Did You Know? 5 Things You Should Know About Super Falcons Coach, Thomas Dennerby

Since his appointment as the Super Falcons head coach a little over 10 months ago, Thomas Dennerby, has helped the Nigerian women’s senior team breeze past Africa’s finest squads to retain their dominance in continental women’s football. Originally, many Nigerians had their reservations about what the 59-year old Swedish coach could do for the Falcons, and few even went ahead to express their dissatisfaction with ‘hiring another foreign coach’ for a Nigerian senior team. Dennerby had a very bad start with the Falcons, he suffered an 8-0 whitewash to France in April.   However, so far the coach has proven himself a worthy fit for the Super Falcons who are in optimum form, and will be looking to make history at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France. Here are five things you probably should know about coach Dennerby.

Dennerby was the 2014 Swedish manager of the year in women’s football

In 2014, Dennerby was named the Swedish manager of the year in women’s football . He won the Swedish league title with Hammarby IF in 2001, and the Swedish women’s title (Damallsvenskan) with Djurgården. Dennerby also coached the Swedish national women’s team to a third-place finish at the  2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

He is a retired footballer

Dennerby spent the most part of his playing years at Hammarby IF (1977–1985) and Sparvägens IF (1985–1987). Though he never got to play for the Swedish senior team, he represented his country in the U-21 division.

He is a former police officer

After his playing career, Dennerby joined the police force before he became a coach.

He was a movie star

For a short while Dennerby made a name for himself as an actor in a popular television series titled the ‘The Other Sport’ — a documentary on the conditions of women’s football in Sweden from the mid-1960s till date.

His first job outside Sweden is for the Nigeria Football Federation

Dennerby’s first job outside his home country is his coaching job with the Super Falcons.   Featured Image Source: Brila