Ekman-Larsson to Phoenix, Strumpan to Rögle?

News have come out the Oliver Ekman-Larsson has signed a 3 year contract with Phoenix while Leif Strömberg is linked to the vacancy in Rögle. Two interesting moves in their own right, but that's where the similarities stop. OEL will go over as one of the most promising defenders of his age group. I suspect he'll be told to build up some more muscle and prove himself in AHL, but fully expect him to get an outing or two in the first year across the pond.

 Good Luck!

Strumpan will be given a chance to rectify his now dented record of bringing teams through qualification with Rögle. The club will have to rebuild as many players have chosen to leave following relegation and Strömberg will undoubtedly want to populate the team with his type of players. Don't expect to see him signing any players who plays with flair - he prefers players with a minimum amount of skill, but a high work-rate. Undoubtedly he'll set up a team that will be hard to beat, but I am glad to see him head to Rögle and put their hockey fans through the pain of watching crap hockey week in and week out. Expect to see the attendance figures to drop dramatically - even compared to last time they were down in Allsvenskan. Good riddance I say!

Update: Wrong, wrong, wrong! At a press conference today, Rögle presented a trio to guide them back to Elitserien, including Kenny Jönsson as defensive coach.

Managerial merry-go-round is now in full swing

Here we go again. Teams supposedly failing to hit their targets set out before the season is now getting rid of their managers and the ones having done a brilliant job being lured to greener pastures. So far we have seen the top job being made available in Almtuna, Björklöven, Leksand, Västerås, Rögle and now also Malmö (not sure if I have missed any others). Of course, most of the jobs will go to managers who have previously been sacked/left another team where invariably they have failed.

Almtuna were facing the ungrateful task of replacing Jonas Rönnqvist who was offered the job at Luleå. So who do they get for the job? Bobo Simensen, infamous from his days at Rögle and Malmö. Last year he was safely tucked away at AIKs youth team! But of course someone had to drag him out in from the discarded toys' box. Where is the fucking law that says a coach must be recycled? Well, it was good as long as it lasted, but it's obviously time to say 'Bye bye, Almtuna!'. A bit melodramatic maybe, but it's not going to be any return to Kvalserien for them with him in charge.

Västerås has taken a slightly different route with employing Mats Waltin, a successful player in his day who has been coaching in Austria (AC Klagenfurter) and last heading up the Slovenian national team.

Björklöven has taken Jens Hellgren from Piteå and also see the return of Lars Molin.

In Malmö, the players apparently revolted against the hero of yesteryear, Göran Karlström, who stepped in and steered up the so called Babyhawks when the club was about to go under. I guess Carl 'Crybaby' Söderberg had to blame someone else for their failure to make Kvalserien. And what Calle wants, Calle gets - at least in Malmö. Hence, no more Karlström. The former assistant coach, Robert Olsson, takes over the reign.

Local rivals, Rögle is also on the lookout for  a new manager. Rumours are pointing towards Kenny Jönsson who helped the club up to Elitserien last time they went up - but then as a player. Could he do it again as a manager?

Leksand are expected to present their legendary ex-player Niklas Eriksson who has played more games for the club than anyone else. He has also shown his capabilities as a manager taking the Leksand youth team to win the Swedish championships this season.

Step 1: Compete

I have made a plan of how to regain top league status - if it is followed we can't fail! And today there is cause for celebration as Step 1 in my plan has just been achieved; Leif Stromberg has been removed from the dressing room with all his belongings. Now we're talking! Great move by the board room. Now they just need to observe the rest of my action plan and we're sorted!

• Sack LS
• Hire good coach who promotes all out attacking hockey - I want my 10-2 results back!
• Get rid of some dead wood from the team - some are in dire need of a change of environment.
• Move up the best players from the juniors and give ice time to those behind
• Bring back players such as Ritola and Hedberg who might well want to put the jersey on again.
• Win games
• Have fun and eat your greens
• Qualify for KS
• Qualify for ES

Dead simple. I should be general manager, at least!

What's in a Kiss?

