Granqvist: It has to be pretty damn fun

From the acclaimed world CUP success in Russia and the games with the Russian [Krasnodar, to meetings with, for example, Norrby and Brage in superettan. Landslagskaptenen Andreas Granqvist admits that he experienced the sudden changes last summer.

" It's a different league with a different football of some opponents. It was a little special and tough – above all, mentally and physically. It was a long season and it took a lot of on a summer's world CUP, " says Granqvist to TT in an interview at the Olympia.

get the classic arena, whose renovation was completed in 2017, converted to an advance in the law again. On Sunday, play the home team Helsingborg IF against IFK Norrköping in the year seriepremiär.

– It will be pretty damn fun. We have a fantastic following and it is possible to create a good sound in here. Now maybe it finally will a little bortafans also. It was not so many in the premier league, " he says, laughing.

When the family Granqvist had decided to go for a hemflytt it was given to Helsingborgs IF would be klubbadressen, but in order to continue in the national team had it not gone to play in the premier league even 2019.

" It was very important for me and hopefully for Janne (Andersson, manager) that we went up in the allsvenskan and that I can be with and compete on equal terms. We had not gone up had I got to review my options if I had wanted to continue in the national team. But now it was not so, " says Granqvist with a smile.

team Captain Andreas Granqvist for Sunday's match against IFK Norrköping. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT

and had nine points down to third placed AFC Eskilstuna on qualifying. Autumn in the northwest of Skåne was marked, however, also of economic krisrubriker. Finally, it was clear that HIF went back to 10.4 million last season. For a while played with captain Granqvist without pay.

" Could I help with the small to forgo salary for a few months to help the club, so it was a matter of course. Now it is a new year and new opportunities. We have better control and order on the economy now.

Granqvist itself will take place in the office after the completion of the career.

– Sportchefsrollen had also a great importance when we took the decision to move home. To know that you have something the day when you are not playing football anymore.

in particular, the Netherlands, Italy and Russia for more than a decade, he has followed the club in their heart from the outside. Before he signed for a return, he wanted to be sure that the requirements to play in the association was the right one.

– It is something we have begun to build up with P-O (coach Per-Ola Ljung). With the players we have got, so have the requirements been raised, "says Granqvist and continues:

" It feels like the whole compound begin to breathe a little more professionalism now, and a little more elite level training. It should of course be reflected all the way down into our youth team. They know what's required to get up in our A-team. They know how we play and what they should do in their various positions.

With five gold, five cupguld, the group stage in both the Champions League and then the uefa Cup is Helsingborgs IF, one of american soccer's greatest clubs. A mere five years after the last gold medal (2011) fell, however, HIF out of the allsvenskan in 2016. After two years in superettan and economic acid test, the club has a healthy goal before the teams comeback.

– that is The aim, but then I don't think that many of the other top clubs see us as a typical newcomer. We have a very strong team and I hope we can surprise and be a little bit higher up in the table, than go to war down there in the bottom.

" Then it is so clear that we are a club that is with and compete for top six and the battle at the top. If it then is a five-year plan or a ten-year plan, we'll see. It can go fast, it can go slowly. It depends on how we for the association forward in the here and now, " says Andreas Granqvist.