Sounders star Freddie Ljungberg was in London over the weekend watching his old club, Arsenal, play. But his former manager ruled out Ljungberg's return to the team.
"I saw Freddie, we had a chat and he was with us in the dressing room," Arsenal manager Arsene Wegner told The Mirror of London. "But he didn't ask me about training with us so that will not happen. He is doing very well in the U.S. but that doesn't surprise me. He's a very good player."
Ljungberg, who hasn't confirmed he will return to the Sounders next season, has expressed interest in playing in Europe during the MLS offseason, a la David Beckham at AC Milan.
While Sounders fans certainly wouldn't mind the team's most consistent player staying in shape during the offseason, perhaps the Arsenal snub is a blessing in disguise. When Beckham went to AC Milan on loan, he suddenly remembered the joy of playing every week on one of the world's biggest soccer stages and was reluctant to return to the L.A. Galaxy.
With Lungberg hedging on whether he'll be back, the less temptation the better.
One other thing that could keep Ljungberg in Seattle? Better playing surfaces. Ljungberg wrote a guest column for ESPN last month calling for higher-quality pitches leaguewide. In particular, he had issues with the field in Houston where the Sounders' season ended.
I read this article a while back & I really liked it, so I've decided to post it. Since Freddie came out with his own blog, I'm not really sure what avenue to take with this one. I've mostly just been updating as much Freddie news in one spot, so one doesn't have to go all over the net to find it. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks again...
Once again, in the super-heated hum of Qwest Field, with a game slipping away from them and the frustrations from the missed chances beginning to build, Sounders FC looked to Freddie Ljungberg.
Once again, trailing 1-0 in Saturday's second half, they asked him for a little night magic.
And Ljungberg delivered. Another big night. Another million-dollar match.
This was exactly the kind of game the Sounders had in mind when they chose former Arsenal midfielder Ljungberg as their designated player and paid him to be the engine for their offense.
"You never know how good someone is until you're on the pitch with him," rookie forward Steve Zakuani said. "Growing up and watching him in the telly and then being with him in training every day, he just drives the team. Fantastic player. I'm 21. He's 32. If I can have a career half as good as his, I'll be happy.
"I've told him many times, 'I think you're the most intelligent player I've ever played with.' He knows what he's going to do. When he's going to do it. How to do it. All that stuff."
With the ball on his foot, Ljungberg is like Steve Nash on the fastbreak. His head is always up. His field vision is 20-10. Instinctively he knows how to shield defenders from the ball. And his quick-twitch decision-making is like a Formula One driver's.
Against FC Dallas before the biggest MLS crowd of Seattle's season, in the final half of the final game of the season, Ljungberg was the class of the pitch.
"You know that if you get in the right spots, eventually he's going to get you the ball and you're going to get one of the goals," Zakuani said. "We've had to learn how to play with him. He's someone who, when he's on like he has been, we know that if you get him the ball then he's going to create chances and we're going to score."
Ljungberg was the instigator for goal opportunties for Nate Jaqua and Freddy Montero and Zakuani. When they didn't convert, Ljungberg kept coming.
"With Freddie, you know the ball is going to be there, bottom line," midfielder Brad Evans said. "He just knows. It's kind of hard to explain, but he knows where the keeper's going to be. He knows where the defenders are. He's been in that position a hundred times more than any of us have, so you know he knows what to do."
This is Freddie Ljungberg. Dangerous every time the ball is on his boot. Maybe the best player in the MLS. Certainly the league's best newcomer.
When he possesses the ball, there is a belief that something can get done. Like a champion miler, Ljungberg has a finishing kick.
He makes the Sounders a scary first-round opponent as they begin the playoffs against Houston on Thursday at Qwest.
"He's a guy who's a gamer when it comes time to play," technical director Chris Henderson said. "He has the respect in the locker room that this is a guy who's going to win for us. The bigger the game, the better he plays."
Sure, Ljungberg never hides his frustrations. When one of his seeing-eye services isn't finished, he'll often cover his face with his hands, then lift his arms to the heavens as if to say, "What else can I do?"
