Prophecy Lite? [2027]

With 5 games to go the title seemed unlikely, although not impossible. We were in the fight for automatic promotion or a playoff just like last season though. So in a way we seemed to be potentially fulfilling a 'lite' version of the prophecy - 3rd place finishes leading to some sort of success the season after.

Our form at the end wasn't anything special but we held onto 3rd place to grab a playoff spot for the 2nd season running. At this point I should be pleased. We had performed above expectations, well above, two seasons running considering we had one of the lowest reps and smallest budgets in the league. All this alongside having to sell our two best players. But honestly I was just nervous. Losing in the playoffs would crush me.

This season we had Brage, who had gone up last year. Probably the best opponents we could get from our point of view.

Playoffs

Two goals and a clean sheet put us in a commanding position against a team that looked ordinary. We then followed it up with a 1-1 draw away. They went ahead and we didn't equalise until the 89th minute through Broberg, again, so it looked a little dodgy at times.

But that was it we had been promoted to the Swedish top flight!

In the process I managed to get the Manager of the Year award too. Not bad, not bad at all.

End of Season Review

We had definitely punched above our weight. The team pulled together well though despite the loss of key players. The new players in didn't quite fill the gap but it was enough.

I'll be honest I don't have a great deal of confidence for next year. We've done well against top flight sides in the cup, or even relegated sides but the squad is small, young and doesn't have very many players that I would consider top flight. They are all very replaceable players (Sorry Wallinder!) but the problem for me (not for them) is I doubt I can bring many decent replacements in. Our rep is lagging behind us, we're not very rich and the players that are interested have inflated prices.

I'll do what I can and see how we performed. But I think relegation straight back down is on the cards, and I'm not attached enough to the club for that. I'll be keeping an eye out for opportunities elsewhere.

According to the prophecy... [2025]

At the end of last season after finishing well but not quite making the promotion places I mentioned an odd fact - every time a team of mine has finished 3rd in the Swedish First Division North it has won the title and promotion the next season. I did it with 'Tuna City, Degefors managed it without me in the second season and now....now I can add Vasteras SK to the list.

It was really tight and came down to the last game of the season to confirm it. Form and fixture wise I was in 1st place for the last few games but Brage pushed all the way. I didn't make it easy after some patchy performances at the tail end of the season but a draw on the final day to Sandvikens was enough. Our goal difference saw us through.

The squad pulled together pretty well and it was difficult to pick just one stand out player.

Hammnskog was ever present and picked up 9 assists. He bossed most of the games he was in.

Yilmaz had a similar impact in defense and chipped in with 8 goals, mainly from set pieces. He was in control though at the back and we looked much better with him playing. He gradually pushed Ozgen out of the starting 11.

A surprise player was Erik Johansson. He had been my striker last season and with the competition up front I didn't expect him to get much playing time. I had started training him as an AMC though so when injuries forced me to play him early on in the season he took his chance. He ended up with an impressive 8 assists and 4 goals from playing just behind the striker.

Broberg and Wallgren did well in rotation with each other. Neither reached the heights of last season but it was nice to know that regardless of who started I still had a threat on the bench to play.

Next Season

As we played so well, and took a few top flight scalps in the cup, I'm feeling pretty confident. The squad is settled and most of the players are developing. A benefit of having so many young players now is that I don't have to rush to replace any retiring team members.

The area I definitely need to improve on is the Keeper. I said that last year and had to revert back to Carl in net. He did well enough but he looks shaky in the match engine. I either need a direct replacement or a player who can understudy for a season and then replace him. I don't think Carl has many more seasons left in him.

'Tuna to the Top [2016]

Top of this table anyway. Not quite at the top of the Swedish pyramid but one step closer after grabbing the title here.

I know I should really try and build up to it and maintain some suspense but it was straight forward. Once we got 1st place with 5 games to go we didn't give it up. Viggeborn played amazingly well and we kept out unbeaten run going.

The key game was against Vasalund - a point at this stage would have won the title for us. Instead we squeezed in a victory to do it with some style. Here's the the title winning goal (although I imagine Felic and Viggeborn would argue the combine 25 goals they bagged were more important).

Molder is off at the end of the season - and that's a nice way to say goodbye.

Here are the end of season player stats - I think the fact we had a bit of an injury ridden season is clear. A lot of appearances spread around. The team pulled together well and although it never really felt like we were playing amazing football (at least not to the extent we did last year) we still managed to grab the title with a record points total.

