bowed down to the players’.
Lundh added: “Of course, players think it’s nicer not to have to stand up and answer questions, at least some of them. My picture is that, for example, Dejan Kulusevski has always loved doing media.
“For me, it is completely incomprehensible that you don’t already feed on Monday to create buzz around an international match that there is no interest in. You sit on the raw material in the form of interesting, talented, fun players and profiles and then you don’t use them.”
This frustration was also shared by SVT’s Johan Kücükaslan, who found it quite shocking that, by Thursday, they still hadn’t been able to speak to two of the biggest stars in the squad, with those being Victor Lindelöf and the aforementioned Spurs man.
Kulusevski only has two goals in 25 appearances for his country to date, but that’s something he will be wanting to work on, having been far more prolific for Tottenham.
The forward already has six goals and 11 assists in 29 games for the London club, as he has thrived under Antonio Conte since arriving at Spurs last January on an 18-month loan from Juventus.
