Sweden boss upbeat on chances against Ireland despite Zlatan Ibrahimovic distraction

Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s future had the British television stations flocking to Sweden’s Euro 2016 training base in Saint-Nazaire yesterday but manager Erik Hamren didn’t allow the distraction to diminish the confidence he exuded about getting off to a winning start against Ireland on Monday.

The Swedes intend remaining at the idyllic setting on the west coast of France a lot longer than their last trip to the tournament which, like Ireland’s, ended with group elimination.

Over 3,000 fans — and a couple of London-based reporters hawking Zlatan — turned out for the opening session, with Hamren reporting a clean bill of health within his 23-man squad in the wake of some injury scares last week.