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Spurs stories | Erik Edman - Anfield, Elfsborg, Deki and Lucas

Tue 28 January 2025, 16:15|Tottenham Hotspur

It's approaching 20 years since a split-second decision from Erik Edman led to a moment that will live forever, but there's so much more to our first Swedish player than that 40-yard piledriver at Anfield...

Born in Jonkoping, Sweden on 13 March, 1971, Edman’s senior playing career began and ended at Helsingborgs IF. In between, he turned out for Torino, Karlsruher SC, AIK, Heerenveen, Spurs, Stade Rennais and Wigan Athletic, while he was capped 57 times by Sweden between 2001 and 2009.

Now 53, Erik made 34 appearances for us in 2004/05 and as we prepare to face a Swedish team for the first time in the UEFA Europa League when IF Elfsborg arrive in N17 for MD8 of the league phase on Thursday evening (8pm UK), he reflected with Andy Greeves on his time at Spurs, two fellow Swedes starring at Spurs and how Martin Jol played his part in his arrival here - well, sort of...

First of all Erik, can we ask how your move from Heerenveen to Spurs came about in the summer of 2004?

Erik: "Frank Arnesen was sporting director at Spurs at the time and Jacques Santini was the head coach. I think Santini was after a left-back so Frank asked Martin Jol, who was assistant coach at the time, who the best left-back in Holland was. He said Maxwell, who was playing for Ajax at the time. It wasn’t possible to get Maxwell so then Frank said to Martin, who is the second-best left-back in Holland and that’s when my name was mentioned! This is all how Martin Jol tells the story anyway!"

What attracted you to sign for Spurs?

Erik: "The Premier League is absolutely huge in Sweden and Tottenham Hotspur is such a big name in English football. So, it was a no-brainer for me to make that move when the opportunity came about."

You made your debut for Spurs along with six other players (Paul Robinson, Timothée Atouba, Sean Davis, Phil Ifil, Pedro Mendes and Noureddine Naybet) against Liverpool on 14 August, 2004. What are your memories of that game?

Erik: "I was really nervous. It was a huge game, making my debut for Spurs and playing against another huge club in Liverpool. Like you mentioned, there were lots of new players playing that day and it felt like a fresh start for Spurs at that time. The game went pretty well. We drew 1-1 and it’s a nice memory for me obviously making my Spurs debut."

And we made a good start to the 2004/05 season, going seven matches unbeaten in all competitions at the start of the campaign.

Erik: "That’s right. That good start was important for our young team with a new coach etc. You look for stability at the start of the season."

What was it like playing in the north London derby for the first time in the 4-5 defeat to Arsenal on 13 November, 2004?

Erik: "It was an incredible match… it’s just a shame the result didn’t go our way. I’ve seen some highlights of this game recently and you think what incredible players there were on both teams that day. One of my memories of that match is it being my first one back from a concussion. I’d been out for about one and a half months. In the warm-up, Noureddine Naybet hit me in the back of my head with a long ball! I thought to myself walking in, ‘maybe, I shouldn’t be playing this game, maybe someone’s trying to tell me something!"

You were managed by Jacques Santini and then Martin Jol during the campaign. What were they like as head coaches for you?

Erik: "It was just a brief spell for us working with Jacques Santini. Martin came in and he did really well with the team at his disposal. I really liked both of them. Martin was always honest with me. Even when I was not playing, he would explain the reasons. We had Timothée Atouba at that time and Timothée would sometimes play in front of me (at left-back). He was something of a free soul - a more attacking player that me. I probably gave more stability to the team and he gave more of an offensive option."

You played in the goalless draw at Manchester United on 4 January, 2005 - the night of Pedro Mendes’ famous ‘goal’ that wasn’t. What are your memories of that?

Erik: "We could all tell that was a goal. For Pedro, it was incredible to see him take that shot on in the first place. He showed great foresight. The linesman was far away from the goal unfortunately and the ‘goal’ wasn’t given. It was a big shame for Pedro not to be awarded such a brilliant goal and for us not to get the three points."

