Marika Susan Domanski-Lyfors (born 17 May 1960), néeMarika Susan Domanski, is a Swedish football coach and former player. She was head coach of the Sweden women's national team from September 1996 until June 2005 and also coached the China women's national team during 2007. She is nicknamed Mackan.
Playing career
As a Jitex BK player, Domanski-Lyfors won two League Championships (1981 and 1984) and three Swedish Cups (1981, 1982 and 1984). All of Jitex's regular players except left-back Domanski-Lyfors were capped at international level, because national team coach Ulf Lyfors did not rate her as a player. Marika disputed Ulf's judgement, but forgave him to the extent that the two were later married and had son Joakim.[2]
Managerial career
Domanski-Lyfors was manager of Tyresö FF from 1989 to 1993.[1]
After returning to a role with the Sweden women's national under-21 team, Domanski-Lyfors accepted an offer to become head coach of the China women's national team in March 2007.[5] She oversaw an improvement in the team's results and guided the hosts to the quarter finals of the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup.[6]
At the tournament, the Chinese hosts engaged in surveillance and intimidation of first round opponents Denmark. Domanski-Lyfors and her assistant Pia Sundhage were unaware of the incidents and Danish coach Kenneth Heiner-Møller absolved them of any blame, although he refused to shake hands after the match.[7]
The Chinese wanted Domanski-Lyfors to stay on for the 2008 Olympics, but she decided against extending her contract. In November 2007 she was appointed a technical director of the Swedish Football Association (SvFF).[8]