Head coach BD Kennedy keeps Team Sweden “grounded and focused” ahead of the gold medal match against Italy
Graphics: Igor Lazarevic
It was a longer journey than first expected, with more than a few turns on the road, but Team Sweden is finally ready to reach its end.
The group that first gathered in 2019 to compete for IFAF EM has changed a lot during the pandemic delays that followed, but the constant has been the head coach BD Kennedy. Most recent service at the helm of the national team in 2007, Kennedy has taken power with bravura and managed the turnover to put his team in Saturday’s gold medal match.
Sweden turned off Russia and UK in the qualifiers more than two years ago, and then won a come-back victory against Finland in the semifinals in August to advance to the title match for the first time since the nation won everything back in 2005.
Against an explosive Italian team with much less player experience, Sweden has the horses needed to get the job done. Led by veteran defender Philip Juhlin and a star-studded reception corps, together with world-class defensive stars such as William James and Malcolm Engström, the Swedes have the chance to take home the trophy at home in Malmö, a chance for once in a lifetime. footballer.
Before the decisive game, American Football International contacted head coach BD Kennedy to get his perspective on the match.
American Football International: When it comes to football in Europe, the stage does not get bigger than the European Championship game. How do you keep a team grounded and focused for what will be the biggest match of most of their lives?
BD Kennedy: First of all, we will of course acknowledge the fact that this is a huge game. At the same time, throughout this tournament and the match against Finland a few weeks ago, we have emphasized that the key is to focus on the task. We have the philosophy that if you are on the playlist, you are the best Swedish player in the country. You are part of the team to perform and our plan is for each player to focus on doing their job, being a good teammate and performing at their highest level.
AFI: It’s been a while since Team Italy was able to take the field. What is the challenge of playing on a team with so few new bands and what do you expect them to bring to the table?
Kennedy: Italy has not played a match since 2019. The only film we have from them is the matches they played in 2019. So it is obvious that there is a challenge to know if they still do the same X and O as they did against Austria and Switzerland. But at the end of the day, we can only prepare for what we have seen and be ready to make any adjustments that need to be made to put our players in the best position to be successful. They have had camps and drills and will certainly be ready to go on the field and play a match. I expect them to be fast and physical in defense and have the ability to move the ball on the ground and through the air.
AFI: Your team has the advantage of having played a fine-tuning match in the annual Finnkampen, a resounding victory for your group. What do you bring with you from the competition that can help you this week?
Kennedy: The annual friendly match against Finland gave us the opportunity to look at our entire playlist. Forecast starters played only the first quarter. The other 3 quarters we played the rest of the list. The reason we did it is that our philosophy in the national team is that if you are on the list, you should be able to help the team win. You should be able to contribute and make plays. I was extremely happy to see that every player who fit for that match could contribute to the team’s success. It was an extremely tough job to reduce the entire playlist to 45, but I feel confident that all players who start or come off the bench will have the opportunity to contribute in a positive way to the team.
AFI: Team Italy has a number of dual citizens who play key positions. What kind of challenge will these players pose to you?
Kennedy: I have received many questions about how I like the number of double passes. At the end of the day, when the IFAF representative checks each player’s passport and each Italian player has an Italian passport, it is a contentious issue. To me, this is Team Italy and they have deserved a place to play in the Championship game, so it’s our opponent.
AFI: What will be the key to your team’s success this weekend? What battle must be one for your team to end up at the top?
Kennedy: It’s football and I think football starts in the trenches. We will need to control the line of play, on both sides of the ball, to increase our chances of winning the match. We will need to win the sales battle, along with limiting big bets on D and making big bets on O. Special teams will be important, in field position and great betting potential. On the offensive, it will be extremely important for us to gain momentum in space and in the defense it will be to keep the leverage, chase the ball and create turnover. Finally, we need to be focused and play smart football and ride out the ups and downs and twists and turns of momentum that arise in these types of games and concentrate on each game as it comes.
AFI: Sweden has only won European gold once, in 2005. What would it mean for you and your team to win a second trophy?
Kennedy: Without a doubt, it would be huge. This has been a long process and when this opportunity and idea was first shared with me by Robert Sundberg, our GM in the national team, the goal was that we would find this game. I was lucky to have been part of the coaching staff when we won in 2005 and I know it is an extremely special moment. At the same time, every time you get to represent your country in the sport you love to play, it’s a special moment.