The Swedish Season - all over - bar the shouting

[david in sweden]

One might be forgiven for writing the obituary to the Swedish season - even though there are still a couple of games left.

 

Malmö clinched their 3rd Allsvenskan (Prem.) title in 4 years with a 1-0 midweek win and now have an unassailable lead over the following clubs AIK and last years champions Norrköping. The long-awaited AIK revival of form began several weeks ago and they showed they really meant business when slaughtering the former champs 6-0 in the away fixture at Norrköping, but it was too little, too late to challenge for the title when Malmö finally moved into top gear, and left the other two clubs to fight over the dubious distinction of finishing second.

 

Stockholm fans were cheered a little with both Hammarby and Djurgården getting a couple of late season wins, and hauling themselves to safety, but both will finish in midtable, in what has been a disappointing season for both of the " big " clubs.

 

Last years promoted side(s) Östersund will finish in a very respectable midtable spot, and Jönköpings Södra also managed to survive their first season back at the top level after several decades absence.

 

However, the reality of top-tier football came home to Falkenberg who managed less than a goal-a-game and will likely end their season with a miserable 10 points (from the 30 game / 90 point) series, along with Gefle, who had been "skating on thin ice" (excuse the hockey joke)...for the last couple of years, finally failed to meet the demands required of a team at the highest level and will go down. Helsingborg hopes of survival for another year will depend on them winning a play-off with the eventual third-placed team from Superettan (read Championship).

 

One unexpected new name in the top tier will be that of the Uppsala-based club Sirius (pronounced serious) no pun intended....who swept all before them to win the Superettan title and make it to the top division - (something that many Swedish fans will have to ask their grandfathers to remember when that last happened).

 

Just two,(rather meaningless) weekends left, plus the Swedish Cup Final - which (surprisingly for English fans to hear) will create as much national interest over here - as the Hampshire League Cup Final will - in Newcastle.

 

Another dull Swedish football season goes into the history books rather sadly, as football - (a summer sport in Sweden), has enjoyed one of the longest, and warmest summers for many years...so it's a great pity that the football wasn't as good.

 

Many Swedes are already well into Ice Hockey, whilst football fans will have to wait until Easter to see the 2017 season start.

Edited 28 October, 2016 by david in sweden