Then he does more.
"He gets his head down, for sure," Evans said. "But it doesn't mean he's going to stop fighting. He's going to continue to get you that ball. It's not like, 'You missed it once, you're gone.' That's not the case here. He's committed 100 percent. If you're on, he's playing you the ball."
From the edge of the box he crossed a ball onto Fredy Montero's boot and Montero, from the right upright, slid the ball across the goal to Jaqua for the tying score against Dallas.
And 20 minutes later, on the run, Ljungberg created s sliver of space away from Ugo Ihemelu, chipped another perfect pass to Brad Evans, who one-touched the winner past keeper Dario Sala.
Ljungberg, 32, a former Swedish international who is earning $1.3 million, could have thought of this trip from the English Premiership to the MLS as a holiday. He could have taken the money and strolled through the season. Could have partied hard.
But he has treated this year with the newly minted Sounders as seriously as a Champions League season. He has made this team into something more than an expansion team.
"He came here to work," Zakuani said.
It says something about the makeup of these Sounders that their two most-decorated players, keeper Kasey Keller and Ljungberg, are two of their hardest-working players.
"When guys come over here from Europe, you never know if they're going to take their foot off the gas," Jaqua said. "Freddie hasn't at all. Every time he steps on the field, he approaches it with a lot of energy and passion."
It's winning time, and Ljungberg is going full throttle. In his first season in America, he's playing like a million bucks.
Ljungberg recorded four assists while leading Seattle to a 3-0-0 record during the month, and a berth in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs.
RENTON, WASH. – Seattle Sounders FC midfielder Freddie Ljungberg was voted Major League Soccer’s Player of the Month for October. Ljungberg recorded four assists while leading Seattle to a 3-0-0 record during the month, and a berth in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs.
Seattle entered the final month of the season with a 9-7-11 record and balanced precariously on the playoff bubble. With Ljungberg leading the charge, the Sounders rallied for nine points finished as the third seed in the Western Conference bracket. Ljungberg is the first Swedish player to win MLS Player of the Month. As it is a regular-season honor, this is the last MLS Player of the Month in 2009.
After defeating the Columbus Crew 1-0 on Oct. 3, the Sounders traveled to Kansas City on Oct. 17 in need of a victory. Down 2-1 early in the second half to the Wizards, Ljungberg led a Sounders attack that netted two goals in the final 25 minutes of play to capture the win and put Kansas City’s slim playoff hopes to bed. Ljungberg found a streaking Nate Jaqua in the middle of the penalty box in the 76th minute for the game-winner.
Seattle hosted FC Dallas on Oct. 24 in a do-or-die game for the Texas club. FC Dallas struck first when Atiba Harris fired a shot from 22 yards out that gave Dallas a 1-0 lead. With the home crowd behind them, Seattle rebounded for two goals in the second half. First Ljungberg wriggled out of pressure on the left flank and sent a cross to Fredy Montero, who slid to dish to Nate Jaqua for a tap-in goal. In the 85th minute, Ljungberg, the Swedish star recorded his second assist of the game when he found Brad Evans at the near post for a close range strike that sealed the victory.
Seattle finished the season 12-7-11 with 47 points and will face the Houston Dynamo on Thursday night at 10 p.m. ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes) in Game 1 of a Western Conference semifinal series. Ljungberg, who finished the regular season with two goals and nine assists, will look to break through a Dynamo defense that allowed a league-low 29 goals this season. Ljungberg has recorded one assist in his three previous meetings with the Dynamo. Kickoff for the first game of the home-and-home series is tonight at 10:25 p.m. ET at Qwest Field.
The Major League Soccer Player of the Month is selected following the last regular season game of each month by a panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership guidelines can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.
I'll admit I have been looking for ages for Freddie on facebook & twitter & it seems now here he is! His name/handle is: TheRealFreddie
He has 602 follwers now, but I'm sure it won't be that way for long!!! He even blogged about signing for the Swedes when I was at the game! Side note, the game tonight against Houston will be on ESPN2 at 10PM eastern time. GO SOUNDERS!!!
