Some people think that handball is a difficult sport. Others think that it is as easy as counting the fingers on a hand…

Just ask Bengt Johansson, the most successful coach a Swedish national team ever had. After Bengan Boys won over the Gothenburg Alliance in a show off game, that was an event during Partille Cup, he told us the truth behind his success:
– I will say as the Spanish national football team’s manager after they made it to the World Cup final. It is all about choosing the right players…

Bengan Boys had tones of national team routine. Magnus Wislander, Stefan Lövgren, Björn Jilsén, Ljubomir Vranjes… yes, the list of celebrities can be even longer: Peter Gentzel, Jerry Hallbäck, Magnus Lidén, Johan Pettersson, Pär Jilsén and Johan Eklund.
– It was really fun. But we could have at least ten times more amusing things if it hadn’t been raining, said Johan Pettersson.

The stars wrote autographs and took photos together with the fans after the game. And it wasn’t just Swedish Partille Cup-players that had gathered around the court.
– We play a couple of these games every year. It is so fun, says Ljubomir Vranjes that didn’t find the rain to be a reason for complaint.

Close to 1 000 people was watching the game. One of the spectators was the International Handball Federation’s president Hassan Moustafa. He enjoyed the game.
– It was a good game, said Moustafa afterwards.
Then he shook Bengt Johansson’s hand and congratulated him to yet another victory.

Text: Mikael Hjerpe  Photo: Carl Sandin