After all we had lost Hansen and Molder - two key players. Not just because they were first choice defenders but because they could attack as well. They both ended up with an attacking fullback or wing back role and played really well. They chipped in with a few goals each season but more important they set up plenty of attacking moves. Big shoes to fill.
Initially trying to fill them didn't go well. The catalogue of non-Swedish players I had built up still remained aloof. Occasionally they would be willing to listen to a 'good' offer but the best I could do was £700 a week. Which was laughed off.
Trying to recruit Swedish Premier (and even Elite) cast offs went the same way as well. The ones good enough to improve the team wouldn't talk or wanted more than I could offer. The more mediocre players would talk but still expected to be paid handsomely for what would essentially be a bit of a stop gap role (or an expensive mistake if I got relegated with them).
I looked at my youth team and....no joy there really. A DL, Ninos Johansson that might one day step up but that was about it. I'd give him a chance but he doesn't look the finished article. Looking at my youth team did make me think though. I was expected to get relegated so I would probably survive a disaster like that - why not take the risk and try and get some promising youth players in? I only get a small transfer budget of about £30k a year as things stand so investing in a few cheap but promising players would mean I could make make some money in the long term, and fill the team sheet in the short term. And if I was successful in the league with a few youth players then so much the better.
Defence
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| Wallinder |
Wallinder looked nice and versatile. Either side of defence with a suggestion that he might be able to get forwards whilst still be sound at the back. He cost a bit though and it took 8k to get Enkoping to sell. I started to get worried about a few attributes (passing 3! crossing 2!) but then realise at 16 there's room for improvement.
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| Curri |
Curri wasn't quite as young, nor as highly rated but for 1.5k he could act as back up on either side of defence.
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| Eliasson |
Eliasson is on loan so I'm not too worried about his development but I think he gives me a DR who'll run down the wing pretty well. Maybe not as well as Molder did but hopefully well enough.
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| Jovanovic |
Jovanovic might have been a bit of a panic buy really. He was free and at the point of signing I hadn't actually managed to get anyone else yet. I was starting to worry that I was going to be very light at the back so I brought him in. I think though if I can get his physical attributes up he will be okay. But maybe not one for this season other than a few bit parts.
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| Svensson |
Svensson I have high hopes for - as do the scouts and coaches. Universally opinion seems to be high for this chap. 17 means plenty of room to improve and I think as he develops, with a bit of attention, he'll become a first teamer. Well he'd better become a first teamer at some point as I spent 18k on him. I did manage to talk Vasteras down from 32k but still 18k is a huge chunk of the budget.
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| Pelle Olofsson |
Pelle Olofsson falls into the same category as Svensson but a little older. With game time and training I can see him making an impact. A bit more versatile than Svensson though not as attacking or even defensively sound...actually the more I type the less convinced I am. Looking at his mental attributes though I can see some promise.
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| Bahar |
Bahar was again a bit of a panic buy as DL's seemed a bit thin on the ground. If I can improve his acceleration though he should be okay though.
Midfield
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| Philip Olofsson |
Philip Olofsson came in on a free and was a product of the youth set up at top flight Halmstad. He looked a bit like a younger version of Kamara. He'd help me with rotation in the midfield as Backstrom would be filling in for the AML and MC- AP positions.
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| Lundberg |
I also added Lundberg. I don't see him poses a threat to either Wikstrom or Gustafsson at the moment but in time, with some work on his physical attributes, he could make the step up.
Attack
No one. Not for lack of trying.
Overall
I'm not that confident but then my pessimism tends to know no bounds. A lot of young and relatively untested recruits but at least they wouldn't be expensive mistakes (bar maybe Svensson if he flops). I did have lots of stronger looking youth players lined up but they just didn't want to come. I think I need a season or two at this level for the clubs rep to catch up.
I think what is really impeding me at the moment is the fact the club are still semi-pro. I can't even ask for the club to make the step up to pro as we don't have the money. I don't know how much we would need but we don't have it.
Looking at the past tables I think we need to target 40 points to survive. We have a slightly longer season now (30 games) but I want to get to the magic 40 as quickly as possible. I'm confident with midfield, and even with Viggeborn and Felic up front. Bergh I expect to be as solid as ever and the youth back up Moller has been called up to the Swedish u19's to there's promise there. I just don't trust my defence any more. Perhaps more importantly for the way my team play I don't trust them with going forward or starting a move any more. If we can't replicate what Molder and Hansen did down the wings then I think we're going to have a long season.
Getting relegated with 'Tuna would really test my resolve so I don't want it to even come up. I'm happy enough with the club - my head hasn't been turned by any offers elsewhere yet. I can't see myself going to another team in Sweden at the moment and it would take a special club elsewhere to drag me away this season (you can see I've changed my tune on wanderlust with that last promotion!).
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