After your successful career in England and in your country, how you get the chance to join Shanghai SIPG? Did you know something about the Chinese Super League before sign your contract with the Chinese club?
It was my agent that told me that Shanghai SIPG was interested. I didn’t know anything about the football in China, but I did some research and I thought it sounded interesting. And also of course, the financial bit was much better then Sweden of course.
After two years living in China, how were the changes of culture? What would you say were the most notorious differences between life in Europe and life in China?
Oh that’s very hard to say. There are small differences in the everyday life. I can’t really say a particular thing or habit.
You came in 2014 to a team that had been ninth in the 2013 season and you leave the club with the second place obtained in 2015, what were the reasons of this huge progress of the team from your point of view?
Main reason is the development of the players but also of course the fact that better players came to the club. Every year that went by the standard was raised. Except this year because I left (laughs). No but there’s also been a significant change in the coaching and back room staff. The club has gotten more and more professional for every year that has passed.
You played in Shanghai SIPG with Chinese players with European experience and with others without it but with a high potential like Wu Lei, Cai Huikang or Shi Ke, do you think that these players or another Chinese players has the level to play in a top European club?
That’s very hard to say. They have some fantastic qualities and I’m sure that they would be interesting signings for some European teams. But I think it has more to do, with how these players manage to adapt to the life in Europe, if that was to happen…
There are great players that come to China and lose in many times the opportunity to play with their national team because of the undervaluation of the Chinese competition by their federations, in your case you kept being called by your national team, what do you think about it?
I think that has to do with which national team coach you have. If he has an interest in you as a player, he will stay updated and make sure he knows what you are doing. If not, well then you’re unlucky.
Thinking about future, ¿Would you return to play football in China? ¿Do you see China as a rising power in world football?
I can without a doubt say I won’t come back as a player and I think China is definitely going on the right track but there’s a long way to go. I thought it looked very good in the Asian Cup last year, but then this qualifier was a setback again.