Degerfors crashed out of the series last year with a style that many teams in Sweden have tried in recent years. Run your own game, look like you want to be nice on the field. Play from own penalty area, lots of own ball possession and many clean sheets to the back. Fun to watch at times, often less fun if you looked at the table.
Think Västerås in this year’s Allsvenskan. The team impressed with their play but will be out.
In the same series, another newcomer entered with a completely different style. A style that looks set to become a new trend when the football pendulum has swung as it always does.
Gais played physically, cynically, with lots of energy and a rock-hard attitude. The team was hard to face, hard to beat and for a long time the sensation of the year in the series. Gais are not close to relegation.
AIK was the flop of the year for a long time. But with a new coach, the team found its way back to the AIK style. What makes the decisive goals come in extra time and after invitations (as against Hammarby) or fixed situations (as against Gothenburg)? The scoring machine is ticking towards destination Europe.
When Degerfors sports manager Patrik Werner was looking for a coach who would take care of the team in the super league, he was sure of direction.
He wanted hunger before routine.
Lundin was only 31 years old when he was ready for Degerfors in November. A few months later, he got a dream start.
Werner had caught the eye of William Lundin, who was moved up as a temporary solution in IFK Göteborg in the spring of 2023. Lundin was only 31 years old when he was ready for Degerfors in November.
A few months later, he got a dream start. Degerfors won their group in the Swedish Cup ahead of Elfsborg, Gais and Örgryte.
In the Superettan’s series games, the supporters got to see the team perform in a way that sometimes created frustration. The team let the opponents have the ball, backed home. What can be called cynical was at the same time effective.
The point came, Degerfors climbed. At the beginning of the summer, after eleven rounds, the team was second.
New coach William Lundin has taken Degerfors back to the Allsvenskan. Photo: Martin Svensson
The end of summer came Christos Gravius back and Nahom Netabay joined with his Allsvenskan routine. With these central midfielders, the team could lift their game and still remain high up the table. Security was already in place.
That security will be worth a lot when Degerfors tries to establish itself in the Allsvenskan.
The question is who will score the goals there. Gustav Lindgren is ready for English Peterborough and Dijan Vukojevic has an expiring contract. They have scored 13 and 14 goals respectively in the super league.
It may take many years before ÖSK is up in the top league again.
It takes less than an hour to travel between rivals Degerfors and Örebro. It may take many years before ÖSK is up in the top league again. The team has struggled to stay in the super league.
Alexander Axén has strengthened Örebro’s management staff during the autumn.
The TV expert and darts fan should be happy about Degerfors’ return.
Axén usually have a hard time with teams that always “should be nice”.
