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DJURGÅRDEN

Confirmed: Jonas Olsson swaps Premier League for Allsvenskan

Swedish defender Jonas Olsson has joined Djurgården just in time for the new season, leaving Premier League side West Bromwich Albion.

Published: 23 March 2017 15:01 CET
Confirmed: Jonas Olsson swaps Premier League for Allsvenskan
Jonas Olsson with his new jersey. Photo: Janerik Henriksson/TT

Olsson would have been out of contract at the end of the season, but he reached an agreement with Albion to terminate his deal so he could join the Stockholm-based club in time for the opening fixtures of the Swedish season next week.

The 34-year-old spent nine years with Albion, helping them win promotion to the Premier League in 2010.

“It's all happened so quickly I've not had a chance to say a proper farewell to so many people,” Olsson told Albion's website.

“I will be back at the first chance to do that. But I'm really grateful to the club for helping me sort out this transfer.”

“I still feel I have a few good years in me but such is the quality of the competition at Albion for places in my position, it was getting harder and harder to see a first team opportunity.”

Olsson had made only seven Premier League appearances this season and had not played for Tony Pulis' side since their 4-0 defeat at Tottenham in January.

MUSEUM

VIDEO: Mamma Mia like you’ve never seen before

With the Abba Museum opening on Tuesday, The Local's Oliver Gee gets a sneak peak behind the scenes, has a quick word with Björn Ulvaeus, and tries to find out if Stockholmers are willing to sing their favourite Abba song on camera. Hint: they are.

Published: 6 May 2013 15:32 CEST
VIDEO: Mamma Mia like you've never seen before

The world loves Abba. The Swedish super group has sold more albums than anyone else on the planet (besides Elvis and The Beatles of course). Fans from as far as Japan and Argentina travelled to Stockholm to be here when the Abba museum opens its doors on Tuesday, and are content to stand in long queues out the front in the hope of catching a glimpse of the awesome foursome.

IN PICTURES: Abba fan club members share their favourite Abba songs

But what do Swedes think about the band that came to define Sweden? Are they embarrassed by the band-cum-brand. Or are they proud that Sweden got thrust onto the world’s stage, no matter the reason?

Perhaps best qualified to answer this question are the band members themselves, so when I headed to the preview opening of the museum on Monday I made sure to ask them.

Björn Ulvaeus was on hand to answer.

“We are kind of more ordinary, us Swedish people, I think,” he told The Local.

“Foreign journalists ask me ‘Can you walk around in the streets?’ Well in Stockholm you can, yes. They look at you, they recognize you, but they don’t bother you.”

In fact, there is no limelight in Stockholm as far as Ulvaeus is concerned.

“In the Abba heydays, Agnetha and I used to walk around in the local supermarket with a trolley – me in my clogs – and we wouldn’t be bothered,” he added.

Despite not appearing to care, do the Swedes actually love the band like the rest of the world?

“I think, nevertheless, that people probably like us here as well,” he answered.

Something of an evasive answer from the superstar Swede, I thought. But what about the average Swede on the street? What would they have to say about Abba? And would any of them sing a few notes of an Abba song if I asked them very politely?

My my… there’s only one way to find out.

Oliver Gee

Follow Oliver on Twitter here

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