Allsvenskan - Sweden.

Anyone from Sweden here? Or anyone know about this league? .

Allsvenskan today is far away from many other European leagues, we don't have the money and the stadiums to attract businesses and also we don't have the same tradition like Italy have.

The last team who played in UEFA Champions League where Helsingborgs IF in 2000 when they beat Internazionale on penalites to get through. Though they didn't do so well in the group stage so they left the tournament.

In 1999 AIK (my team) got to Champions League as well by beating AEK Athens by winning 1-0 at home and then draw 0-0 away. AIK got the hardest group at the time by facing Fiorentina, Arsenal and Barcelona. AIK just got one point, but it was ashamed that we had the lead against both Arsenal and Barcelona but dropped the lead in the ending minutes of the games.

In the 90's IFK Göteborg also played in UEFA Champions League and did real good, I don't have the statistics but maybe I can get back to you all.

But that was then, now swedish teams are going in to the first qualification round of the Champions League. This year IF Elfsborg is going to try to get into the tournament, but I'm quite sure they will fail to do so, but they have always hope to rely on.

Despite all that, Allsvenskan do have some real good elements. Take the crowd for example, AIK is the leading crowd in Sweden. Last season AIK had about 20 000 in average per game, Malmö FF also had that a couple of years ago but they have had a little setback so the audience have stayed at home or something . But many clubs have over 10 000 so that's a real plus for Allsvenskan.

Some great players have also played in Allsvenskan the last years and some still play here, like Derek Boateng (WC squad for Ghana), Afonso Alves (most goals in Holland this year), Jari Litmanen (plays at Malmö FF), Anders Svensson (is in the national team, plays with Elfsborg), Jonathan Johansson (finish international, former premier league player, now with Malmö FF), Nils-Eric Johansson (is joining AIK on 1 july this year, former Leicester City player), Henrik Larsson (I hope everyone knows this player..), Ari da Silva Ferriera (played at Kalmar FF, but is transfering to AZ Alkmaar this summer) and maybe some of you remember Stuart Baxter, now coach at Helsingborgs IF he coached England U21 before.

If someone is interested in knowing more about Allsvenskan or swedish football in general, just post here or PM me and I will try to answer the best I can.

Don't blame my grammer either I just posted this rather quick .

Okay!

Almost halftime in the Allsvenskan and the stands right now:

http://svenskfotboll.se/t1all.aspx?p=152184

My team, AIK, is somewhat a disappointment and also Helsingborg IF. Kalmar FF and Halmstad BK are somewhat of a surprise. But as you can see it's like a spiders web, everyone is winning against everyone.

In AIK my team has signed two very interesting guys from Argentina, from Arsenal de Sarandi. Mauro Ivan Obolo and Lucas Valdemarin, many people are saluting them though not many have seen them in real live action but on youtube, and the agent AIK is working with Terje Liveröd says that the timing was perfect since their contratcs ended so I guess AIK got them on bosman, but probably with a high sign on bonus and wage.

Someone have something to tell me about them, please do!

And some other news is that Elfsborg central defender Jon Jönsson is going to french Tolouse, maybe Elmanders success over there brought their scouts to Sweden.

Aki Rihallithi (did I spell that right?) former Crystal Palace player is near Djurgårdens IF, since the coach Siggi Jonsson knows him.

Allsvenskan has one player in the Copa America. Charlie Davies from Hammarby IF, is playing for USA.

The swedish teams were also like many others involved in todays European cup draws.

Champions League:

Linfield - Elfsborg

UEFA Cup:

Glentoran - AIK
Helsingborg - Trans
KR - Häcken

And that's about it for this time. Don't be afraid to ask questions or something.

When does the Allsvenskan start & finish?



That rings a bell alright, but for some reason not for his football! Am I right in thinking this Aki guy started writing a blog or something on his website when he was at Palace, and it gathered quite a cult following?

It starts in april and ends in october due to the weather situation, the last game off the season is usually the cup final.



Yeah, I've heard he wrote for both an english paper and one in Finland. So it's him allright, he is quite a funny character actually.

I will answer in this thread since it's more correct to do so.



First of all - thank you!

The guy on my avatar is Mats Rubarth, he is a cult player you could say, looks like a boheiman dude and plays a guitarr and have released one album actually. He is known for being given the red card most times in the Allsvenskan.

I like him for all that and he is a good Allsvenskan player too, he have one cap for Sweden in a winter tournament against Hong Kong.

Here is a youtube clip with him: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=8ve8noR-6sw the song is called 'Lycklig man' it means 'Happy man' and it's on his album.

In the early years of the century there was a 'competition' in a english football store which team had the most beautiful jersey. There was teams like Arsenal, Tottenham and - AIK that competed and of course the AIK shirt won . I can't find the source for that now, but maybe I could come back on that matter.