Here's some exciting Freddie news straight from his agent Claes Elefalk. Freddie has agreed a writing deal with ESPN Soccernet, which is officially launched today with the publishing of Freddies first column on ESPN Soccernet. PRESS RELEASE Freddie Ljungberg Joins ESPN Soccernet.
Soccernet.com today announced that internationally renowned soccer star Freddie Ljungberg will join host Derek Rae, and analysts Tommy Smyth and Janusz Michallik,as a regular guest on ESPNSoccernet Press Pass. This exclusive program, which is aired five days per week since August 13th, gives millions fans across the world a chance to stay up to date on the latest global soccer news and expert opinion’s leading up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa. In addition, Freddie will also be sharing his opinions and knowledgeable by writing a column, which is rare and unique among top players in the world, twice per month for the site.
Currently playing in the U.S. for Major League Soccer’s Seattle Sounders FC, Ljungberg’s 15-year career in soccer will add invaluable contributions to the latest news on the pitch. He began his professional career playing for Halmstad BK before joining Arsenal FC where he won the award 2002 Premier League Player of the Year and became a key player on the undefeated team that went on to capture the 2004 EPL title. The Swedish native also participated in the 2002 and 2006 World Cup tournaments and the Euro 2000, Euro 2004 and Euro 2008 for his home country’s national team.
His experience with fame and popularity as a model, fashion icon and product endorser, will also add new dimensions to discussions about the lives of players off the pitch as well. Read Freddie’s column on ESPN Soccernet
Freddie Ljungberg is Goal.com's Major League Soccer player of the week for matchday 31.
Oct 19, 2009 5:33:11 PM
Battling back from injury and low blood sugar, Freddie Ljungberg showed in week 31 exactly why Seattle Sounders FC made him the club's first ever designated player. A 3-2 win over the Kansas City Wizards ensured the expansion side will take part in the postseason and Ljungberg had a hand in every Sounders goal.
"Freddie did the job for the Sounders - made all the right plays to get them into the playoffs," said chief editor Andrea Canales.
In the first half, a crafty corner by Ljungberg caught out the Wizards' defense, allowing Tyrone Marshall to volley home a loose ball. After KC hit up Kasey Keller for two goals and the lead in the second half, the Swede took the game upon himself. Another corner in the 69th minute found Roger Levesque at the far post for the equalizer and, seven minutes later, the 32-year-old harried Matt Besler until the defender coughed up the ball, allowing Ljungberg to slide in the game-winning assist to Nate Jaqua.
"In a seesaw battle against the Kansas City Wizards, the Sounders went down 2-1 in less than 10 minutes early in the second half," said Seattle correspondent John Zielonka. "Ljungberg stepped up and assisted on the two goals that gave the Sounders the win and catapulted them into the playoffs. His leadership and tenacity were not only evident in this match but throughout the 2009 season."
While Ljungberg's play has proved valuable throughout the MLS season, Steve Cronin has languished in the USL. With a goalkeeper injury crisis, D.C. United brought in the former Los Angeles Galaxy shot-stopper on a short term loan. Cronin followed the footsteps of Josh Wicks, another LA goalkeeper who rejuvenated his career in the nation's capital, by putting on a quality display between the sticks against the Columbus Crew.
"Cronin stepped into a chaotic situation when he signed on loan from Portland (USL-1) on Monday and performed admirably in dire conditions at R.F.K. Stadium," explained MLS columnist Kyle McCarthy. "Cronin's composure and his six saves made Luciano Emilio's early goal stand up as United kept its playoff hopes alive with a 1-0 victory over Columbus."
First I have to say, I have been a HUGE fan of Freddie's now for years... I have followed him from Arsenal to West Ham to Sounders & even put the Sweden games on DVD! So after the game, a group of fans were waiting with a huge Sweden flag & Freddie ran over to them & signed & took some pictures, after a few minutes had passed he ran onto the field to head over to the tunnel when I called out & held up my Sweden jersey for him to sign. He ran over & really was so friendly & he even laughed when he saw my "Mrs. Ljungberg" tee shirt! He signed my jersey & even signed my tee shirt & took a few photos with me. It truly was an amazing experience & after a pretty rough year, he couldn't realize what a few moments of his time meant to me.
