Former Sweden boss Andersson joins emergency aid drive to Ukraine
May 12 (Reuters) - Former Sweden national team manager Janne Andersson will dedicate his time to delivering emergency aid to Ukraine with The Blue Light Foundation in Cooperation, Swedish media reports said.
Andersson led Sweden to the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2018 but ended his seven-year reign as coach in November 2023 after the team failed to qualify for the European Championship in Germany.
He announced his retirement from coaching in April and will now use his time to support Ukrainians as they endure the fourth year of the Russian invasion.
"I have quit as a football coach and therefore have more time in my life. I want to use that time to do good things," Andersson said in a press release as referenced by Swedish media.
"Driving emergency vehicles down to Ukraine as a volunteer..., and helping the Ukrainian people on the ground in that way, it feels really, really good," the 62-year-old added.
The donated vehicles and equipment are part of a larger aid package, valued at approximately 30 million SEK ($3.05 million), with the handover set to take place in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv.
The Swedish Blue Light Foundation in Cooperation was formed in 2018 with the aim of using the funds raised to assist colleagues in the Police, Coast Guard, Customs, Rescue Services and Ambulance Care.
($1 = 9.8217 Swedish crowns)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
an hour ago
- Reuters
European game generated 38 bln euros in 2023-24 season, study shows
June 11 (Reuters) - Europe's soccer market grew by 8% in terms of revenue in the 2023-24 season to 38 billion euros ($43.46 billion) with England's Premier League generating the most, Deloitte said in a study published on Wednesday. In its Annual Review of Football Finance, Deloitte said the top five leagues -- Premier League, Bundesliga, LaLiga, Serie A and Ligue 1 -- generated 20.4 billion euros in revenue, an increase of 4%. Premier League clubs had the highest revenue of Europe's top leagues at 6.3 billion pounds ($8.50 billion). However, the traditional 'big six' clubs in England's top flight reported lower average revenue growth (3%) than other clubs that were in the Premier League in both the 2023-24 and 2022-23 seasons (11%). The study said the growth was largely driven by expansion of clubs' commercial offerings, which also led to the teams cumulatively generating more than two billion pounds in commercial revenue for the first time. "A focus on stadia development and diversification of commercial revenues led to growth across the European football market in the 2023-24 season," Tim Bridge, lead partner in Deloitte's Sports Business Group, said. "However, clubs and leagues cannot afford to take their eye off the ball as new challenges, including an evolving regulatory landscape and changing fan behaviours, arise. "The pressure is mounting for more clubs to drive additional revenue at the same time as managing rising costs. "More so than ever, leaders and owners must recognise the great responsibility they have of managing these businesses, capturing the historic essence of a football club while honouring its unrivalled role as a community asset for generations to come." Clubs in Europe's 'big five' leagues reported an aggregate operating profit (0.6 billion euros) for a second successive season, while the aggregate wages/revenue ratio fell from 66% to 64%. Clubs in England's Women's Super League (WSL) jointly generated revenue of 65 million pounds in the 2023-24 season, a 34% rise. Each WSL club had a double-digit increase in revenue, while all 12 clubs reported over one million pounds in revenue for the first time, with an average revenue of 5.4 million pounds. "Through developing more robust fan engagement strategies, strong commercial deals and securing central distributions, WSL clubs unlocked a new phase of growth," Deloitte Sports Business group's knowledge and insights lead Jennifer Haskel said. "Plus, as the reporting and attribution of commercial revenue remains inconsistent between clubs, we may be scratching the surface on the value now being generated by the women's game." ($1 = 0.7409 pounds) ($1 = 0.8743 euros)
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
From Mary Earps' understudy to England's undisputed No 1: Hannah Hampton is set to star at this summer's European Championship after negative media attention nearly made her QUIT the game
For several years Hannah Hampton occupied an unenviable position of playing back-up to one of the stars of English football's recent history, Mary Earps. Earps, who had been Sarina Wiegman 's first-choice goalkeeper since the Dutch coach took charge in September 2021, found herself in competition with Chelsea 's Hampton for the No 1 shirt at this summer's Women's European Championship. The 2023 Sports Personality of the Year winner had slipped down the pecking order, having been left out of England's most recent matches against Belgium. Wiegman admitted in April that Hampton was 'a little bit ahead' of Earps in the race for the No 1 jersey. Earps quickly bowed out of the contest, surprising the world with a shock international retirement that has left Hampton as the undisputed No 1 for the Lionesses European title defence starting next month. It's quite the turnaround for the Birmingham-born stopper, ever present for Sonia Bompastor's Blues, who dominated the domestic season, going unbeaten while amassing a record tally in the league and winning the women's FA Cup. In her early days Hampton faced negative headlines which nearly caused her to quite the sport altogether but she credits her friends and family with helping to guide her in the right direction. 