I managed to get manager of the year.

And more importantly as far as I'm concerned I'm finally on the clubs favoured personnel, with an untouchable job status. I may well need that as the Swedish Elite division is going to be tough.

End of Season Analysis

Here's a slightly different squad display - I've taken out the players that are leaving, either to other clubs or on free, so I can see where we need to improve. I've also moved Moller, a youth keeper, into the squad.

'Keeper

I willing to give Bergh another season with Moller as backup. Bergh did just fine this season and got the most clean sheets in the division. It'll be tougher, especially with a weaker defence (potentially) in front of him but I don't see it as being the key position to change.

If I see a great keeper then I'll bring them in but I'm not going to be hunting specifically for one.

Defence

Molder and Hansen were immense, as always, and now leave a giant hole. With Ekholm going as well I definitely need to recruit and strengthen here. At least one left wing back, one right wing back, cover for that position and maybe another DC as cover.

I'm going to retrain Gregorcik and Claesson to play on either side of the pitch as well but only as a back up.

Midfield

Things went quite well here, and as we've only really lost the poorer of the two Ciraks (Adhan) and Tinnerholm I don't think we need to do a great deal here.

AML is covered by Bjorkebaum and Backstrom.
AMR is covered by Sunday and Celsing.
AP  is well covered by Kamara and Backstrom.
DLP is covered by Lundesvall and Gustafsson
DM is covered by Wikstrom and Gustafsson

I just need to bring in some extra cover I think.

Attack

I think it's time for Felic to move to the bench and Viggeborn to take the starting position. He finished the season well and at a young age he will benefit from starting much more than the 33 year old Felic. I won't be getting rid of Felic as with 13 goals this season he can do the job but I think the transition has to be made.

For back up I only really have the 30 year old Berner. I think I need to bring in some younger options if I can.

Overall

Defence is key - aside from that I think I just need to add depth. My new wage budget is going to be 7.7k a week which will help, though my transfer budget is a little miserly.

With the jump to the Elite division I'll have to see if I can tempt better players over.

Well that was nice [2014]

If they keep it up I might have a new club to add to my list of favourites. There's something about 'Tuna City.

Despite the crash we beat poor IFK Eskilstuna 2-0. Though it took until the second half to complete it. In doing so we pretty much relegated them which wasn't very fun. I'd have liked them to stay up.

The next match was much more important. 2nd place Rynninge. If we beat them then it would put us 9 points clear with only 9 more points to play for. I was pretty cautious though as they were one of the two teams to actually beat us this season.

So how did it go? I went out playing control football and for the first 30 minutes they were all over us. Shots rained in and the frame of the goal saved us several times. We managed to attack but they blocked every decent shot we had. I decided to make a change. Normally I don't do anything until half time unless we're being hammered but I couldn't see the continued pressure going well. They were going all out and attacking anyway so I switched to counter in the hopes that if we caught them on the break we'd produce better chances and actually put something away. Did it work?

Sort of. We played better but the first goal came from a set piece and the final goal came in extra time from a mistake. I didn't matter though we'd won and it put us in a position where we only needed 1 point from 3 games to seal the title (assuming Rynnige won all 3 of their games).

Who did we have to play? Already relegated Arameisk-Syrianska, not yet safe Varmbol and top half Konyaspor.

So perhaps not the most tension filled run in. We didn't actually beat Arameisk though. They held us to a draw. Not very impressive for us but it was enough. We then drew with Varmbol and beat Konyaspor to finish with a (currently) record breaking 48 points (My post about the first half of the season was right - we did drop more points).

You can see the dropped points here and there. Also the score lines at times got a bit tighter, we conceded more. I put this down to the change in style by other teams and the injuries we had. We pretty much had two or three players in the physio's room at any one time. This isn't too high but they were always first teamers and it sort of rotated so my defence for example never really settled.Also for most of the 2nd half of the season I didn't have an out and out AML playing (excuses, excuses).

But...we had the title! Promotion! And although our form did waver it bit our hold on 1st place didn't much. I don't want to brag but...

Things were slotting into place and the pessimist in me had to acknowledge that the title and promotion at least meant I should be able to get jobs in the bottom tier of Sweden if everything went wrong elsewhere.

Some of the players also seemed happy.

Oh thanks...

I'm a fan of yours too Felic

All but Molder

Two out of three dedicating it to me.

Not sure what I've done to Max Molder though....I'll keep an eye on him...

Next up a bit of end of season analysis of the below...