The centre-back played 112 international matches between 2000 and 2012. He was also the team captain for a time. From the beginning, both he and SVT intended for Mellberg to follow the championship as one of the channel's experts. At the same time, Mellberg has been looking for a new coaching assignment for some time and is still looking for one.
I was very unsure if I could be there the whole time and didn't want any supervision. I felt it was better for me to "skip" it completely than for us to have a plan B.
Covering until further notice
Then SVT was very keen recently that I would be involved in some way. Now I will be here for a week or so, then "Mange" Eriksson will come here and replace me. It depends a bit on his visa process, says Mellberg.
Therefore, Mellberg is covering for the time being and will at least be there for the national team's opening match in Monterrey, Mexico, on Monday night, local time in Sweden.
As a media representative, Mellberg, like everyone else in the press, had to settle for watching the national team warm up for 15 minutes at FC Dallas Stadium.
Nice to be here?
Absolutely. I didn't want to put them (SVT) in the shit at the last minute.
A win is the dream
What hopes should a Swedish national team supporter have for Sweden in the World Cup?
I think we can have good hopes of advancing from the group. Then it depends. You have to be aware that in modern times we have never won a World Cup match against a major nation. It is important to be a little realistic, but it will certainly be exciting, says Mellberg.
He points to the match against Tunisia as the key game.
I think so. There will be very different conditions depending on how that match goes. A draw is tough. Then we probably have to have two more draws or a win, and then the Netherlands or Japan are waiting.
A win would be the dream. Then we're basically done. I saw someone who had calculated that and there's a 70-80 percent chance of advancing with three points, says Olof Mellberg.