Hi everyone, I'm back from Columbus. It was a long drive both ways & unfortunately I caught a pretty bad cold right after the game, so I've been in bed for a couple days recovering. I'm feeling better & back at it now, so here are some highlights from the game! Sounders FC ends Crew's home unbeaten streak
Levesque puts in a rebound off a Fredy Montero shot in the 35th minute, and Seattle makes it stand to boost its standings points total to 41.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Losing was not an option if Sounders FC hoped to control its postseason destiny.
So Seattle donned the lucky blues, and the jerseys, in which the team has yet to lose in three games, worked like a charm.
The kits, in fact, had nothing to do with Sounders FC's gut-check 1-0 win Saturday over Columbus, which leads MLS's Eastern Conference. Roger Levesque had a lot to do with the victory, as did defender Tyrone Marshall. And so did a blown penalty kick by one of the league's best scorers, the Crew's Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
Levesque, a veteran forward making only his second start of the regular season, put in a rebound off a Fredy Montero shot on goal in the 35th minute, and Sounders FC made it stand to boost its points total to 41 with two games left. Holding on at Crew Stadium was the tough part after Seattle blew a 1-0 lead at New England last weekend and lost 2-1.
"Big three points," Sounders FC goalkeeper Kasey Keller said.
"If somehow we screw it up now, we only have ourselves to blame."
There was some luck and hustle involved. In the 24th minute and the match scoreless, Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven unloaded a long-distance shot that was headed for the corner of the net. Sounders FC defender Marshall redirected it ever so slightly, and the ball pinged off the sidepost and out of the net.
Levesque, the stringy-haired, mustache-sporting 28-year-old, was the hero. Again. He'd scored critical goals during the U.S. Open Cup tournament, including what proved to be the game winner in the final last month.
"I was just in the right place in at the right time," said Levesque, who started because Nate Jaqua was suspended because of yellow-card accumulation and Sebastien Le Toux was limited to reserve duty because of illness.
The key defensive play of the match came in the 70th minute, with Sounders FC trying to hang on to its lead and the Crew attacking. Steven Lenhart got an open look on net with Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller drawn out. Lenhart's ball was going in, but Marshall got back to get a foot on it before it crossed the goal line and bicycle-kicked the ball clear.
"We know it's getting down to crunch time, and this is the atmosphere it's going to be like in the playoffs," Marshall said. "This is like a rehearsal. This is what it's going to take."
In the 75th minute, midfielder Osvaldo Alonso, who seldom shoots for Sounders FC, got off a blast that hit the post and spun along the goal line and out.
Then, just when it looked as though Sounders FC would hold on, defender Jhon Kennedy shoved Gaven in the back on a run inside the box, and a penalty kick was whistled. Schelotto, with 12 goals this season, lined up for the PK in the 82nd minute
His shot went wide left. Sounders FC survived.
"This week we had good fortune on our side," Sounders FC coach Sigi Schmid said.
Seattle (10-7-11) broke the Crew's 22-match home unbeaten streak that dated to June of last season, when Schmid was head coach of the Crew.
SOUNDERS: Seattle wants to earn one point, if not three, from match at Columbus, a tough place to play.
Sounders FC needs points.
But the Sounders on Saturday will be in the most difficult place in Major League Soccer for visiting teams to find them: Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.
Columbus has a 22-game home unbeaten streak (16-0-6) dating back to last season. And the Crew has won five consecutive home games, meaning no visiting team has left Columbus with even one point since D.C. United managed a 1-1 draw on July 4.
Even at that, Sounders coach Sigi Schmid – who led Columbus to the MLS title last season when the home unbeaten streak began – said his team won’t change its attacking personality in hopes of escaping Columbus with a draw and a point in the standings.
“We have to get points,” Schmid said. “The playoff race is very tight, and we need to get points. So we need to go in there and come out of there with three (points) if we can get them, and one if we can’t get three. We want to make sure we get something.”
