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Alexander Farnerud is ready for IFK Gothenburg.
The club already has an older brother, Pontus, who is the assistant sports manager.
“I didn’t push any further to get it,” Pontus Farnerud told the Football Channel.
Over the past two days, IFK Gothenburg has unveiled two new high-profile acquisitions in the form of Jakob Johansson and Alexander Farnerud. When it comes to Farnerud’s recruitment, the one presented on Thursday, was a bit more special for a person in the blue and white camp.
For Pontus Farnerud, assistant sports manager at Blåvitt. Older brother of Alexander Farnerud.
The brothers, who are four years apart, began their careers at Landskrona BoIS. In 1998 Pontus left the Skåne club to play for Monaco before joining French Strasbourg on a free transfer in the summer of 2005, a club he was also loaned to during the 04/03 season.
Alexander? He also signed with Strasbourg in the summer of 2004, meaning the Farnerud brothers had a season together at the French club before Alexander left for Stuttgart in 2006.
Now, 15 years later, the brothers are back at the same club. At IFK Gothenburg. One as a player, the other as an assistant sports manager.
– Alex is something that has come up lately. We have seen what the squad looks like, what positions we need when it comes to reinforcement. We have the thinnest and youngest squad in Allsvenskan and from certain positions we feel that we need to pick people up. And as seen now during crown times, transfer times, with non-contract players, well, then it was the right decision to sign Alex right now, Pontus Farnerud tells Football Channel.
How was Ponto’s dialogue with his brother in the process?
– You cannot deny that he is my brother, but at the same time I have not been involved in any negotiation. We discussed, as we always do between me, Kennet (Andersson, sports manager), Poya (Asbaghi, coach) and Ferran (Sibila, assistant coach), when it comes to football and what it means for the team to attract different players. But this debate I have not been involved at all.
According to the information from GT, you have pressed for the little brother to go to Blåvitt.
– I have no comment on that other than that together we try to find what is best for Blåvitt. Then others can speculate on other things as they like.
So you haven’t pushed too hard for Alexander to get to Blue White?
– No, I can confirm that I didn’t. Together, we discuss what is best for IFK Gothenburg. We will always do that. And there I have no more mandate than anyone. There is always an interaction between Kennet, Poya and Ferran in particular.
But having the brother on the team, when you are an assistant to the sports manager yourself, admit that Pontus Farnerud is special.
– Now it feels a little special, absolutely. But over time I think it will bring, which will be quite normal. We try to keep it as professional as possible. Both Alex and I want to do everything possible to help Blue White, and that is what will always be the priority.
Is there a risk that you could become infected in the squad? If he stands and weighs between two players and Alexander is ahead?
– Remains to be seen. But Alex is well aware of the role he will play on the team. We have a team that is very good in many ways, among others, to create a fantastic team feeling. And with the situation that we have now, we will need all the players, where we feel that we have a group that is prepared to work together regardless of their last name.
What role will Alexander play?
– Right now we see it as a complement to Robin Söder in the front. He has played many forwards during his career, although perhaps not lately. We believe that is where he can contribute now, so we have also lost both Lasse Vibe and Sebastian Eriksson, so from that perspective it also feels good that he enters. This is how we see it.
Can recruiting somehow put Poya Asbaghi in an irregular seat?
– We have thought about the whole and discussed this. But we believe this is best for IFK Gothenburg and we will all do our best to manage it in the best way, regardless of last name. We strongly agree there. We believe that this is the best solution for us at the moment with the prevailing circumstances.
– Our squad team and our financial situation also come into play. Overall, this is the best decision since Alex had no contract and at this time we can only take players for a free transfer. When, and if, all Swedes start, it will be hard and intense. This felt good. We feel safe based on Alex’s personality and the skills and personality of the Poya coach.
What is your role as assistant to the sports director? Does Kennet have the decisive decisions or what does the distribution look like?
– We are very tight, haha. In fact, we make most of the decisions together. So it is clear that he has overall responsibility, but there is no transparency between us and Kennet does not run me over in any decision. We are very interactive and we think the same. We have things in place that we’ve talked to. We have a plan, and we feel safe with it.
Two recruits profiled in two days, what is it for Blåvitt that we will see when the Allsvenskan starts soon?
– We have been trying to work on a strategy for some time and will continue to do so. We will still focus a lot on our young players. Jakob is in a very special situation, he is a player who is almost at the peak of his career if he is allowed to be injury free. It means a lot to the team over time and at the same time to the club. Alex gives us more breadth and more options. We hope this improves us over time.
