So long and thanks for the fish!

Sebastian Eguren - probably one of the best midfielders of all times in Hammarby - have signed a contract with Spanish La Liga club Villarreal.














Score against Djurgården

After his success last year, Eguren has been on loan since January. In Villarreal he's been a giant in many matches, among other things assisted Villarreal striker Jon Dahl Tomasson's goal in the match vs Barcelona away on Camp Nou.

His legendary status in Hammarby is not lessened by the fact that he in an interview recently stated that he'll return to Hammarby to finish his career. Eguren has a son with a Swedish woman. He finished the interview with, again, legendary comment "Forza Bajen Siempre".

All of Sebastian Eguren's goals in Hammarby!

Hammarby - a short guide to how we play

Traditionally, Hammarby is a team that rather liked to back-heel a ball than to drive it into the stands. We like a football that is attractive, fun to watch but not always very successful. Historically, the supporters have tended to be more wish-washy social democrats than wish-washy conservative right wing. Off course, as society changes, so are the demography of the supporters.

Only one time have Hammarby managed to win the league. And that was quite recently, in 2001. Before that, a classical year in Hammarby is 1982 when we played against IFK Göteborg (Gothenburg) in the finals. We won the first game away but lost at home, and so we were runners-up. Actually, the year 2001 is a historically very important year. In the end of 2000 and early 2001, Hammarby was close to bankruptcy, but via a stormy annual meeting a new board was voted and since then much have changed. We are now economically more solid than before, and have battled in the top of the league more years than not since 2001.

Even today there is still a debate between supporters that remember the old days with nostalgia and supporters that are more in favor of (what is supposed to be) a more modern winning-kind-of-culture. Personally, I think there are more positive upsides with the new organization than negative, but who knows what the future have in its store?

I got a bit off-topic there, but bare with me.

In 2007 this is the starting lineup that, statistically, player by player, started most frequently during the season:

Richard Kingson
-David Johansson-Christian Traoré-Suleyman Sleyman-Gunnar Gunnarsson-
Louay Chanko
-Erkan Zengin-Sebastian Eguren-Haris Laitinen-
-Paulinho Guará-Charlie Davies-

As you can see, the tactics is based on the classical 4-4-2 formation, with a slight adjustment on the central midfield, where Chanko is slightly withdrawn behind Sebastian Eguren. The two central midfielders are the engine on which the team relies on. During 2007, Chanko was extremely successful in his defensive position, by many considered the best in Allsvenskan. The two wingers, Laitinen and Zengin, have been given more freedom offensively, even though none of them can avoid taking defensive responsibility. In the offensive, Guará is the most reliable scorer, and defensively Traoré or Sleyman must be considered to be the most valuable individual.

When playing at home, Hammarby traditionally have been very offensive, at least during the first 15 or 20 minutes. During the last season, however, Hammarby have been using a bit more conservative tactic initially, trying to lure the usually defensive opponents to attack, thereby trying to exploit weaknesses when the opponents loose the ball. That was a long sentence, but I think you know what I mean.

Until next season, Hammarby needs to improve two things dramatically, in my opinion. First, we need to be more decisive when in the offensive part of the field. Far too many opportunities to score have rendered into nothing. Secondly, the away games must be handled more tactically correct, cool if you will. Far too many times the last season we have been punished when being too naive and, again, ineffective.

The current contracted players are, in average, more technical than not. What we have lacked in physical abilities like length, weight and such, we have managed in most games to balance that with a higher technical level than the opponents. Perhaps we need to add some physical players until next season.

Now, if we can sign new players that fit well into the current team (I'm thinking an experienced keeper. At least.) and if we continue to evolve our tactical skills and technical superiority, chances are that we will come out as champions next autumn.

Hammarby to reorganize

Football clubs in Sweden are in general organized in a very traditional kind of way. You have a Chairman and a CEO with a board. Alongside with that structure there is a coach or a trainer, but what is fundamental today is that the coach does not have budget responsibility. That to say, the coach can today merely recommend a potential signing.

Now, says Hammarby Chairman Jan Friedman to Hammarby Official site, there might be a change on the horizon. Hammarby is glancing at the continent where many clubs have a tradition with a Manager, which is responsible for sporting results. In many cases he has own budget responsibility.

The plans for such an essential reorganization is not lurking around the corner, but is more of a long term strategic aim, says Jan Friedman. More prioritized in Hammarby today is to develop the scouting organization which, according to Jan Friedman, is "an underdeveloped part of Swedish football in general, and on long term we believe it (a more developed scouting organization) can generate high revenues."

All in all, I personally think that the plans for a reorganization fits nicely with the plans of a new arena and the organizational demands such a project conveys. It's good news to hear about the plans to develop the scouting organization, too. Today, infact, many foreign clubs have more insight in Swedish clubs and the potential promising young players there, than many of the clubs in the premier league of Sweden. At least, that's my impression.

A new arena - the naked truth

Dramatic title, I know, but I think it's time for the world to know - Hammarby is in desperate need of a new arena!

Our current arena, Söderstadion, was built in 1966. For you young people, that's in the last millenia. In the last millenia, I hear it, we in the western world was busy the first 200 years with battling the Saracens over who had right to possess Jerusalem. Followed by the Dark Ages, we moved into the Industrialized time which is the foundation for our society. 1966 is a long time ago.

Anyway, the discussions of a new arena for Hammarby has been going on for the last 22 years, since 1985. That's when the Globe Arena in Stockholm was built, and at a weak moment some politician promised that we would get an improved arena. Now, politicians never keep their promises, and much frustration has been built up over the last couple of decades.

And now, if the reports have any truth to them, it is finally time! Hammarby will enter an era of prosperity and great wealth. Or at least an era with a fine, modern arena.

In the next couple of days, I will try to outline some details of how this huge project is planned. Stay tuned!