The Sounders (9-7-11) rank seventh in the race for the MLS’ eight-team playoffs. However, they would be caught or passed tonight if New England gets a draw or a win at FC Dallas.
This whole idea of a playoff race is new to Sounders designated player Freddie Ljungberg, who spent his previous 10 seasons in the English Premier League. But whether it’s playing for a cup or for playoff position, Ljungberg said competitors should look forward to playing in important games.
“This is supposed to be fun,” he said Tuesday after training. “At the end of the season and the pressure’s on, you should cherish that opportunity. For me to play soccer at the beginning of the season when it doesn’t really matter, that’s quite easy. Now that it matters and you need to have your cool, I think people should look forward to it.”
And rather than concerning himself with all the ins and outs of the MLS playoff possibilities, he is taking the attitude that the only scoreboard the Sounders can influence is their own.
“In the past, I just look for the game I’m going to play, and I want to win every game,” he said. “I don’t care if it’s at Columbus or wherever it is. I think you always have a belief in yourself and your ability. If we play the football we can play and not fall into their game plan, I think we can win anywhere. It would be a big upset to win in Columbus, so that would be nice.”
*On a side note, I will be there supporting Freddie & the Sounders this Saturday! I am going to take a million pictures, hopefully some close shots of the man himself! GO FREDDIE!!!!
Brian Schmetzer faces a traveler's nightmare today: a cross-country flight in a middle seat. Schmetzer is the top assistant coach for Seattle Sounders FC, which flies out this morning for its Saturday game at New England. And Clark is the team administration director, who is responsible for getting them there.
“I take the grief, but it’s not my doing,” Clark said. “Do you put Brian Schmetzer in the middle, or do you put a rookie in the middle?”
Clark laughs and answers his own question: “Maybe it depends on how he’s playing.”
There is no such dilemma in the NFL, NBA or Major League Baseball, where charter flights are the rule. But cost-conscious Major League Soccer restricts its clubs to no more than four charter flights per season.
The Sounders’ only charter so far was to the U.S. Open Cup final in Washington, D.C. And they’ll fly charter again next week to Columbus, Ohio, so they can avoid changing planes in Chicago.
But they’re flying commercial today. And that means some guy heading east on a business trip may find himself climbing over Kasey Keller to get to his seat. And some kid flying home after visiting relatives may find himself sitting next to Freddie Ljungberg.
As Ljungberg will point out, it wasn’t this way in the English Premier League.
“It’s a major difference,” he said. “In England, with Arsenal, we go private everywhere. We go to a private airstrip to a private plane and then you go to the hotel. It’s very different here. But I knew that when I signed, and I’m trying to get used to it. But it’s very, very different.”
Once the Sounders land, they will bus to their hotel: Renaissance Boston Hotel & Spa at Patriots Place, an upper-end Marriott property. And while MLS players have some issues with their travel conditions, no one associated with the Sounders voiced complaints about the quality of the hotels.
“The Sounders are definitely on the upper echelon,” MLS veteran James Riley said. “They’re definitely setting the standard. They definitely take care of us. The fact that we chartered to the Open Cup and stayed at the Ritz (Carlton) is unbelievable.”
Clark said that during the offseason, the team puts out a request for bids from various hotels. The league also tries to use its clout to negotiate better rates for multiple teams, while perhaps snagging room upgrades for the general manager and head coach.
The league allows only 15 rooms for a club’s traveling party. So, players share rooms.
“Everybody has a roommate,” Clark said. “That’s not the case with every team in the league that has a designated player. Freddie’s been great about roommates. They all double up; and I think they enjoy it, they enjoy the company. … I’m always getting feedback from the players about, ‘Hey I enjoyed rooming with so-and-so. Could I room with him again?’ There’s been no major issues at all.”
Riley, who is the Sounders’ representative to the MLS Players Union, agrees: The hotel situation is fine. However, there are other issues on the players’ wish list as they begin negotiating a new contract with the league.
“One thing that we want is for teams to be able to charter (whenever) they want to,” Riley said. “That’s restricted by MLS. … We’re definitely working on that for sure. Especially in Seattle. We travel such far distances and we actually do have guys in middle seats, and that can affect performance.”
