New national team captain Tony Gustavsson got a tough first matchday at work, in Málaga on Friday.
Sweden fell heavily, 0–4, against world number one Spain and has an almost impossible task in the return of the Nations League semifinal in Gothenburg on Tuesday evening.
But at the same time, it's a good opportunity to give some of the younger players a chance, according to Gustavsson. Not least with the World Championship qualification in mind next year.
If we look now, after a 0–4 loss away, it's clear that we will do everything we can in 90 minutes and a possible extension and penalty shootout. But we will also have an eye on the future, says Tony Gustavsson.
There will be some changes in the starting eleven. When else will some of these young players get the chance to measure themselves against a world number one? However it goes, we will learn an enormous amount from it.
Holmberg from start
One of the players who seems to get to start is Hammarby back Smilla Holmberg.
Now it's just a matter of releasing the handbrake and driving, and Smilla is one such player who just releases the handbrake. I love that attitude, both mentally and physically. She fits in a starting eleven in a match like tomorrow, says Gustavsson.
Tony Gustavsson is not alone in having had a tough start as Swedish national team captain. For example, the duo Tommy Söderberg/Lars Lagerbäck lost with just 0–4 against Spain when they took over the men's national team in 1998.
Additionally, the turbulence surrounding the men's national team's recently fired national team captain Jon Dahl Tomasson is still fresh in memory.
Don't fear criticism
But it's nothing you can take into account as a national team captain, Tony Gustavsson believes – no matter how tough the debut was.
The most important thing in the long run is that we qualify for the World Championship. Then I think it's important that I as national team captain have the courage to make some courageous decisions ahead of tomorrow – not to make decisions to protect myself, he says.
If you as a national team captain start making decisions because you're afraid of criticism, then I think you're in the wrong place.
Exactly how many changes there will be in the starting eleven, he doesn't want to reveal. But there will be several – despite the risk of even more goals against.
We have to take the risk now. It's just a matter of driving and seeing if we can get an early goal and make a match of it. If it costs us some goals in the back, then we'll have to take it.
