Johan Mjallby has revealed he was once welcomed by Henrik Larsson to Celtic by explaining to him the Old Firm clubs are like 'two great white sharks fighting in a goldfish bowl’.
Mjallby spent six successful years at Celtic and later went on to be an assistant manager at the club for another four years until he left nine years ago. He was persuaded to join Celtic in 1998 – just one year after countryman and future Hoops icon Larsson moved to Glasgow too.
And Mjallby, who later went on to manage Swedish teams Vasteras and Gefle, recalled the shock he got when he first experienced the Old Firm and how he still feels it today. He said: "I was used to the city rivalry in Stockholm between my club AIK and Djurgarden and Hammarby, but this was something completely different when I signed for Celtic. Henrik persuaded me to sign and explained the rivalry between Celtic and Rangers.
"He told me I was signing for a big club that plays in Europe every year and I had to understand the environment where it was World War 3 if we didn't win every single game. He advised me that Rangers were also huge. I'll never forget what he said to me – he told me Celtic and Rangers are like two great white sharks fighting in a goldfish bowl.
"He was bang on. Within two weeks, I was playing against Rangers and Henrik just told me to go out and play my usual game. Glasgow still holds an extremely warm place in my heart to this day. I am still recognised on the street when I return and the reactions are always the same. I either get people running up to me and wanting autographs and pictures or they raise their middle finger and call me a f***ing w***er."
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