I can share your opinion about Göteborg and Djurgårdens shirts because they have kept their classic tone on it, but I still think it's [beep!], mainly because the sponsor ICA is all over the shirt .

Now on to other matters.

It was UEFA Cup night yesterday and all swedish teams are still in the tournament!

At the draw in Nyon today the swedish teams will meet.

16 and 30 august.

Metalurgs (Latvia) - AIK
Drogheda United (Ireland) - Helsingborgs IF
Fredrikstad (Norway) - Hammarby IF
Dunferilmen (Scotland) - Häcken

As you may, or may not know the teams beat out these teams to get here.

AIK - Glentoran total 9-0
Helsingborg - Trans Narva 9-0
Häcken - KR Reykavik - 2-1
Hammarby - Utrecht 1-1 (away goals, Intertoto)

Also the Champions League draw was today,

Valencia - Debrecen/Elfsborg

As you see it's a nearly impossible mission for either Debrecen or Elfsborg, right now Elfsborg won 0-1 away so they have the advantage for the home game.

And some other news is that Jari Litmanen is so injured Malmö is realising him so he is now a free agent.

Tobias Hysen is going to leave Sunderland and IFKGöteborg, Djurgårdens IF and FC Copenhagen is interested in signing.

And that's about it for the moment, the Allsvenskan have had 'summer vacation' in a week and now it's rolling again.

Wich team is from Örebro?

I'll support Örebro's team because is Millencolin's hometown.

Tidy little player!
You can see how he'd get a cult following, he seems a brave heart-on-sleeve kind of player and pops up with a bit of spectacular skill like that great over-head kick.
I am surprised he has only the one cap, but to be fair my knowledge of him is only limited to that clip.

What does "Gord Av Fillip Larsson" mean, is it a bit of a dig at Henrik?!

There is a long-standing Damallsvenskan section here, if you happen to like women's footie

Yeah, we usually go 'Mats-Mats Rubarth' on the stands when is being substituted, he usually is subbed at the end of the games, and one time he was put on and then put off due to our goalie getting the red card .

He could have been a player for better leagues I think, but he is somewhat of an up and down player, and sometimes he just stands there on his flank doing nothing really and he tends to get injured a lot, but hey he has been here since 2001 so.

'Gjord av Filip Larsson' means 'made by Filip Larsson' it's simple as that, at least that's what I know .



Good then they can finally get some supporters...

Hehe, the team name is simply Örebro SK. SK stands for Sport klubb translated Sport Club. They play on fake grass, so we don't like them .

Great thread! My family's from Sweden so I follow the Allsvenskan as well as I am able on the internet. Djurgården is our team.

Oh, then it's a interesting game today Djurgården vs Hammarby a Stockholm derby, because AIK is my team I hope for a draw there.

AIK now have three league games won and we are currently on sixt place and now we can start to dream for gold, but it will be very hard to win it. I think we need to win like almost all games that are left.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xEoxFA3cTDY movie from last nights game AIK-Gefle IF.

We won 1-0 and are in the lead, just. It's such a close competition, something like 5 points separating teams 1-8. AIK look to be coming back strongly.

I watch fotbollsmåndag every week, which they have on the fotbollskanalen website. It leaves me wanting more, but it's better than nothing.

Could you put the league table up if you get a chance?...

Fotbollsmåndag isn't a good TV show, I guess you understand swedish? Then there is a website called www.fantv.se who is going to start their shows on football, they have a Stockholm based show wich includes AIK,Djurgården and Hammarby. Also they have a show for the entire Allsvenskan. The quality is often very good and they usually have nice guests like Hans Backe.

Djurgården got lucky (as always , but Hammarby haven't won a away game at all year! Nine games and no 3 pointer.

Djurgården tifo: http://www.svenskafans.com/fantv/player/dev_flash.asp?clip=3831&cat=0&list=all

Hammarby tifo: http://www.svenskafans.com/fantv/player/dev_flash.asp?clip=3838&cat=0&list=all

Tomorrow is UEFA Cup night, AIK is playing against FHK Leijpas Metalurgs from Latvia, Helsingborg meets Drogheda United, Häcken meets Dunfermilne Atlethic and Hammarby meets Fredrikstad.

Here is the league table: http://www.svenskfotboll.se/t1all.aspx?p=152184

Also Elfsborg played Valencia yesterday, and oh my god how they sucked ass. It was rather embarrising how they played, I hate the team because they think they are so damn good and play on plastic instead of real grass.

