Blomqvist teaches from the heart and hopes to see all-rounded development in young players

16/05/2018

Jesper Blomqvist, one of the players who helped Manchester United win a treble of trophies, paid a quick visit to Hong Kong on 7th April. During his visit, he met with participants of The Hong Kong Jockey Club School Football Development Scheme – including local teachers, football coaches and tertiary students – and shared his personal experiences regarding the importance of school coaches for the growth of young players. He then took to the pitch to give a demonstration as well as to instruct the participants, all of whom were inspired, and benefitted a great deal.

Blomqvist played 30 matches for the Swedish National Football Team and is one of the three players holding the championship trophy at the UEFA Champions League – a history-making event for Sweden. His talent and outstanding performance formed an integral part of Manchester United’s 1998-99 season, which was their most glorious.

After his retirement, Blomqvist coached Sweden’s football team. However, he did not enjoy himself and later left the position. He then began training his six-year-old son and his friends. Unlike most parents, however, Blomqvist did not push his children to become professional athletes, despite being a “triple-crown” hero for Manchester United. He believes that the purpose of sport is to train young players’ physical and mental fitness and help them achieve all-rounded development. “Sport is part of growing up but not to become professional as a kid; sport is just a tool to get more experiences out of life.”

Infinite possibilities for young people

Blomqvist sees infinite possibilities in young people and thinks they shouldn’t be shaped too early. In football, even a professional coach cannot determine whether a child has potential at the age of ten. A coach’s mission is to nurture students’ interest in football. Then, when they are 16 or 17, it’s not too late to again consider whether or not to become a professional football player. A tremendous amount of training is required to become a professional player, so if students are not passionate about football, there is no way they could keep up.

Local coaches participating in the meeting were very excited about Blomqvist’s visit to Hong Kong. Being able to learn from and exchange ideas with this legendary player was an unforgettable experience. Christopher O’Brien, Head Coach of Manchester United Soccer Schools Hong Kong, hoped that Blomqvist’s enthusiasm would inspire them. “Meeting Jesper is definitely an amazing experience for the coaches. I hope they can pass on the passion for football to their students.”

Embrace ups and downs and overcome difficulties positively

Now 44, Blomqvist believes that school training helps students grow by offering them opportunities to experience success and failure, and ups and downs, while teaching them teamwork and team spirit. Coaches should not over emphasise results, but instead help students develop their abilities in all aspects as well as to become better people. He also encouraged local students, saying: “There will be ups and downs, and times when it gets tough and you don’t play well. During those times, you just have to accept it and work even harder.”

Autographed jerseys to encourage local coaches

At the end of the meeting, Blomvqist presented autographed jerseys to the outstanding participants of the HKJC School Football Development Scheme as a gift to encourage them. After meeting with Blomvqist, it is believed that the participants will be inspired to do better; pass on their passion for football, and nurture the next generation to live more outstanding lives.