Laul: 2021 Gold Guarantee – 2022 Civil War

Published: December 23, 2020 at 7:43 p.m.
Updated: December 23, 2020 at 8:03 p.m.

Rikard Norling to IFK Norrköping, what could that mean?

Well, a cautious forecast looks like this:

Guldgaranti 2021.

Civil War 2022.

Under the 12-year rule of President Peter Hunt, IFK Norrköping has acquired a very strong position at the top of the pyramid of Swedish football.

When “Beijing” went out hunting for a coach some time ago, that was not the question. Yes would make a big name as a successor to Jens Gustafsson, without how heavy. Norrköping attracts the biggest, best and most successful names today.

I daresay it became the heaviest available on the market. At least if you were looking for a winner and I know Hunt wanted someone to win.

Looking ahead to the 2021 season, IFK Norrköping therefore has the best conditions to blow Malmö FF on the neck: here is tradition, quality and money.

And from now on, Rikard Norling.

Two gold, soon three?

The 49-year-old champion coach won the Allsvenskan with Malmö FF 2013, with AIK 2018 and of course he has no less personal goal than to win a third time with a third club. Which would make it unique in the history of the Allsvenskan.

If Norling is successful with that, the Swedish Football Association will not be able to ignore his name when Janne Andersson’s successor is named somewhere in 2022.

With MFF, Norling won gold through pass-oriented and offensive football, with AIK through a retired defense that took advantage of opponent’s mistakes. The last we saw of Norling was his Atalantain-influenced man-man project that crashed in Solna this summer, so the question is: how will Norling play with IFK Norrköping?

He has not yet said it himself, but I can reveal the answer: Norlings Norrköping will play in the way that gives the association the best chance of winning the Allsvenskan outright.

Photograph: JOHAN BERNSTRÖM / BILDBYRÅN

Rikard Norling.

Now the heart rate is increasing

Read that sentence again and feel your heart rate increase before the next season. If 2020 was a shit year, 2021 could be a dream year. And it all started with Rikard Norling preparing for “Beijing” tonight.

Of course, there are plenty of entries to the recent power struggle at IFK Norrköping, but the recruitment of Rikard Norling wasn’t just a way for Peter Hunt to flex his biceps – he showed his chest.

You are of course a bit curious how # teamGädda will respond to this, but I think the battle is over with today’s news.

That is exactly the battle.

There are more and there are likely to be new ones. First, a sports manager must be hired as the organization transforms from a board of directors to a sports manager / coach. The line of experienced people for that position is also long.

Mathias Florén intervenes as an assistant, which may mean that Kim Hellberg is pushed obliquely to the right. Or at least a concern about that, which in that case would explain the fierce criticism from Dad Stefan’s board of directors this week, I’m just saying.

New battles await you

Just because I can objectively perceive the great importance Peter Hunt had for IFK Norrköping’s modern success story, I have no illusions that it is perfect. Surviving long in a vulnerable position requires tough pinching and tough decisions, creating enemies.

As I wrote before, it is inevitable. It’s part of the game too, so I didn’t get hooked on the train and took the position of one or the other phalanx, just trying to even out the odds a bit.

Above all, Peter Hunt has done a great job for IFK Norrköping. Most recently tested a quarter of an hour ago when successful coach Jens Gustafsson had to leave after five successful years and head coach Rikard Norling was hired for “Beijing” to take the next step. Two perfect recruits.

Then it becomes clear that Gustafsson and Norling are like night and day. It is now that you can begin to close the doors for real in the office. The only person Rikard Norling seems to be able to stay in the same room for a long time without the thread burning seems to be his wife.

And as for Peter Hunt… yes, you’ve been able to read that for the past few days.

An opportunity as great as IFK Norrköping’s to win SM gold in 2021, the risk that it will all end with a civil war in 2022 is equally great.

This association will dominate the news flow for several weeks. Enjoy the ride, comrades.

Of: Robert Laul

Published: December 23, 2020 at 7:43 p.m.

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