Leicester City In 100 Players: Pontus Kåmark

[davieG]

https://www.lcfc.com/news/3535262/leicester-city-in-100-players-pontus-kmark?lang=en

 

Club Historian John Hutchinson reviews the career of Sweden international full-back and FIFA World Cup Semi-Finalist Pontus Kåmark, who was an accomplished and classy player for Martin O’Neill’s Leicester City.

Sweden international full-back Kåmark made 77 appearances for Leicester City between September 1995 and July 1999. It would have been far more had he not suffered a serious injury.

Pontus was a calm and assured player who was an excellent reader of the game. He had good distribution and was an accomplished technical player who was well respected by players and fans alike. He arrived at Leicester with a very impressive record.

Born in Västerås he was selected for the national youth teams for both ice hockey and football. He chose football and went on to represent Sweden at all levels winning 13 under-21 caps and 57 full Sweden caps.

In 1989 he left Västerås SK to join IFK Göteborg where he became captain, winning five Allsvenskan titles in six years as well as the 1991 Svenska Cup. In the season before joining Leicester, he also captained IFK Göteborg to the UEFA Champions League Quarter-Finals.

He made his full international debut in February 1990 and was a World Cup semi-finalist in 1994 when Sweden lost 1-0 to Brazil, who went on to win the World Cup.

By the time he signed for Mark McGhee’s Leicester City, who were top of the Championship, for a reported fee £840,000, he had won the first 28 of his 57 Sweden caps.  

Pontus Kåmark
Coming up against Atlético Madrid's Juninho during the UEFA Cup First Round Second Leg match at Filbert Street in September 1997.

However, on his home debut, in his second game for Leicester City, he damaged his ACL and was out injured for over a year, by which time the Foxes, now managed by Martin O’Neill, were back in the Premier League.

A month after his return to the side, he then broke his arm but he had recovered in time to famously man-mark Middlesbrough’s Brazilian star Juninho in the 1997 League Cup Final at Wembley and in the replay at Hillsborough when Leicester City lifted the trophy.

The following season (1997/98) Pontus was a virtual ever-present in the side with O’Neill pitting him against the best players in the Premier League such as David Beckham, Dwight Yorke, Dennis Bergkamp, Marc Overmars and Eric Cantona.

Pontus was also respected for his intellectual ability. He had an engineering degree and had studied languages, including Arabic. He also studied marketing at DeMontfort University.

The defender returned to Sweden in July 1999 for family reasons and had spells at AIK and then at Göteborg again. He retired in 2002 after knee problems forced his withdrawal from Sweden’s 2002 World Cup squad.

He has since become an established and respected football media figure in Sweden.

[bovril]

Great player and obviously instrumental in our first cup win under O'Neill. It was always exciting having a non-British player in those days, especially one who'd played in the World Cup, and he was a pleasure to watch. 

[ParkerPen]

absolute class act

[ST20]

Nothing but fond memories of Pontus. Never any issues, worked hard, played within his ability and always just got his head down for the team. Underrated in terms of looking back on that era of defenders I feel.

[Wasyls Pec Deck]

Legend.

 

I remember speaking to him when I used to go autograph hunting and recall him talking about how he couldn’t understand why a football club would be sponsored by junk food. From what I recall about his game he was equally as thoughtful as I’m pretty sure he wasn’t the quickest but it was all about positioning. I’d love to know what he thinks the way the modern game has gone.

[RoboFox]

He captained Goteborg to something like 4 titles and a Champions League QF, plus had a load of Sweden caps before joining little Leicester in Division One. I didn't realise what a coup signing he was at the time. 

 

Man of culture, too. A total polyglot even then and didn't he study like two degrees at De Montfort University when he was here? 

 

I get the impression he would've gotten on with O'Neill who was similarly well-read. 

 

Edited 13 June 2023 by RoboFox

[weller54]

A class above anyone we have now!! 

[Solihullfox]

What a player

[weller54]

2 hours ago, ST20 said:

Nothing but fond memories of Pontus. Never any issues, worked hard, played within his ability and always just got his head down for the team. Underrated in terms of looking back on that era of defenders I feel.

He'd be in my greatest LCFC ever team! 

[Solihullfox]

1 minute ago, weller54 said:

He'd be in my greatest LCFC ever team! 

And mine

 

He got a fantastic reception last time he was at the ground

[Scanchez]

3 minutes ago, weller54 said:

He'd be in my greatest LCFC ever team! 

Yep, he'd be my RB in my Leicester All-time 11 (going on players I've been alive to see play!)
 

[SK3Blue]

Very clever guy on and off the pitch, could speak many different languages, understood his role, just ask Juninho if he got a kick at Wembley!

Edited 13 June 2023 by SK3Blue

[Bob Weasel Fox]

2 hours ago, weller54 said:

A class above anyone we have now!! 

Not difficult . . . . But I agree ☝️ 

[Collibosher70]

A rolls Royce of a player

[KP Fox]

36 minutes ago, SK3Blue said:

Very clever guy on and off the pitch, could speak many different languages, understood his role, just ask Juninho if he got a kick at Wembley!

Or Hillsborough 🙂

[bovril]

1 minute ago, KP Fox said:

Or Hillsborough 🙂

We were so good that night. Could've played all night and into the morning and Boro wouldn't have scored.

[FoxyJim1987]

Never forget the job he did on Juninho in the two Boro cup finals, literally never left his side. I remember I'm sure MON being interviewed and saying he told him if Juninho goes to the toilet follow him in there.

[weller54]

16 hours ago, Collibosher70 said:

A rolls Royce of a player

Whereas Vestergaard is more Roys Rolls.. 

[21st Century Fox]

One of the best man-markers I remember seeing in a City shirt.

[Foxdiamond]

17 hours ago, bovril said:

We were so good that night. Could've played all night and into the morning and Boro wouldn't have scored.

I seem to remember a brilliant goal saving clearance at the Wembley game. He was even better in the reply. Shout out to Spencer Prior too.