Stoke City goalkeeper Viktor Johansson has finally spoken about the drama he’s been dragged into with Sweden’s national side. The 27-year-old was first choice for his country at the Nations League, after Robin Olsen – then with Aston Villa – pulled out through injury.
Olsen then returned to fitness and Sweden manager Jon Dahl Tomasson apparently told him he’d be first choice. However, the 35-year-old performed poorly in the last international break.
Subsequently, JDT included him in the squad again this time but called him prior to let him know Johansson would be No.1. That would be no surprise generally with the handover to the Stoke City player considered overdue by many.
Olsen, now at Malmo FF, didn’t see it that way. The stopper threw a tantrum and released a public statement. His message was he wouldn’t be playing for Sweden again as long as JDT remained manager.
Of course, it was pathetic, and not very fair on the Stoke City player.
“I love pressure, it’s something you live for”
Johansson has now spoken. Fotbollskanalen quote him as saying: “It’s not something I focus on. The conflict must stay between them. I have full focus on the gathering here and the people who are here. We have always had an incredibly good goalkeeping lineup. Now Noel (Törnqvist) and “Kribben” (Kristoffer Nordfeldt) are here and we have an incredibly good goalkeeping lineup.
“It’s really sad. Robin has meant a lot to a lot of people. He’s done incredibly well over a ten-year period, so it’s sad that he’s not here, but now Noel (Törnqvist) has come in and is a really great person and a great goalkeeper. You have to take it from there.
“There is pressure no matter when you play for Sweden. I love pressure, it’s something you live for. It’s an incredibly great honour and it’s going to be fantastic fun. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Just the kind of response Stoke City fans would expect from Viktor Johansson.
