Tomas Axnér started his handball career at Lödde HK,[2] where he debuted as a senior player before joining IK Wargo and then Pölsemannen, a club that at the time played in the Swedish Division 2.
[3] Lugi wanted to sign Axnér already in the fall of 1995, but the clubs could not agree on the exact transfer fee, so he only joined halfway through the season.
[12][13] At the U18 Women's World Championship in 2022 the Swedish coach was suspended, and therefore Axnér took over the team for a single tournament.
[17] The Esbjerg players were involved in chosing their coach, and the club prioritized getting someone to sign on a long term commitment and someone who had playing experience at the top level.
[16] His daughter Tyra Axnér is also a handball player, whom he has coached on the Swedish national team.