Lars “Brolla” Svensson attended PSC’s combines in Atlanta and San Diego in the summer of 2014 and was instrumental in the signing and trials of a number of players in Scandinavia such as Gibson Bardsley to Kiruna FF who has been an instant success in the north of Sweden since his arrival. Lars will be heading back to America this December to our Chicago and Florida combines to hopefully find more talent that can make an impact in Scandinavian football. We caught up with him recently and asked him what he is looking for in a player at these combines and how he can be of assistance to aspiring players in attendance.

Can you please tell us a brief history of your coaching background in Sweden?
I have 30 years of Professional Coaching experience with teams such as Bodens BK, IFK Luleå, Lira Luleå in Superettan, and an Assistant coach with the Sweden U17 National Team. I have a UEFA Pro License and a UEFA Elite Youth Coach License. Recent awards I have won include the Coach of the Year 2013 in Norrbotten, Sweden, and winning the bronze medal U17 World Cup 2013 in the United Arab Emirates for the Swedish National team.

So you’ve had a lengthy career at the top levels in Scandinavia….What are your initial impressions of the American players you worked with at PSC’s combines, showcases, and residential programs over the summer, and are there any areas you feel American players need to work on in general?

From the players I have worked with, I am impressed with the player's determination and attitude towards the game– they are very professional. The next step is to improve the tactical understanding of playing professionally in Europe. From what I have seen the quality of players at PSC Combines and programs is getting better every year.

Have you worked with American players previously in your career? If so where abouts and what players?
I have worked with a number of American players in Sweden in the past such as Brian Dunseth, Leighton O Brien, Luchi Gonzales, Ryan Caugherty, Daniel Torres, Wolde Harris, and Steve Shak in Bodens BK.

Which combines will you be attending this winter and what are you looking forward to the most?
I will be attending Chicago and Fort Lauderdale. This summer I attended San Diego & Atlanta and this winter I am looking forward to seeing the quality of players in Chicago and Fort Lauderdale. Mostly I am looking forward to evaluating and assisting even better players than I saw in the summer.

You have been instrumental in assisting a number of the summer players with opportunities in Scandinavia. What are you looking forward to most about the upcoming events in Chicago & Florida that you will be attending?
I’m looking forward to seeing an increasing number of players competing with each other for professional opportunities in Sweden. As with the players in the summer, if they show me they are good enough I will help them find professional contracts and tryouts throughout Scandinavia.

What advice would you give to players attending the combines this winter? Are there certain things that you or other coaches are looking for when they are evaluating players?
We are looking for four complementary Components: Tactical – Technical – Physical – Psychosocial: –

Tactical: Both attacking and defending principles, transitions between offense and defense, game understanding and perception/anticipation
Technical: Basic general technical abilities should be high quality such as passing and receiving, 1v1 attacking and defending, etc
Physical: Speed, strength, endurance, stamina, athleticism
Psychosocial: Decision-making, determination, cooperation with teammates, competitiveness, and motivation.

Thank you for your time, Lars, we look forward to welcoming you in Chicago and Florida this winter and showcasing some more talented players to you.

I’m looking forward to it already!

To see more information about our events in Chicago and Florida please check out our combine page.

If you wish to showcase yourself to Lars, our other attending coaches, and our agency staff please submit a registration form.