What's in a kiss
Have you ever wondered just what it is
More perhaps than just a moment of bliss
Tell me what's in a kiss.
What's in a dream
Is it all the things you'd like to have been
All the places that you haven't yet seen
Tell me what's in a dream.
I know it's really rather stupid of me
But I honestly don't know
Every time I try to find a solution
I'm surprised at how quickly I become so slow.
What's in a kiss
Have you ever wondered just what it is
More perhaps than just one moment of bliss
Tell me what's in a kiss.

And any time you need a light refreshment
Baby you can count on me
I am your very own delicatessen
Well equipped to supply you with your every need.
Well what's in a kiss
Have you ever wondered just what it is
More perhaps than just one moment of bliss
Tell me what's in a kiss.

Gilbert O'Sullivan

Correct answer: 10 minutes in the cooling box

Lovebirds

Note: After Pelle Prestberg scored, he threw a kiss towards his old coach, Roger Melin, now in AIK. The referee(s) assumed it was aimed at the AIK bench and the forward was sent to rest for 10 minutes. Melin acknowledged after the game that there was part of ongoing banter between the two of them and that there was no malicious intent.

Andersson chucks his toys out of the pram

Peter Andersson, coach at Örebro Hockey after being chased out from Malmö last lseason, has done it again. Yeah, he's still rubbish - but where's the news in that? No, this time he's once and for all proven just what a spoilt knob-head he is.

Following Almtuna's deciding 3-2 goal last week, Andersson thought in his infinite wisdom, that he'd demonstrate 'how unfairly we get treated by the referees' by chucking a water bottle at the linesman. Needless to say, he was sent to the dressing room and is awaiting a verdict of further suspension from the disciplinary committee.

Now, who's the baby?

He's now firmly joined the other two mentally unstable coaches in the league - Växjö's Janne Karlsson and Leksand's Leif Strömberg. However, in all fairness, it should be mentioned that he has agreed to pay compensation for the broken water bottle.

Salo dropped it!

The next coach has fallen victim of the cut-throat life in Hoackeyallsvenskan. This time around it is Tommy Salo, yes - the goalkeeper from the Sweden v Belarus game. For those of you who has forgotten, he was actually a fantastic keeper apart from that  infamous non-save.

'We can still turn it around. Just flip it in from the half-way line.'

He leaves the hot seat at Oskarshamn, who - not surprisingly - finds themselves at the bottom of the pile. The Director of Sport, Dag Larsson, also leaves his position. I hope Salo continues as I have a sneaky feeling he might just become a very good coach. Or then again, he might not. Note how I covered both posts in one go - just a Salo himself used to do in the day...

I told you so...

Following the home defeat against Troja. Björklöven has decided to make some changes in the back room - Kari Eloranta steps down to assistant coach, and his former assistant, Peter Andersson, has been told to operate the coffe machine and spread butter on the toast. Taking over as main coach is Jocke Fagerwall. Yes, it is the same man they sacked 377 days ago. Inspired move by the board room!

It's going to look different this time around, sir!

I am not questioning his appointment as he most certainly will scrape up more pints than his predecessor. However, it does seem our friends from Umeå are lacking vision and money. Is this not a prefect time to get someone in who can actually take the club forward - under Fagerwall, they struggled to qualify for the play-offs. Surely a club of Björklövens statue wants more than this.

Eloranta living on borrowed time?

The demise of the once famous Björklöven from Umeå has over the last few seasons become more cemented. Reported economical problems and unrest among the supporters who clams the board is running the club into the ground. However, noting has hit the classic club harder than the results on the ice this season. With only 18 points from their first 20 games, the club finds themselves at the foot of the table, with only IK Oskarshamn lower, two points behind. Leksand legend Kari Eloranta is at the helm and must be checking that his CV is in order - Björklöven is today hosting Troja/Ljungby, currently placed just above their opponents (on goal difference only). If Eloranta's men fail to win this game, I expect the Finn to be finding himself unemployed by tomorrow. 

Good tasch tho...

