Soccer-Players should forget money and develop-Larsson

By Philip O'Connor STOCKHOLM, March 25 (Reuters) - Sweden's top flight players earn too much money and youngsters should see the league as a chance to develop rather than become rich, according to Helsingborg manager Henrik Larsson. The former Celtic, Barcelona and Manchester United striker, who started and ended his career at Helsingborg, was speaking at a media day to launch the 2015 Allsvenskan season. His side kick off at Kalmar on April 4. Appointed by Helsingborg last November, Golden Boot winner Larsson took over at a club that, although known as a powerhouse in Swedish football, found itself struggling financially. To arrest the alarming economic slide, Larsson decided the fat wage packets paid by the club would be a thing of the past. With Helsingborg's blessing, he introduced a salary cap reported to be a modest 40,000 Swedish crowns ($4,700) a month -- about half the average wage in the Swedish top flight. "I won't comment on the sums, but I will say that it's not the wages that Helsingborg used to pay in the past," Larsson told Reuters in an interview. "I don't mind players earning money, but it should mean at the same time that the club is doing good. "If the club is doing good, the club is getting income, then the club can share it with the players. But when the situation is not going according to plan, you have to look at the financial bit and see what you can change." Larsson learned his trade with Helsingborg before traveling the well-worn path taken by Swedish players to the Dutch league, joining Feyenoord before moving to Celtic and winning global recognition, and no shortage of riches, for his scoring feats. Larsson won four Scottish league titles with Celtic and two La Liga titles at Barcelona plus the 2006 Champions League. WAGE CAP He recommended that young Allsvenskan players seeking to emulate his success and that of former Malmo striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic should play to develop their game, rather than their bank account. "I think that the average wage in Sweden is too high. They won't be financially independent from the money they earn here (Helsingborg). "They earn good money, but I think there has to be the desire to develop, to go on to a bigger league and earn your money there." Helsingborg's wage cap might have restricted his options a little but Larsson said the chance to work with one of Europe's great finishers -- himself -- may have helped attract players. "It's always difficult, but there are always players that have the desire to do something with their football," the 43-year-old said. "There are players who tend not to look at the money short-term, they have a bigger plan. I haven't found it that hard to attract good players to the club." Among the players at his disposal this season is his 17-year-old son Jordan, who signed for the club several months before his father took over as manager. "When we're at the ground he's a football player like everybody else. Even though he is young I expect him to do what everybody else is doing -- I don't make a difference just because he's my son," Larsson smiled. Having performed the near-miracle of keeping minnows Falkenberg in the Swedish top flight last year, Larsson is looking forward to being back in his home town. "Everything is possible in football," he said, not ruling out the possibility of a title run with his new charges. "But for us the most important thing is to steady the ship and make progress with the team." ($1 = 8.4878 Swedish Crowns) (Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris)