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【INTERVIEW】 TEAM MANAGER JAN ANDERS JŐNSSON

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Jan Anders Jőnsson is a nice fella!
by Robert-Gilles Martineau



Back in Europe Swedes have a reputation of being cold and distant, but the new Shimizu S-Pulse Team Manager certainly enjoys an informal chat and his smiling face can easily turn passionate if the topic stimulates him. The fact that he is a well-traveled sportsman does explain his social skills. Apart of his native Sweden his playing days and coaching contracts have taken him to Norway and already twice to Japan.

Come to the difference between the life of a footballer in Sweden and that in Japan he believes there not so much of a gap in thinking and global approach. He actually would advise Japanese players to acquire more international experience by choosing Northern Europe over Southern Europe, Latin Europe in particular. People in the North, like the Japanese, are more reserved, down to earth and hard-working than their fellow sportsmen in Southern Europe where unbridled passion can easily turn into a cacophony of egoistical individualities.

Truth to tell, because he sojourned in Japan both as a player and as a coach, Jan has seen things notably evolve since the days when the Japanese football players were too conscious of their hierarchy in everyday life and even among players in the same team where “kohai”/juniors would have never dreamt of upstaging their “sempai”/elders.

When coaching S-Pulse players Jan, especially during training sessions, is endeavoring to encourage more personal research and open-mindedness into his players’ minds. He does not believe in military-style drills but instead keeps practices as enjoyable and enriching as possible according to him more importance should be attached to a more balanced approach to help his players reach their top form physically and mentally during games instead of exhausting themselves at practice. Having personally watched a full training session and conversed with players I already know team members have become a much happier lot who enjoy extra practice on their own volition not only to hone their skills but also for their pure enjoyment.

That is for the football side of an interview which concentrated more on daily life and was conducted on the lines of an informal chat.

Actually the first moments of our meeting had been more focused on comparisons between old and modern-day Scandinavia, its people, cities and countryside!

Jan had spent most his days in Japan until then in Hiroshima and when asked about Shizuoka he agreed that people in our region are more laid-back than anywhere else. The neutral weather is a real benefit when it comes to practice as it never snows in Shimizu in winter and the summers are not as hot as in some other areas in Japan.

He has begun to discover and appreciate the gastronomy of our Prefecture and has already found the lunches after training very healthy. Of course he easily admitted there is still plenty to explore when he realized that Shizuoka is a place offering a galore of vegetables, seafood, meat and fruit where you could eat wagyu beef at half price! As for the drinks, although he is a “lager man”, he might encounter some difficulties tasting all the craft beers available!

When asked about his spare time, he admitted he had very little of it, what with the mountains of reports and researches involved in the work of a football coach and manager in between games and practices. As for his personal physical exercise he presently favors long walks over running. But when he can manage to get a day off he makes the point to enjoy it to the full. He confided that the most recent occasion coincided with the visit of his wife from Sweden where she has to look after their household and adult children. He spent it at a great hot spring in Gotemba City. Half of his day was occupied with a nine-holes round of golf, his other passion, and some time accompanying his wife through the vagaries of a shopping session in the famous Gotemba Outlets!

Naturally this was only a first and too short meeting with a lovable personality, but in spite of my inborn skepticism I do believe we are in for brighter days at Shimizu S-Pulse. At least I have witnessed the smiles of players of players more comfortable with a hands-on approach with a team manager capable of flexibility and keen to develop interactive communication.

Professional football is a harsh world and a little love is always welcome!

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