Hamren’s home-cooked recipe for domestic bliss at Euro 2016

By Philip O’Connor

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Sweden coach Erik Hamren hopes to find answers close to home as he attempts to put together a squad capable of competing at next summer’s Euro 2016 in France following his side’s thrilling playoff win over Denmark last month.

He has named a squad of domestic-based players, who are all in with a shout of making his final 23 for the Euros, insisting that a good cook “can make a good dinner out of a sausage”.

“It’s a good chance for players who haven’t been here so much to show what they can do and fight for a place,” Hamren told Reuters in an interview. “It the same as it is for everyone else — they have to perform.”

Hamren will take that squad, featuring players from the Swedish, Norwegian and Danish leagues, currently in recess, to Abu Dhabi in the first week of the New Year, where they will face Finland and an as-yet undecided opponent in two friendly matches.

Hamren believes that players in the Scandinavian leagues are more than capable of holding their own on the international stage.

“I think a number of players have shown that, even if it is tougher,” the 58-year-old coach said. “If we look at the last squad (against Denmark) we had a few from the Allsvenskan (Swedish league). (Malmo midfielder) Oskar Lewicki played both games and did very well.”

KUJOVIC GETS HIS CHANCE

“He has played for the under-21s in the summer and played in the Champions League in the autumn, and that obviously makes it easier than just playing in the domestic league,” Hamren said.

Included in Hamren’s squad for Abu Dhabi is Norrkoping striker Emir Kujovic, who was top scorer with 21 goals as his side won the Allsvenskan, which is rated 20th in Europe by UEFA for club competitions.

He was included in the squad to face Denmark in the two-legged playoff, but he did not play any part in the 4-3 aggregate victory.

For Hamren the January trip represents a chance to have a closer look at the likes of Kujovic, and he could well end up playing alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who plays his club football at French giants Paris Saint Germain, at the Euros.

“Money and resources are decisive in terms of having greater possibilities and raw materials,” he said, highlighting the key difference between Scandinavian clubs and top-tier European outfits like PSG.

“It’s like going shopping at the store — if you have a big wallet you can buy fillet of beef. If you don’t have so much, you might have to be happy with sausage. But if you’re a good cook you can make a good dinner out of sausage, too.”

Hamren is not worried about who the Swedes will meet in the group stages at the Euros, saying he is happy to wait until the draw is made in Paris on Dec. 12.

“I haven’t looked at the other teams so much yet. There are too many to look at, but obviously I have looked at the groups.

“There are teams I would like to avoid and teams I would like to have, but I’m not going to answer which.”

With the Abu Dhabi trip fast approaching, Hamren will have little time to rest over Christmas, but he is already relishing the hard work that awaits.

“It’s a lot of hours. I don’t count them — at least not in a way that I can show my wife,” he joked.

“But we get to work with something that is fantastically enjoyable and full of positive energy.”

(Reporting by Philip O’Connor,; Editing by Neville Dalton)