New news ahead of the TV debut in the Olympics: The shoulder worse than feared
Updated 2024-07-26 13.01 | Published 2024-07-25 16.57
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PARIS. A cool summer job?
No, for Kim Andersson, the TV assignment during the Olympics is much more important than that.
The shoulder is actually worse than feared and a lot says that he played his last game.
– I can’t feel sorry for myself if this is the end, he says in a big interview before the TV debut.
– Thanks but no thanks.
That was Kim Andersson’s spontaneous response when Kanal 5 called and asked if he wanted to be their studio expert during the Olympics.
– Then my wife said: “Are you completely stupid in the head? You get the chance to try out my dream job”.
Her dream job?!
– Yes, she is the sports geek in our family. She loves sports more than anything. Had she been given this chance that I have been given, I definitely think she would have said “so long, see you in August”.
We are sitting in the courtyard of the large hotel in Paris where the soon-to-be 42-year-old handball legend is staying during the Olympics together with the other studio experts from Kanal 5.
– So I thought: what’s the worst that can happen? I can get fired and be the worst pundit ever to be on television. But then so be it. I don’t want to go and wonder later how it would have been if I hadn’t accepted.
Helped by Bella Gulldén
Andersson has actually made a small foray as a TV expert before. But that was in the EC ten years ago, when he was injured, and it was only about a couple of matches as a substitute.
Otherwise, he is very “green” in these contexts – and nervous, although he says that the worst nervousness has subsided since he came to Paris and was taken care of by the more experienced TV people at the channel.
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full screen Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
– Handball, I’m pretty sure I can. But it is about so much more than just knowledge of handball. I haven’t really understood, as I said before, how big everything is. Therefore, I have pushed up the expectations of myself.
Have you asked for advice from one of the more seasoned TV handball experts?
– I have talked a little with Bella Gulldén when our paths crossed. We have talked a bit and she has been extremely helpful in this.
What kind of expert do you think you will be? Will there be strong opinions or will you keep a lower profile and be more analytical? Or in other words, will you be Bojan Djordjic or Lasse Lagerbäck?
– (Laughter) Can’t you find a middle ground? If there’s anything I might be missing, it’s a filter. I have said what I think and think over the years, for better or for worse. But at the same time, that’s probably what made them interested in me. I will be as fair yet honest as I can.
Had surgery a couple of weeks ago
In February, Andersson, who can be said to be the best Swedish player of the past 20 years together with Jim Gottfridsson, extended his contract with Ystads IF until next summer.
But two months ago it became clear that he needs surgery on his shoulder after an X-ray showed that a muscle in the shooter’s shoulder was torn.
When the doctors operated on the shoulder a couple of weeks ago, it turned out that it was worse damaged than feared, Kim says now a little reluctantly.
What did you feel then?
– That the performance here at the Olympics suddenly became much more important, Kim smiles before becoming more serious:
– Of course it doesn’t feel fun. It was hard when I realized that it didn’t turn out the way I had imagined. But at the same time, and the more I think about it, I have played at a high level for so many years and experienced so much more than many others. Therefore, I also cannot feel sorry for myself if this might be the end. If I have a small chance to be able to play, I will definitely take it. At present, it is very uncertain what will happen. Now there is full focus on the Olympics during these three weeks. There is one year left on the contract and I will try to play it out, if you say so.
Before the operation, it was said that Andersson would be back after six to eight months, so in February-March something, closer to the SC finals.
Now he expects a longer time than that. If he comes back at all.
– It is written in the stars what happens. I can’t handle it now. But the shoulder is not doing very well, if you say so.
But a continuation after the coming season won’t it?
– As it is now – absolutely not. Now I’ll try to get through this season. I am a man who lives on hope. Then, if there is a small chance, it might feel like it will probably work anyway. But then you sit there again. You can say that the shares are not strengthened by the messages that I have received now.
So if Andersson doesn’t have time to come back before the season ends next spring, the fact that he played his last game speaks volumes.
“A chance for me”
Andersson wasn’t just joking above when he said that the performance on TV became more important after the heavy injury announcement.
He has several times over the years expressed some concern about what he will do after his playing career. He has no education and has lived on his handball for almost 25 years.
Do you feel some pressure to deliver in these weeks so that this could be a future job?
– Absolutely. Obviously, I hope I do a good job regardless. Which means I don’t lose myself or degrade myself in any way.
You have set the bar low?
– I have gone in with the attitude that getting fired is the worst thing that can happen. I’m very honest with myself, I’ve never done this. You can hear yourself, the skin of the mouth is going. It’s just about saying things that make sense and not throwing a tantrum. But yes, this is definitely a chance for me to show that there is something more than the handball player Kim Andersson. We’ll see what this can mean.
In any case, you will probably be sitting for these two or three weeks. You don’t get fired during the Olympics itself.
– Someone has to be the first, haha.
FACT
This is how Olympic handball is played
LADIES
Group A: Norway, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden, Denmark, South Korea
Group B: Hungary, Netherlands, Spain, France, Brazil, Angola
The four best teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals.
Sweden’s group stage matches (Paris)
- 25 July (21.00) Norway-Sweden
- July 28 (2 p.m.): Sweden-Germany
- July 30 (9 p.m.) Sweden-Denmark
- 1 August (11.00) South Korea-Sweden
- 3 August (16.00) Slovenia-Sweden
Quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches will be played in Lille on August 6, 8 and 10 respectively.
GENTLEMEN
Group A: Spain, Croatia, Germany, Slovenia, Sweden, Japan
Group B: Denmark, Norway, Hungary, France, Egypt, Argentina
The four best teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals.
Sweden’s group stage matches (Paris)
July 27 (19.00) Germany-Sweden
29 July (16.00) Sweden-Spain
31 July (16.00) Slovenia-Sweden
August 2 (2 p.m.) Croatia-Sweden
4 August (09.00) Sweden-Japan
Quarter-finals, semi-finals and medal matches will be played in Lille on August 7, 9 and 11 respectively.
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