Riley also said the players want to change the way their meal money is allocated. Now, players get up to $50 a day. But it’s counted as $8 for breakfast, $12 for lunch or $30 for dinner; and if there is a team meal at the hotel, that amount is deducted. If that meal is dinner, that means the players get just $20 to cover breakfast and lunch – a challenge in such expensive places as New York, Los Angeles or Boston.
The players want the MLS contract to mirror that of the United States national team: a straight $50.
But for the most part, the Sounders and their coaches say they’re well taken care of on the road, which is especially useful for a team tucked away in the Northwest that will travel a league-high 46,898 miles this season.
And if MLS travel is something of a step down from the English Premier League, it’s a significant step up for those with roots in the United Soccer Leagues.
“I remember at certain road trips, with (general manager Adrian Hanauer) in his office looking for flights and trying to group 18 tickets together at a reasonable rate and all that stuff,” said Schmetzer, a veteran of MLS, USL and the North American Soccer League. “Whereas here, cost is certainly an issue, (but) taking care of the players becomes more valuable than just saving a few bucks.”
And as for that middle seat?
“Listen, there’s a pecking order in everything,” Schmetzer said. “The big man (coach Sigi Schmid), he’s first. The rest of us are second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth: Sigi, then the team, and the rest of us. We’re OK with it.”
Hi everyone! Not really newsworthy but I am going to the Crew vs Sounders game on Saturday, 10/03/09. I have been a die-hard fan of Freddie since his Arsenal days, I even ordered a West Ham coffee mug with his picture last year, shipping from England isn't cheap! I was very excited when he came to play here in the States, but even more so when his team is traveling so close to home. Well 5 hours away! I will be there behind the players benches proudly wearing my #9 Sweden jersey. This will be the first professional soccer/football game I've ever been to. I will update after with pictures and my overall experience. GO SOUNDERS!!!
Seattle Sounders midfielder Freddie Ljungberg has been linked with a return to the English Premier League, potentially on a loan deal. The former Sweden international made a recent visit to London where he reportedly met Arsenal officials in a move that has the transfer rumour mill burning. The 32-year old may be seeking a loan move during the MLS off-season but he admits he has not yet made any decisions. The Sounders FC midfielder stopped short of flat out denying or shooting down any possibility that there are talks about him being loaned to an EPL team in the offseason, but did reiterate that he is happy in Seattle. "I haven't decided what I want to do," Ljungberg said. Ljungberg said there was a lot of speculation about him talking to clubs while in London for a break over the weekend, but he wouldn't comment on it. Asked if he could be fair to both the EPL team and Sounders FC, he said that could be something to look into.
Like many aspects of playing pro soccer in America, Swedish midfielder Freddie Ljungberg isn't sure what to expect today when he plays for the MLS All-Stars vs. English Premier League club Everton in Major League Soccer's annual summer showcase.
"It's a great honor," says Ljungberg, who signed last summer with the expansion Seattle Sounders after a career in Europe that included a 10-year stay with another Premier League club, Arsenal. "We don't have this in Europe, so it's a totally new experience for me. I'm not nervous; it's just enjoyable to be here."
Ljungberg, who led MLS players in fan voting, has played in two World Cups (2002 and 2006) and three European Championships (2000, 2004, 2008) for Sweden and won two league titles with Arsenal.
"We come together to play against a team from a country where I played my whole life," says Ljungberg, one of four Sounders named to the active 18-man squad along with U.S. goalie Kasey Keller, forward Fredy Montero and defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado. "So it's a great occasion."
The All-Stars are directed by Houston Dynamos coach Dominic Kinnear, who won MLS titles in 2006 and 2007 and has three players on the squad.
The format puts something of a competitive sheen on the exhibition, although Everton is in preseason training for the league campaign that starts next month. The Everton roster includes former MetroStars goalie Tim Howard, who left the league in 2003 to sign with Manchester United and has since established himself as the No. 1 U.S. goalie.
