Football Season Guide

IFK will aim to end their nine year wait for another Allsvenskan title after going close on a number of occasions. Jörgen Lennartsson will start his third season in charge and the club will expect results if he is to be given a new contract at the end of it. The squad is packed full of talent and only one important player has left this season - Jakob Ankersen to Belgian side Zulte Waregem. But in the opposite direction there has been strengthening of every area of the team, especially in midfield where a lack of cover meant some of the senior players were fatigued earlier in the season than they would have liked. Perhaps the highlight of their sigings is Mix Diskerud from MLS side New York City FC. He will join a very competitive central midfield unit and will have to prove himself to get regular game time. At the back veteran defender David Wiklander has been signed from Hammarby which only increases the average age of the back line. Injuries have been a problem for both Thomas Rogne and club captain Matthias Bjarsmyr which led to a drop in form last season. But, with Emil Salomonsson being retained for another year and Scott Jamieson on the left flank, the defence looks very solid when at full strength. The two areas of concern will be in goal where John Alvbage has left to join the MLS leaving understudy Erik Dahlin and youngster Pontus Dahlberg to fight for the number one goalkeeper slot. In pre season it has largely been Dahlberg who has been given the gloves. In attack too there are concerns about who will be their most consistent goalscorer. Mikael Boman has not really settled and both Tobias Hysen and Elias Omarsson tend to play as second strikers. Fortunately the midfield chip in with a lot of goals such as Soren Rieks who is doubtless the club’s best and most important player. With the Allsvenskan more competitive than ever in the last few years it will be a tough campaign for Lennartsson’s side, though they do not have the distraction of Europa League football this year. A good start would set the tone for the season, but they have to do better against the top sides in the league this term.