Published 19.23
GOTHENBURG. Both Hammarby and Malmö FF have dismissed their coaches.
IFK Gothenburg’s Jocke Björklund expresses some surprise at Hammarby’s decision to fire Kalle Karlsson.
– I thought there was longer-term thinking.
Being fourth and ninth respectively was not good enough for the big clubs Hammarby and Malmö FF, who recently made the decision to get rid of coaches Kalle Karlsson and Miguel Ángel Ramírez, respectively.
At IFK Gothenburg restart after a 10-day World Cup holiday, the former Hammarby coach Jocke Björklund was asked about the competing big clubs’ decisions regarding the coaches.
“Unfortunately it looks like…”
What do you think that Kalle Karlsson was fired after a few months in Hammarby?
– It’s the same as in Malmö – and without knowing their internal processes, what has happened and how the training has been managed – that’s how I feel about my colleagues. It is always sad when colleagues are fired, especially after a very short time. I can’t say more than that. Kalle is a good coach. I am convinced that Malmö’s was also.
– Unfortunately, this is how it looks in football, says Björklund.
Were you surprised by Hammarby’s decision?
– I know that the demands are high there too, but I thought there was a longer-term mindset. It is clear that you are surprised when someone is allowed to go. It is not that they are last in the Allsvenskan.
– I hope he finds something new as quickly as possible, because he deserves it.
Continuity key
Former Blåvitt player Gustav Svensson recently stated in Olof Lundh’s podcast that there has been a lot of turmoil among players and managers in IFK Göteborg in recent years. To Sportbladet the expression Svensson in January 2025 that Blåvitt in that regard was like a “Greek bottom team”.
– I hope there will be less turbulence. It has to be the single most important thing. He has a point in that. Then it is not only in IFK Göteborg that it has looked like this. This applies to many Swedish clubs that are managed in that way now. It is not an advantage, says Björklund.
– Continuity gets you pretty far. It will be easier to develop over time than to start over and run a new one every two years. It is a well-identified problem here with us, with the board and other employees. It is not possible to continue. At the same time, IFK Göteborg is a club with a certain pressure from the outside and it is not always so easy to resist it.
Henrik Rydström takes over as the new coach in Hammarby. Malmö FF has so far not decided who will be the new head coach.