'Media scrutiny gets to you more than you realise,' she told Elle UK. 'At a young age, I was likely exposed to more of it than most people are in their entire career, and I wasn't ready.' 'It was harder to find that fight in me to prove people wrong, but somehow I managed it. I had all my friends and my family around me at the time to guide me in the right direction and keep me going. It's worked out for the best – I've got a lot to thank them for.' Hampton made her senior debut in February 2022 - while with Aston Villa, who she linked up with in the summer of 2021 on a free transfer - during England's successful Arnold Clark Cup campaign when she starred on her way to keeping a clean sheet against Spain, before going on to make her second appearance in the 10-0 win over North Macedonia. Hampton, spent five years of her childhood growing up in Spain after moving there with her family, registered a competitive start for the Lionesses for the first time in over two years in April 2024 when she kept a clean sheet in England's EURO 2025 qualifier against the Republic of Ireland. However, it was the December friendly win - fittingly over Switzerland, who will host this summer's tournament - that marked the beginning of her ownership of the No 1 jersey. Hampton kept a clean sheet in the 1-0 win at Bramall Lane and has been Wiegman's pick between the posts in the subsequent six international matches. Though she was a member of the victorious 2022 squad, with only 15 caps, Hampton would ordinarily be considered a junior member of the roster. But that is not a luxury that will be afforded in Wiegman's inexperienced contingent. There are gaps all over the pitch, especially in goal where Hampton is now the only capped shot-stopper in the squad. Lucy Bronze, meanwhile, is the only recognised right-back. The stopper has been Wiegman's pick between the posts for the past seven international matches The lack of experience behind Wiegman's trusted XI was laid bare against Spain earlier this month when Bronze and Georgia Stanway were substituted to manage loads. Jess Carter – out of position at right back – and debutant Missy-Bo Kearns stepped in. England looked quickly devoid of control and conceded twice. The reigning champions get their campaign underway against France on July 5 and Hampton accepts the side will face a level of competition unlike anything they have seen before. She added: 'There's pressure on everyone. It's going to be more competitive than anything [we've experienced before]. 'We know that if we can prepare ourselves the right way, then we can put on a good show for everyone - that's what we're aiming for.'
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
‘Under strain' English football must improve value for fans, report says
The English football system is "under strain," a new report has found, urging regulation to address factors like fan engagement and competitive balance. However, Deloitte's latest Annual Review of Football Finance has found a lack of clarity around future regulations is proving "unhelpful" to potential investors. According to the group's report, Europe's 'Big Five' leagues generated over 20 billion euros (£16.9 billion) in 2023-24, with Premier League clubs reporting aggregate revenue of £6.3 billion. The Football Governance Bill is set to create an independent regulator for England's top five leagues after making its way through Parliament. However, concerns remain, particularly at the top-flight level, regarding the impact of regulation on the league's growth potential and ability to attract new investment. Tim Bridge, the lead partner in the Deloitte Sports Business Group, believes that issues surrounding the competitiveness of the Premier League must also be addressed. 'There can be no doubt that the system in English football is under strain,' he wrote in the foreword to the report published on Thursday. 'Repeated reports of fan unrest at ticket price and accessibility demonstrate the challenge in the modern era of balancing commercial growth with the historic essence of a football club's role and position in society: as a community asset. 'We still await the output of the Independent Football Regulator to fully understand how this may impact the game in England, but it is clear that the way in which the game is governed and the regulation that underpins it needs to seek to drive value, fan engagement (both physical and digital) and competitive balance. 'The two most recent seasons (2023-24 and 2024-25) underscore the challenge, as in each season, all three clubs promoted from the Championship were subsequently relegated after just one season in the Premier League. 'The financial implications of the 'yo-yo effect' on clubs, their spending, and overall competitiveness are major factors to address in order to continue attracting high levels of investment across the system. 'This should though be viewed by all those running the game as an opportunity. The level of interest and the demand to engage with English football remains high and investors still see the opportunity, particularly when there is a strong community link or adjacent investment opportunities, but the lack of clarity over the future regulatory regime is now unhelpful.' Bridge noted that other top leagues are closely observing how the English regulator takes shape, highlighting an economic report by Spain's LaLiga in 2022-23 which welcomed the introduction of a regulator in England to help contain inflationary pressure on wages and other football spending. The Deloitte report again illustrated how far ahead the Premier League is of its 'Big Five' rivals currently, with its aggregate revenue almost double that of the next highest earners LaLiga – whose clubs generated a combined 3.8bn euros (£3.2bn) in 2023-24.
