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Fotbollskanalen’s article that defender Victor Nilsson Lindelöf declined a meeting of the national team in part because he was not satisfied with the fact that his friend John Guidetti was not selected received much attention last year, and the player himself did not want to give interviews with TV4 and Fotbollskanalen afterwards due to publication.
He later said that he stayed home because his wife was going to have children and there were complications.
In the book “National Selection According to Lundh” (publisher Bazar) published on Wednesday, reporter Olof Lundh, who was behind the article, writes that the union called its boss Erik Westberg to talks several times to discuss the matter. “There, the association has asked Westberg if it is possible to remove me as a television reporter in connection with the games because the players ‘get nervous and scared’ because I am ‘more of a digging reporter,'” he says in the book.
The union should have pointed out that They know they are not deciding, but they still expressed the desire.
Andreas Jansson, head of communications, says that the association felt it had an obligation to inform TV4, which has the rights to broadcast the matches of the national team and is therefore a partner of the association, that many players had reacted very strongly to the article and that they probably wouldn’t talk to Olof. Lundh.
What was the purpose of reporting on it?
– It was to discuss the publication, says Andreas Jansson.
He says that the player in question took very badly what he and the association consider incorrect information.
– This led to his wife being exposed to threats and other unpleasant things in connection with having their first child, says Andreas Jansson.
– If Olof perceives it as if we were trying to get rid of him, I really want to say that we did not, but we felt that we somehow needed to explain that there was a risk that many players would not want to talk to him. On the part of TV4, it could be a problem, we could not judge, but we assumed that it could be so and that it would be reasonable to inform them about it. But we also said that “you do exactly what you want,” says Andreas Jansson.
It remains our task as sports journalists to review the association. That they want to get rid of me and then they can’t stand that opinion, I must say, I’m surprised
Olof Lundh says no He is surprised that the union comes up with a different version of what happened to him. He points out that he was a reporter in all the gatherings and games and has spoken with most of the players after the publication, no one has said anything that they did not want to be interviewed by him.
– Certainly there may have been comments and some players thought this was wrong, but I have never experienced someone not answering my questions. And I think most people understand that I wouldn’t have written this in my book if I weren’t 100% sure it was, he says.
Olof Lundh says that he buys that Victor Nilsson Lindelöf does not like him and does not want to talk to him, the important thing is that TV4 can interview the midfielder, which the channel can now.
– But for a union to react – it is not the first time, but it has also happened in 2012 and 2015 (that the union wanted to get rid of it after the publications). Because they don’t want to be questioned or scrutinized. It’s hard for me to understand. It remains our task as sports journalists to review the association. That they want to get rid of me and then can’t bear that opinion, I have to say, I’m surprised, says Olof Lundh.
Andreas Jansson says that he I don’t remember the digging reporter words being used.
If TV4 wants to send reporters to the parties, does the association have opinions on this?
– No, absolutely no comment on who does TV4 send to parties, digging reporters or whatever, says Andreas Jansson.
However, it confirms that the union called the media to meetings to discuss articles believed to be incorrect. This also happened, for example, with Aftonbladet after an article about Emil Forsberg’s departure from a national team camp, which Olof Lundh also writes in his book.
– I think it’s remarkable. I don’t think Peter Wolodarski (DN editor-in-chief) would have agreed if they called him to the Swedish Academy to be taken by the ear after what you wrote about them. But the football association does this. And then you blame us journalists. For me, it’s so typical, says Olof Lundh.
In his book, Olof Lundh describes the tense relationship that has existed between the union and the media for many years.
– I may be a bit surprised that they call TV4 and Aftonbladet on one where I experience the uplifting purpose, because they are not satisfied with their posts. Whether they are companies or political parties or the like, not everyone is happy with the reviews they are subjected to. But I think you still accept it. But in the world of soccer, it’s like they don’t want it, and that’s why they score, says Olof Lundh.
Andreas Jansson says he did not perceive it as though the media viewed the meetings as negative.
– We are very cautious and scrutinized and we should be. We fully understand that this is so and we think it should be so. But we must also be allowed to give our opinion when we think we have serious reporting errors.
These meetings can be perceived as a desire to influence in secret, why not send a negative if it means that something is not right?
– We have sent negatives, but it is nothing more than that we want a dialogue with the media. This means that we must also be able to lift something that we believe has never worked. We get those views from the media and obviously we need to take them into account, but there must also be self-criticism from the media, says Andreas Jansson.