Voting by fans, coaches-GMs, players and news media each represent 25% of the total balloting.
For several years, Freddie Ljungberg was the face — and body — of underwear advertisements for Calvin Klein. But where is there to go after you have been plastered on billboards all over the world in nothing but your skivvies?
The former Swedish international, who also played at Arsenal and West Ham United in England, faced a similar choice when it came time to decide the future of his professional soccer career, joining the expansion Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer on a free transfer as the club’s designated player (making $1.3 million a season). He spoke with The New York Times on Sunday night, a few days before playing for the M.L.S. All-Stars against Everton on Wednesday and one day after being ejected in a league match against visiting Chicago.
Q
So what the heck happened in the game on Saturday?
A
I really don’t want to talk much about what happened because I know what happens in the league when you criticize the refs. I’m not going to get involved with refs, I’ll raise myself above it other than to say it’s sad when the refs destroy the game. That’s all I’ll say on the record about it.
Q
O.K. But it seemed you certainly played to the crowd on your way off the field and had them on your side. Probably not all that surprising.
A
They were great. They supported me. What else can I say?
Q
The Sounders have the best attendance in the league right now. From the beginning in Seattle, have you been surprised by the level of fan support and interest?
A
When they started to talk to me about America they said the fans here were good and that they would embrace the team if it played well. Of course, you’re hoping and whatever. But I never thought it would be at this level, and I must say that they are absolutely amazing. I’m a bit overwhelmed with it all. They are knowledgeable fans. They know the game. They know when to applaud and when not to. They know what’s good and what’s bad.
Q
So many players from Europe say they come here because their lives off the field are a bit calmer and they are not as well-known. Was that part of the reason for your move to the United States?
A
I would say I like the private life, and I’m quite happy. Compared to Europe, one of the good things about Seattle is that there is not a lot of paparazzi. But away from the field, people are very interested and they do recognize me. When I go shopping they stop me for photos and autographs. There is definitely interest outside the stadium. It’s been great. I’ve been so pleased. It makes you want to be here and play for them. And I keep hearing from then that they don’t want me to be like Beckham, to take the money and leave. But really for me with Beckham, I don’t want to comment on this. I try to reassure the fans in Seattle that I’m staying. Everything is positive.
Q
You mentioned David Beckham and while I don’t expect you to comment about what has been going on with him in Milan and Los Angeles, do you think that the simple fact that players like Beckham, yourself and others coming to M.L.S. has changed the perception of the league?
A
I think what they’re trying to do is make it more appealing for the big players to come and build interest and get the game going. For me, when Beckham came it showed that M.L.S. is serious about to building properly with good players. I think they are sincere in what they were doing but they need to be doing it more in the coming years. People from back home are calling loads of time, asking how it is and about the prospects of playing here. Yes, they have this designated player thing, but one of the things I can’t understand is why all the teams don’t have one.
Of course, I can’t speak for those teams, but here in Seattle it has worked really, really well. But at the end of the day it is up to the owners and what they want to do. I know it is a way different system than in Europe because here the league owns everything.
Q
A quick impression of your American teammates … are they better players than you thought they would be?
A
The American players are so willing to learn. They all really want to get better and part of my role has been to try and help with that. Sometimes my coach wants me to help planning exercises.
Q
In recent weeks, there have been reports and rumors that clubs in Europe have been in contact to see if you might be tempted to go back. If that’s true, are you thinking about it?
A
First, I want to say that when you come to America you need to know what you’re getting yourself into and what to expect. You need to be prepared and willing to accept some things. For me, yes, there have been clubs who contacted my agents, clubs who want me back in Europe.
But I’ve said that I’m happy with the decision I’ve taken and I’ve promised people that I’m going to be here. Some of the top clubs in Europe wanted a quick answer, but I said nope, I’m going to be here. I’m really happy with the fans, and the team is great. I knew a lot about things here when I first got to M.L.S. Believe me, I could have gone anywhere in Europe because it was a free transfer. But nothing can get me to change my mind now.
Q
But why come to the United States, especially to an expansion team in M.L.S.?
