New St Johnstone midfielder, Jonathan Svedberg, knows what it takes to drag a team back from a relegation precipice.
And, having been part of a Halmstads BK side, that successfully preserved their Swedish top-flight status a few months ago, he’s convinced the signs are good that he’ll make it a survival double at McDiarmid Park.
“I agreed to come before the team started winning,” said Svedberg.
“I knew it was going to be tough, but I just loved the way Simo (Valakari) spoke about the game we were going to play.
“His football philosophy and the way he was thinking is kind of the same as me – having possession, being in control but still creating opportunities.
“To me it was perfect and that’s why I came here.
“I watched some of the games, saw some clips on Wyscout and I thought this team was playing really well for a team at the bottom of the league.
“I wanted to come and help out.”
He added: “Last season was a tough one. We had four games to go, and we were in the relegation places.
“We won three of the last four games. We did very good, just focusing on the right stuff.
“It was just about believing in your plan and keep believing in the team.
“We turned it around and won the three games we needed to.
“I feel like there’s no panic here. We will keep believing in our stuff and there are a lot of points to play for.
“It’s still early. The team has started to win some games which is good.”
Up for the fight
Svedberg agreed his deal with Saints in the first half of the January window but factors outwith his control have left him still waiting to make his debut now that we’re over a week into February.
“When I got here it was all about the visa, that took some time,” he said.
“Then when I was finally ready to play, I got the flu or Covid.
“It was so bad – high fever, soreness in the throat and coughing.
“I was away from the ground for almost a week.
“I went for some walks but other than that it was just recovery and then getting my apartment sorted.
“I had been in a hotel, so it was good to get my own place and cook my own food.
“I feel fit and ready to go now, thankfully.”
Halmstads would have been delighted to keep Svedberg but he had his heart set on broadening his horizons.
“I needed something knew,” he said. “I had been there my whole life.
“It’s been a great journey. I love the town and everything – my family lives there.
“But I needed something else – somewhere else to go, a different environment to develop and improve, getting out of my comfort zone.
“It wasn’t a case of now or never. I could have stayed in Scandinavia for a couple more years then gone abroad.
“But I’m in a good place at 25, with a lot of experience in senior football.
“For me this was the perfect step.”
Cup debut
Svedberg is in line to make his debut in the Scottish Cup, with Hamilton Accies the opponents in their last-16 clash.
“I got to the semi-finals of the Swedish Cup last season,” he recalled.
“We played against Malmo at home. I got an ugly elbow in 30 minutes.
“But they’re not going to do the red card because it’s Malmo.
“When you are the minor team, the referee isn’t going to do everything for you.
“There is no VAR. The big teams don’t want it because they get the benefit of not having it.
“All of the smaller teams want it because we don’t get the benefits.”
Conversation