This wouldn't really surprise me - Eloranta's career as a coach has been anything but successful; after taking over at Mora IK in February 2008, they dropped from Elitserien to Hockeyallsvenskan. He's now finding himself at the hot seat in Björklöven at the beginning of what must be one of their worst starts to a season ever. I'd like to say 'Onnea' for this afternoon. Regardless of the result in this game, I'd eat my laptop (with all the accessories) if he's still at 'löven at the end of the season. Let's make it a bet. Any takers?

UPDATE: Troja/Ljungby won 3-2 after penalties.

Not convinced by Strömberg

Leksand are continuing to struggle well. Another loss following a full time draw, this time against lowly Troja Ljungby, sees them drop to fourth in the table.

New coach Leif Strömberg was supposedly the 'signing of the season' for Leksand as far as some journalists were concerned. I was unsure, and I still am. Strömberg has a proven track record with guiding Södertälje through the qualification league to the top division, Kvalserien, something that Leksand, despite total domination, has failed to do the last few seasons. Strömberg was brought in to ensure Leksand can do it when it counts. They should have the players capable of taking the team up and now with a coach knowing what is demanded for the last step, surely this should be a walk in the park? No, not really - it is ice-hockey after all. In fact, even though the team finds themselves in the fourth position they have only really played to their potential twice this season, at home against Växjö Lakers and against Malmö Redhawks (both are now above them in the table). The rest of the games played have always left something to wish for. For a team with promotion ambitions, the away form is less than impressive (only two wins of seven possible). Following the loss against Toja, Strömberg was quoted saying 'Our problem is not scoring, it would be different if we didn't play well.'. The man needs to have his eyes checked! Troja recorded 41 shots on goal, Leksand 27. There are similar figures in most games. Goaltender Joacim Eriksson is usually the reason Leksand avoids losing in full time.

Is that where the door is?

If Strömberg is so deluded he cannot see the problems in Leksand is not the inability to score, but the inability to defend and build play he is certainly not the man for the job. I am not completely discarding him, but I believe the style of hockey he represents are the opposite to what Leksand as a club has been representing and what the fans come to watch. Maybe it's a sign of the supposed loser mentality that has come to set in the brickwork at Ejendals Arena, but I'd rather watch them lose a game and see the team play flowing, attacking hockey than to win by trying bore the opposition to death. Strömberg represents the latter of the two, whereas LIF has always been advocating the former. If we are now combining the worst of the two worlds I think the weathered crowd will consider staying in rather than pay to watch a negative team lose. This would be a massive blow for the club that might have disastrous implications.

Boork hints at Västerås

In an internet fans-forum, Leif Boork has hinted he'd be interested in taking over as head-coach in Västerås IK. The former coach/tv-expert/knowitall has not had a job since the HockeyAllsvenska broadcasts from TV4 was taken over by Viasat at the end of last season. He says he's doubtful they'd contact him and I admit I'd also be very surprised if they did. He hasn't had a proper job in ice hockey for quite some time (TV work does not count in this respect, sorry) but according to what he said at the end of last season ago when Leksand was looking for someone to rescue their qualification the top tier after getting rid of Kempe/Jonsson, he said he was way too expensive for them. As VIK is know to have a much more restricive enconomy than LIF, it's hard to see how they could possibly afford him even if they did want him. However, I don't think he's the type for VIK, even though he might actually be the right man for the job. He's made his name as a fantastic team-builder with an old-school authoritarian management style. Not forgetting he's a bit of a live wire...

The Boork

VIK could do with someone to shape the team they currently have, and for Boork it is a club in a perfect situation; capable players that are currently getting the basics wrong on the ice. We've seen Boork come in to do rescue missions before (Brynäs IF was the last example), a bigger challenge would however be to in principle set up an entirely new team and work for a promotion rather than to come in as a fireman to rescue the situation. However, I don't think VIK will ask him as the board so far have seemed to prefer a younger 'new' style coach in the team. Although Boork could actually be more of the type they need. But then again, the TV sofa is more comfortable than the bench.