A
I’ve been playing since I was 16 at the highest club level in Sweden. When I was 20, I went to Arsenal. I’ve played at the highest level, winning soccer, my whole life. This was the first time I was a free agent. And last summer some people in Europe thought I was nuts for going to America, which is not at highest level. But I want to do something, something totally different — a new experience. You will learn when you see different things.
It was interesting the way the people in Seattle pitched it to me. I felt, and it may sound a bit stupid, that I want to try things that are hard. When I went to Arsenal, people in Sweden said my game was more suited for Spain or Italy. I showed I can play in England and here, this team is doing amazingly well when most new teams do terrible in the beginning.
Q
What do you think of the standard of play? How does it compare?
A
I would say the play is even with the top teams in Holland. Of course not everything is the same, but I think the results of most games would be even. How do they play here? My teammates work so hard in training, they really want to get better. They run a lot, high-tempo stuff like that. But for me, my team wants me to help to control the game, dictate the tempo with passing and like Arsenal, to try and play the game on the floor, a nice game of football.
Q
Who are some of the younger players who have impressed you, either on the Sounders or in the league?
A
I don’t want to make any trouble and pick out players by name. But in general, and it includes some of my teammates, they are very good, but they are 20 and 21 years old after they finish college first. In Europe, those good young players are 16, 17 or 18. That can make a big difference.
Q
The Sounders got a chance to play in a big international exhibition recently against Chelsea and you’ve got another one coming up soon against Barcelona. Do you get excited about these games?
A
How can I explain it? The way I see it it’s an amazing and great experience for our younger players. They get to see how some of the game’s great players do it. In M.L.S. they do their pass and move, but then they discover that a lot of things they’re used to doing don’t work against Chelsea or Barcelona. Really, those other teams are much better than I’ve been telling them about. For the young ones, it’s an invaluable lesson. For me, it’s really a chance to catch up with a bunch of friends, talk a bit, go for a drink. It’s really nice. But it’s much different when you’re playing for trophies.
Q
And now this thing we call an All-Star Game. Is it something completely alien to you?
A
For sure, it’s a new experience since we don’t have such a thing back home or in Europe. But I like ice hockey and I’ve seen the N.H.L. game. Of course it’s an honor to play in it; I can only compare it to a testimonial game for some players I’ve played in. It should be calm, a nice tempo and no dangerous tactics. The only thing is: Will Everton see it that way?
Q
After only a few months, what’s your favorite thing about Seattle?
A
Well, it’s not raining even close as much as people said. The summer, so far, is amazing. I’m looking out my window, 20 boats in the water and I’m really enjoying the city.
The Sounders FC midfielder was very demonstrative with the referee but chose not to be critical publicly after the game.
"I stand totally behind Riley," he said of the red card issued to his teammate. "The L.A. Galaxy was gripping the ball and holding it because they don't want us to play football. They just wanted to be slow and I don't think that's why the fans are here, to look at that.
"At least in Europe you have the rule where you're not allowed to hold the ball. I don't know if they don't have that rule here."
Ljungberg said no one call or non-call upset him more. "It's the whole thing. Everybody knows how important goals are in soccer and football, and it changes games. We had such good pressure on L.A. The penalty, of course, upsets you. I think I even got more upset when they got small things...that upset the rhythm of the game, and then they can get out of the pressure.
"Im not allowed to talk about the referees, so I'll leave it at that."
"To hear Roth tell the story, his wooing of Ljungberg wasn't so different from the way he'd persuaded Julia Roberts or Bruce Willis to star in a new movie. As usual, when it comes to star talent, CAA was involved. "I was talking to one of CAA's sports agents who said Freddie was going to be in town the next day," Roth recalled. "When I asked why, they said, 'He's getting a tattoo.' When I met him, he had a huge new tattoo that went all the way up his right arm to his elbow."
Hello! Welcome to my new Fredrik Ljungberg page! I have been a fan of Freddie for years now & the blog I currently subscribe to for everything Freddie is closing down, so I will do my best to try & pick up where he left off. Please bear with me as I learn how to do all of this... Enjoy!
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