GreenScene » Erik Hamren names Sweden squad to face Ireland

Erik Hamren names Sweden squad to face Ireland

15 March 2013 998 views 4 Comments Written by Ronan

Sweden manager Erik Hamren has named a 23 man squad to play the Republic of Ireland on March 22nd.

Speaking at the announcement, Hamren said “This will be a different game compared to previous games in the qualifiers. Ireland is an opponent with a lot of attitude and a big heart. They will do everything to destroy our party at home.”

PSG striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the danger man in the squad with 86 caps, while midfielder Anders Svensson adds plenty of experience after 138 international appearances.

Turkish-born midfielder Erkan Zengin who plies his trade with Eskehirspor could be in line to win his first cap for Sweden, having played 13 times for the Swedish u21 side after switching allegiance from Turkey. “He recently had a fantastic match against Galatasaray, and that was the deciding factor as to why we called him up,” said Hamren.

Sweden Squad:
Andreas Isaksson (Kasimpasa SK), Christopher Nordfelt (SC Heerenveen), Johan Wiland (Copenhagen), Mikael Antonsson (Bologna), Andreas Granqvist (Genoa), Mikael Lustig (Celtic), Per Nilsson (Nurnberg), Jonas Olsson (West Brom), Martin Olsson (Blackburn), Behrang Safari (Anderlecht), Jimmy Durmaz (Genclerbirligi), Rasmus Elm (CSKA Moscow), Alexander Gerndt (Young Boys Berne), Samuel Holmen (Istanbul BB), Tobias Hysen (Gothenburg), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (PSG), Alexander Kacaniklic (Burnley), Kim Kallstrom (Spartak Moscow), Sebastian Larsson (Sunderland), Anders Svensson (Elfsborg), Ola Toivonen (PSV Eindhoven), Pontus Wernbloom (CSKA Moscow), Erkan Zengin (Eskhisehirspor).

4 Comments »

Propagandhi said:

People say that we are on the same level as Sweden. We are not. Antonsson, Granqvist, Martin Olsson and Jonas Olsson are all playing at a high level. Granqvist is wanted by AC Milan and Jonas Olsson is regularly linked with the best teams in England. Elm, Kallstrom and Toivonen are all top class players who are way more accomplished than the midfielders Trapattoni plays. Even if Sweden have a bad game, Ibrahimovic can change things on a dime. Not that Sweden will have a bad game because every team we have faced since Trapattoni was given this lucrative job has been made to look better than they are.

What do we have? Glenn Whelan, 4-4-2, Simon Cox on the wing, Someone living on past glories who should have been gradually pushed aside since the Slovakia (a) game when he singlehandedly cost us 3 points with his now consistent profligacy in front of goal, an unfit St Ledger with no Dunne to babysit him.

Time and time again, the con who is managing this team has had countless opportunities to change our formation to adapt to modern football and find a way to include Hoolahan and what do we get instead? Sabotaging Hoolahan by bringing him on in the second half of friendlies along with a host of other changes when the game is drawing to a conclusion. Playing a crap Championship striker on the wing instead of an infinite # of better options. Calling up other liabilities like Paul McShane while Damien Delaney is an experienced CB at a top Championship team who has never been given a chance at CB for Ireland (go figure). Leaving out David Meyler and calling up another go-to liability Paul Green. Making it up as he goes along.

Me no ah play Hoolahan. He too much like cat. We ah no need feline reflexes. We need ah stability, men-ta-li-ty. We ah have Simon Cox. We no need eh Sean Long. He an idiot. Sammon can play ah midfield. Walters can ah score goal. Green can be our ah Gattuso. We also no forget Lee Carsley. See? I ah remember. I may be old but I still know how to ah dance.

# 15 March 2013 at 9:29 pm