Speaking of incredible strikes, we have to ask you about your goal at Anfield in April 2005…

Erik: "I see the goal on social media from time to time and it’s a nice memory for me, playing that goal back. To have scored at Anfield adds to the significance of that goal. Liverpool had a really good season that year. They won the Champions League I believe. I can’t really remember what went through my head before I hit the shot. I think Robbie (Keane) was screaming for the ball as I received it from a corner. But I decided to take the shot and it flew into the back of the net, so Robbie was happy then anyway! I remember that game was Michael Dawson’s debut and what a brilliant game he had with Ledley (King) at the back."

How difficult a decision was it to depart Spurs in August 2005 after just over a season with us?

Erik: "I got the feeling Martin (Jol) wanted to play other players and he also brought Lee Young-Pyo to the club, who played my position. I was always a player who wanted to be playing regularly. I decided to go to France (to sign for Rennes). I don’t regret that, although maybe I also think what could have been if I had stayed at Spurs."

You returned to White Hart Lane on 22 November, 2009 to play for Wigan Athletic against us. Jermain Defoe scored five goals that day as we won 9-1. It’s fair to say, it’s probably not a game you remember fondly...

Erik: "I still have nightmares about Aaron Lennon running at me! I can laugh about it now as it was a long time ago but straight after that game, it was not so funny!"

We face Elfsborg from your native Sweden in the Europa League this evening. What can you tell us about Elfsborg?

Erik: "They are a solid, hard-working team. They have a new coach, Oscar Hiljemark, who is keen to play possession-based football. More so than the former coach. The man who really developed Elfsborg and developed them into the team we see today is Jimmy Thelin, who is now the head coach of Aberdeen. He laid down the foundations and turned things around to create a positive future there - selling players and developing players. He did an amazing job. Big things are expected of Oscar Hiljemark, a former Sweden international, who has got off to a good start there. They are a good team but obviously Spurs should be expected to win the game. We also have our off-season in Sweden currently, so Spurs should certainly be the sharper of the two teams."

How impressed have you been with our two Swedish players - Dejan Kulusevski and Lucas Bergvall - this season?

Erik: "Dejan has developed into one of the best players in the Premier League and has kicked on since his move from Italy to Spurs. He’s an unbelievable player for club and country… a world class player in my opinion. For the Sweden national team, he is one of our key players with Viktor Gyökeres and Alexander Isak. In terms of Lucas Bergvall, he has been a huge talent in Sweden for a long time. I’ve been so impressed to see the way he has adapted to the Premier League and English football. He’s been getting more minutes than I thought he would do at the start of the season, possibly due to injuries but also because he has proven himself to be the real deal. In a few years’ time, I can see him being a regular starter for Spurs and Sweden."

You won 57 caps for Sweden during your career and played at the FIFA World Cup in 2002 and 2006 and at UEFA Euro 2004. What are your fondest memories of playing for Sweden over the years?

Erik: "Playing at tournament finals is a great memory for any player. Portugal (Euro 2004) is a particularly fond memory for me, when we had an excellent team. Zlatan (Ibrahimović) and Henrik (Larsson) up front, Freddie Ljungberg in front of me. We were a bit unlucky to lose a penalty shootout against Holland in the quarter-finals. But it was a great tournament in a wonderful country."

What have you made of Spurs this season?

Erik: "Well, first of all, I have to say how much I like Ange Postecoglou. I think he’s the perfect manager for Spurs with the club’s traditions of attacking football. Obviously, there has been a difficult spell of late in terms of results. But it was a nice moment beating Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semi-final. Spurs will come out of this tunnel of difficult results, especially when they have players back from injury. Hopefully, we see Spurs enjoy success under Ange. When I hear Ange talk, he reminds me of the great basketball coach John Wooden. I am a huge fan of John Wooden and a huge fan of Ange also."

Have you been able to get to a match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since it opened back in 2019?

Erik: "No. But I went to Wembley when the new stadium was being built to see a Spurs versus Manchester City match. I’m really keen to get to the new stadium and it’s something I will definitely do in the future."

Finally, can we ask a bit about what you’ve been up to since retiring from playing?

Erik: "I’m the head coach of an amateur team called Hittarps and I have been a scout for one of my former clubs, Helsingborgs, for the last year. I also do some punditry work on Swedish television. I have my Pro Licence and I have previously worked as a sporting director at Landskrona. I’ve had the opportunity to coach at a higher level but I’m very happy with my current arrangement, working close to where I live. I wouldn’t really want to move unless it was for a huge opportunity."