Jonas Thern on the advancement and training of Värnamo coaches

Jonas Thern on the future after IFK Värnamo teaser

From: Anton Johansson

Published: November 22, 2020 kl. 07.43

Photo: CHRISTOFFER BORG MATTISSON / BILDBYRÅN

Jonas Thern.

Jonas Thern, 53, has brought IFK Värnamo to the Superettan once again.

But he will not remain the head coach as he lacks the necessary training.

– Even if we would have stayed in the first one, you have to sit down to go to an education and I don’t have much love for that, says Thern.

When Sportbladet arrives at Jonas Thern, he sits at his home in Värnamo with his wife and drinks a glass of champagne.

With all the rights.

Ten years after taking IFK Värnamo to the Superettan, he has done it again. Despite a 1-1 win against Lindome, Värnamo are clear series winners in Division 1 South. Landskrona Bois later lost on Saturday against Assyriska with 1-2.

– It feels great and if you watch the entire season, it’s fair. We’ve been good for a long time, says Thern.

What happens now?

But the question is what happens to Thern. To be the head coach of the Superettan, you require a Uefa Pro training. Something that Thern doesn’t have.

It is also not something you plan to acquire.

– Even if we had stayed in one, you have to sit down to go to an education and I don’t have much love for that. So the club must find someone who has training and is approved to be part of leading the team, Thern says.

In other words, aren’t you planning on going to one?

– No I do not. I don’t work to advance in the coaching career. If I’m interested, of course I’ll do whatever it takes. But so far I have been able to work at home where I feel most comfortable. I love Värnamo. I live here, I feel great and I love soccer here in the area. I have no plans to do anything else as it seems today.

“Look at Zlatan”

Will you continue to play a role?

– I’ve watched Zlatan. If he is 39 and can play, I think 53, if I start training, maybe. He still plays in Serie A. So when you look in the mirror, it doesn’t seem like fun, so it’ll probably be a leadership role, Thern says.

If it wasn’t obvious before, then there will be no comeback as a player for the 53-year-old, however he can continue as a leader.

– I think we’ll figure it out. If you want me to join, of course you do, I think it’s fun. Our goal was to build something new when we left Superettan and make sure we have a good group and have a good constellation with leaders and players. The spontaneous feeling is that we should improve as a team. We must draw the arc higher than fight for places in the background, we must establish ourselves and not just talk about holding on. We have done it every two years, so now we must dare to raise the level and the goal and then we will see how far it goes, he says.

“Make up so many rules”

He does not know exactly what role he can have in the club.

– I don’t even know what the rules are. They come with so many rules all the time that the board has to take care of it. I know that assistant coaches don’t need to have any coaching or coach advisor or what they call it now, Thern says.

He continues:

– I have a permanent contract that can be terminated in three months, so I adapt to how the club wants it. But if I want to join, I want to join team A. I have worked with youth for a long time and right now it is not the driving force for me. But it may be that you find another constellation and I am on another level. We haven’t even talked about it or had time to think about it.

Published: November 22, 2020 kl. 07.43

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