Robert Prytz Explained

Robert Prytz
Fullname:Robert Klas-Göran Prytz
Birth Date:12 January 1960
Birth Place:Malmö, Sweden
Height:1.70 m
Position:Midfielder
Youthyears1:–1976
Youthclubs1:Kirseberg IF
Years1:1977–1982
Years2:1982–1985
Years3:1985–1986
Years4:1986–1987
Years5:1987–1988
Years6:1988–1989
Years7:1989–1993
Years8:1993–1995
Years9:1995–1996
Years10:1996–1997
Years11:1997–1998
Years12:1997–1998
Years13:1997–1998
Years14:1998–2000
Years15:2000–2001
Clubs1:Malmö FF
Clubs2:Rangers
Clubs3:IFK Göteborg
Clubs4:Young Boys
Clubs5:Uerdingen 05
Clubs6:Atalanta
Clubs7:Hellas Verona
Clubs8:Malmö FF
Clubs9:Young Boys
Clubs10:Kilmarnock
Clubs11:Dumbarton
Clubs12:Cowdenbeath
Clubs13:East Fife
Clubs14:Pollok
Clubs15:Hamilton Academical
Caps1:80
Caps2:77
Caps3:11
Caps4:40
Caps5:32
Caps6:30
Caps7:122
Caps8:52
Caps9:38
Caps10:3
Caps11:3
Caps12:1
Caps13:18
Caps14:60
Caps15:9
Goals1:27
Goals2:12
Goals3:2
Goals4:15
Goals5:9
Goals6:2
Goals7:20
Goals8:9
Goals9:3
Goals10:0
Goals11:0
Goals12:0
Goals13:3
Goals14:17
Goals15:2
Totalcaps:576
Totalgoals:121
Nationalyears1:1976
Nationalteam1:Sweden U17
Nationalcaps1:3
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:1977–1978
Nationalteam2:Sweden U19
Nationalcaps2:16
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:1980–1984
Nationalteam3:Sweden U21
Nationalcaps3:8
Nationalgoals3:0
Nationalyears4:1980–1989
Nationalteam4:Sweden
Nationalcaps4:56
Nationalgoals4:13

Robert Klas-Göran Prytz (born 12 January 1960) is a Swedish former professional footballer who played as a midfielder from the late 1970s until the early 2000s.[1] He earned 56 caps for the Sweden national team and is best known for his time at Hellas Verona, Malmö FF and Rangers.

He was the 1986 recipient of Guldbollen as Sweden's best footballer of the year.

Career

Robert Klas-Göran Prytz was born 1960 in Malmö and grew up with four brothers and three sisters in a working-class neighbourhood called Kirseberg.

He started playing for his local team Kirsebergs IF before moving up to Malmö FF as a 16-year old.Under the successful English manager Bob Houghton Prytz flourished and although it was because of injuries he got the chance of a lifetime when he in 1979 as a 19 year old played in the European Cup Final vs Nottingham Forest in Munich.A game that Nottingham won 1-0.The year after he made his international debut for Sweden.

In 1982 Robert spent 3 months at Stoke City and was meant to sign for them, but work permit rules meant that the move didn't happen.Back home he got a call from an agent saying that there was another team in the UK interested in him: Glasgow Rangers. Robert Prytz was only the second Swedish player for Rangers after Örjan Persson that played in the club 1967-70.

In his first season in Scotland: 1982-83 Robert Prytz scored his first goal for the club vs Clydebank away in the League Cup in August, with Rangers winning 4-1.

He also made a good impact in his league debut away vs Motherwell scoring in a 2-2 draw. Prytz scored the 2-1 winner away to Aberdeen 3 weeks later and he scored a spectacular goal away to Celtic in October, a corner kick that went straight in goal.

His first season at Rangers saw him play 48 games (30 in the league) scoring 7 times (5 in the league) Rangers finishing only 4th in the league witch saw Dundee United winning.Rangers did reach both the Scottish Cup and League Cup finals but lost them both.

The 1983-84 season started the same way as the previous with Prytz scoring on the opening day of the season, a penalty earning a 1-1 draw at home against St Mirren. But after a terrible start to the season with Rangers losing 7 of the following 10 games manager John Greig was replaced by legendary manager Jock Wallace. Rangers did lose the following game but then went on a 22 match unbeaten run, but Rangers eventually finished 4th yet again. Aberdeen led by a former Rangers player called Alex Ferguson winning the league. Rangers did however win 2 trophies that season beating Celtic both in the Glasgow Cup final 1-0 as well as winning a thrilling League Cup final 3-2 after extra time, with Ally McCoist scoring a hattrick.

Robert Prytz's appearances for the season was 42 games (26 in the league) scoring 9 goals (4 in the league).

