Planet Swans speaks to Kasper Jørgensen about the man who will occupy the manager’s chair at Swansea City next season
Kasper is a freelance journalist, who has worked for the TV station in Denmark with the broadcasting rights for Premier League, Channel 6, and one of the biggest newspapers in Denmark, called BT. He is also moving to Wales this year and cannot wait to follow Michael as he starts his Swansea career or ‘adventure’ as Kasper calls it
- You have known Michael for some time we would imagine given your work as a Danish sports journalist – away from football what kind of man is he?
Michael Laudrup is a very private man. But even though that is the case, he’s one of the biggest personalities at all in Denmark. Many people in Denmark compare he’s popularity and status in the public with the royal family here in Denmark.
He’s a very kind person with a lot of charisma, but as said above he’s a private man that likes to keep things to him self. So you will not see him doing tons of interviews and use the medias that much.
- His legend in terms of world football very much lives on from his playing days, just how highly is he regarded in Denmark and where would you say he ranks in terms of your country’s sporting history?
As said above his status in Denmark is enormous. Without doubt he’s the biggest sports personality in Denmark’s history. He has played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid in his club career and that confirms that he’s the best, although that we’ve also had players like Peter Schmeichel and years before that Allan Simonsen. Michael Laudrup has almost the same status as the Queen of Denmark and the rest of the royal family. So he’s name in Denmark is very big and he’s a great ambassador for our little country.
- We all know his playing style from our own memories and those that we can view on You Tube – his managerial record though is more difficult to view from outside – how would you describe it
His career as a manager is not at all as glamorous as he’s career as a player. He started out as an assistent manager for the Danish national team and in 2002 he took over Danish side Brøndby, one of the biggest clubs in Denmark. He changed the playingstyle to what I’ll call classic Michael Laudrup 4-3-3. They played entertaining football, but in terms of championships they only got one in the four years with Laudrup as headcoach, but also won two cup titles.
In Brøndby it was not pure success. But after four years he wanted to trying mananing on a bigger scene. And there’s no doubt in Denmark that he’s dream is to be a headcoach for Barcelona or Real Madrid. But he went to the small club in Madrid, Getafe. Here he was a big succes in Europe League and in Copa del Rey, and managed to stay clear of relegation in the league finishing 14th. He’s problem here was, as the most of his managing career, that he only stayed for one year. He did not have time to make his changes to the squad and with a pretty special chairman, Ángelo Torres, they parted ways after just one year.
The story is pretty much the same in Russia, where he managed Spartak Moscow and back in Spain for Mallorca. He never had the time to make his changes and then parted ways with Mallorca after a year and got fired in Spartak Moscow after seven months.
I think the biggest problem for Michael Laudrup is, that he has been to kind. A lot of the chairmans and directors of sports that he has been working for have been very charismatic and with there own ideas. Michael Laudrup has been to kind and not put his foot down saying: It’s my way we’re doing things. So he has end up in trouble and left before he could put his mark on things.
This is why he has said before taking the job in Swansea, that this time he would do his research better. Who’s the chairman and the of the important persons in the club. And there i’m sure he has picked right.
- Would you have said it was a surprise to see Michael come over to the English game and maybe especially to Swansea City?
I’m not that surprised. He has a very defined playing style that match Brendan Rodgers’ very much. So the players already now, what the need to do. Swansea seems like a good club and a good match. I think that it will be the place where Michael Laudrup will kickoff his managing career and Swansea will settle as a Premier League club.
- How widely covered is the Premier League in Denmark and would you say that this appointment would increase that interest more than any of the other Danish players over here?
The Premier League is the most covered football league in Denmark besides the Danish league, the Superliga. Up to six matches each round are transmitted and there’s preview shows before each match. So Premier League is very big in Denmark and therefore the appointment of Michael Laudrup in Swansea is big news. It’s on the front pages of the biggest newspapers today here in Denmark, and you can be sure that I’m not the only Danish journalist travelling to Wales this season! It’s just as big news in Denmark as it is for you guys in Wales.
- Many managers tend to work with the same back room staff and return to the same players – is there anyone in particular you say may turn up in Swansea as a result of this appointment?
Well, for his first job abroad in Getafe he took two guys with him from Brøndby, both Erik Larsen (Scout) and John Jensen (Assistent manager). John Jensen known in England for his playing career at Arsenal and as assistent manager for Blackburn until last season. But for the jobs at Spartak Moscow and Mallorca it was only the scout Erik Larsen he took with him. So I’m sure he’ll bring Erik Larsen with him to Swansea. And I think that he’ll take John Jensen back on his team again, due to his big experience with the Premier League. So he does not have a big team of assistens and scouts with him.
But it is very important that he gets an assistant with charisma. He needs a strong assistant that can shout at the player in training and is ready to take some responsibility. Because Michael Laudrups brain is fantastic. He has great ideas and his tactic skills are really good. But as mentioned he is very private and you will not see him shouting that much at the training ground. So he really need that perfect assistent. And therefore I think John Jensen will be a good match for him again. They were a good team in Brøndby.
- Swansea City is a club 20% owned by supporters and ten years ago was in the basement division in England, do you think Michael can advance the progression made in a short period of time?
I think that Michael Laudrup can do very well at the club, if they believe in him and let him do things the way, he wants. But he needs time. At least the two years his contract will be. Because the first year he’ll be trying to adapt to British football and get his ideas and players implemented to the squad. But I think Swansea and Michael Laudrup is the perfect match.
- How closely have you followed Michael’s career especially in management and what would you say are the highs and lows of his career
I’ve followed his career pretty close and have mentioned a lot of it above. His highs a clearly the championship with Brøndby and reaching the quarterfinal in Europe League and the Copa del Rey final – both with Getafe. When that happened there was an Getafe-mania in Denmark, so when Michael Laudrup is doing well somewhere in Europe, a big part of Denmark is cheering for him and his team.
But there’s no doubt that he needs to perform over more that just one season. He lacks a more the one year periode in a foreign club that will show if he’s just a big manager as he was as a player.
- It’s 20 years since Denmark surprised Europe with their win in Euro 92 – Michael did not play in this tournament, has he ever spoken to you about his reasonings behind that?
Michael Laudrup did not play the European Championship in 92 because he did not get along with the Danish coach at that time, Richard Møller Nielsen. So that was the reason for him not playing. And therefore I think that his littlebrother, Brian Laudrup, maybe have had a bigger career on the national team than Michael. But he played 104 matches for Denmark and finished is national career in style with a quarterfinal against Brazil in the World Cup 1998.
- Although nobody would have been privy to the interview between Michael and our Chairman, what do you think would have been the level of Michael’s ambition that may have persuaded Mr Jenkins that he was the man for the job?
I really don’t think that Michael had to persuade Mr. Jenkins. I believe they knew what his qualities are and that he’s the perfect manager to follow in the footsteps of Brendan Rodgers. And the other way around I don’t think that Mr. Jenkins had to persuade Michael Laudrup. Michael did his research and know that Swansea is the perfect club for him. This is why I think that the next couple of years can be really good for both Michael and Swansea.
You can follow Kasper on Twitter – @JorgensenKasper – thanks to Kasper for his time today