They also have Anders 'Cry-baby' Svensson in the team. They lost 3-0 and will play in the UEFA Cup first round after the return game who is 29 of august.

http://svenskfotboll.se/t1all.aspx?p=152184

Just got home from Örebro for a away game that AIK won with 1-4! Now we have four win in a row in the league and look where we are now, four games ago we were 11 of 14 in the league. Hehe.

Since AIK signed Nils-Eric Johansson, Ivan Óbolo and Lucas Valdemarín almost everything have gone AIK's way. I gotta tell you that these argentinan strikers are fantastic. Simply amazing.

I can sum up what the swedish teams did in the UEFA Cup.

Drogheda United-Helsingborg IF 1-1
Dunfermline - Häcken 1-1
Metalurgs - AIK 3-2
Hammarby - Fredrikstad 2-1

I can only speak for AIK's game, it was pouring down rain making it almost impossible to play a decent game, so maybe that's why we didn't make as good as we usually do, I still think we will win the homegame, I really hope that, it would be amazing to play in the UEFA groupstage.

Swedish fotboll is going towards the end of the season and the league is like a spiders web, look at this --> http://svenskfotboll.se/t1all.aspx?p=152184

AIK is flying up with five straight wins, a fantastic performance against Malmö FF with 2-0 in 12 minutes and 3-1 the game ended. But as you can see Malmö is nine but is just six points away from Elfsborg who is on top for the moment. It's a big game tonight Halmstad-IFK Göteborg, for AIK I hope it will end in a draw.

As you may know on thursday it's the second leg UEFA Cup, see the above post for the teams. I think every swedish team will go through, at least that's what I hope.

And some Silly Season stuff as well. Since our sucess with Ivan Óbolo and Lucas Valdemarín AIK today signed a central, rightmidfielder named Pablo Monsalvo he is 24 years old and looks interesting it's some discussion that Dulee Johnson is near another club due to this signing, but we'll see.

Helsingborg have signed Rene Makondele from Gefle IF, a good player from Kongo. And another interesting signing is Martin Kolar from Anderletch who is only 20 years old and a winger.

Örebro sacked their coach Patrick Walker and replaced him with Urban Hammar and they also signed ex Djurgården and Herenveen player Abgar Barsom who is now going back to his hometown Örebro to play for Örebro SK.

And that's about it for now I think.

What is the table ?

Look at the link in my above post.

Did my last post disappear? Anyway,

The UEFA Cup draw:

Elfsborg-Dinamo Bucarest
Hapoel - AIK
Hammarby-SC Braga
Helsingborg-Herenveen
BK Häcken - Spartak Moscow

A hard time for every team of course, but I think at least Helsingborg and AIK can make it trough, but we will see, the dates are 20 of september and fourth of october.

But it was a derby yesterday Hammarby vs AIK, Hammarby scored 1-0 by Sebastian Eguren but after that AIK got the control of the game and we scored twice in the second half by argentinan Lucas Valdemarín. A fantastic derby night and now AIK have six straight wins in the Allsvenskan. Now it's a little break but Allsvenskan will be hot until the end.

Today a 'bomb' blasted down in football Sweden, Wilton Figuiredo, AIK is leavin for Al Rayyan Sports Club in Qatar. Since their transferwindow is open the transfer is complete, he is the best sale for AIK ever so that's good of course, but it's six league games left and the UEFA Cup so the timing is horrible.

But we have the two argentinan guys Lucas Valdemarín and Ivan Óbolo who is in my opinion better then Figuiredo, but the brazilian is a good player as well. Here is a youtube link with Lucas when he played for Argentinos Juniors: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bDMhuZ43-QE

Some other stuff that has happend in swedish football lately is that IFK Göteborgs Niklas Bärkroth only 15 years old started a game against IF Brommapojkarna, he played 78 minutes and is the youngest to have played in Allsvenskan.

Pretty cool, but naive since IFK only got 0-0 and they are in the gold race.

Another thing is that Marcus Berg scored two great goals against Ajax, he left IFK Göteborg in a while ago and I hope that he will become a national team forward in time, he is with the U21 now.

Many things is happening in Allsvenskan now.

UEFA Cup night ended.

Herenveen - Helsingborg 5-3
Hapoel Tel Aviv - AIK 0-0
Dinamo Bucarest - Elfsborg 1-2
Hammarby - Braga 2-1
Spartak Moscow - Häcken 5-0

A great night, very good from Elfsborg. Häcken is playing in the Superettan the series below Allsvenskan so you can't blame them for not standing a chance against Spartak.

I think Elfsborg and AIK will advance to the group stages.

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Tomorrow is maybe the biggest derby between AIK-Djurgården in a long, long time, the game is all over. Both AIK and Djurgården are in the top so I recommend everyone to see the game, I will be there at Råsunda it will be packed all tickets were sold out about two weeks ago.

It will be awesome.