The season 1984-85 finished almost identically as the previous season with Aberdeen winning the league and Rangers finishing 4th. Rangers won both the League Cup and Glasgow Cup the second season in a row.

Prytz made 28 appearances (21 in the league) scoring 4 goals (3 in the league).His Rangers career saw him play 118 games (72 in the league) scoring 20 goals (12 in the league) in 3 seasons.

It became obvious though that Prytz's technical style of playing the ball on the ground didn't always fit the style that British clubs played at that time and it was time to move on.

He joined IFK Gothenburg for a brief spell in the summer and then moved on to Young Boys in Switzerland where he became an instant success, winning the league that year.

Robert Prytz also represented Bayer Uerdingen, Atalanta, Hellas Verona, Malmö FF and Young Boys again before 1996 moving back "home" to ScotlandHe did keep his house in Glasgow the whole time since he met and married the Scottish Joyce, and had 2 daughters.

Prytz continued playing for various Scottish clubs for another 5 seasons,including Kilmarnock, Dumbarton, Cowdenbeath, East Fife, Pollok and Hamilton Accies before hanging up his boots in 2001.

After living in Glasgow for 26 years a divorce and the ability to be closer to his aging mother Prytz moved back to Sweden in 2008, and he did get to spend two years with his mother before she died. He now lives and works in Malmö, all his earnings as a professional football player went to securing the future for his ex-wife and now adult daughters.

During his career Robert Prytz won 2 league titles with Young Boys and Malmö FF.He also won the Swedish Cup with Malmö FF, the Swiss Cup with Young Boys and of course 2 League Cups and 2 Glasgow Cups with Rangers FC.

He also won the Guldbollen = player of the year award in Sweden in 1986.

He was capped 56 times for Sweden, scoring 13 goals.

He still continues to play football on a more modest level, playing in friendlies for a team consisting of celebrities and former players.[2]

Career statistics

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year[3] !National team!Year!Apps!Goals
Sweden198010
198130
198240
198373
198453
198585
198672
198790
198880
198940
Total5613

Scores and results list Sweden's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Prytz goal.

No.! scope="col"
DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
127 April 1983Stadion Galgenwaard, Utrecht, Netherlands2–03–0Friendly[4]
215 May 1983Malmö Stadium, Malmö, Sweden1–05–0UEFA Euro 1984 qualification[5]
35–0
422 August 1984Malmö Stadium, Malmö, Sweden1–01–1Friendly[6]
514 November 1984Estádio José Alvalade, Lisbon, Portugal1–13–11986 FIFA World Cup qualification[7]
62–1
71 May 1985Ramat Gan Stadium, Ramat Gan, Israel1–01–1Friendly[8]
822 May 1985Ullevi, Gothenburg, Sweden1–01–01981–85 Nordic Football Championship[9]
95 June 1985Råsunda Stadium, Solna, Sweden1–02–01986 FIFA World Cup qualification[10]
1011 September 1985Parken, Copenhagen, Denmark1–03–0Friendly[11]
1117 November 1985Ta' Qali Stadium, Ta' Qali, Malta1–02–11986 FIFA World Cup qualification[12]
126 August 1986Helsinki Olympic Stadium, Helsinki, Finland1–03–11981–85 Nordic Football Championship[13]
133–0

Honours

Malmö

1977

1979–80

Rangers

1983–84, 1984–85

Young Boys

1985–86

1986–87

1986[14]

Pollok

1999–00[15]

Individual

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Robert Prytz . worldfootball.net . 1 January 2013.
  2. Podcast. Haften skotte - Halften malmoit - MFF legend Robert Prytz. Blatt Snack. 2019
  3. Web site: Robert Klas-Göran Prytz - Spelarstatistik - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.se.. sv.
  4. Web site: Nederländerna - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.sehttps. sv.
  5. Web site: Sverige - Cypern - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.se. sv.
  6. Web site: Sverige - Mexiko - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.sehttps. sv.
  7. Web site: Portugal - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.sehttps. sv.
  8. Web site: Israel - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.se. sv.
  9. Web site: Sverige - Norge - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.se. sv.
  10. Web site: Sverige - Tjeckoslovakien - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.sehttps. sv.
  11. Web site: Danmark - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.sehttps. sv.
  12. Web site: Malta - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.sehttps. sv.
  13. Web site: Finland - Sverige - Matchfakta - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.se. sv.
  14. News: Switzerland Super Cup Finals. RSSSF. 22 February 2022.
  15. News: ROBERT PRYTZ: THE EUROPEAN CUP FINALIST WHO ENDED UP IN THE SCOTTISH NON-LEAGUE. These Football Times. 19 December 2022.
  16. Web site: Stora Grabbars Märke - Svensk fotboll. 2021-11-03. www.svenskfotboll.se. sv.