Football Season Guide

AFC Eskilstuna, known as AFC United until the start of this season, make their Allsvenskan debut since being reformed out of Vasby United in 2007. It has a been a long road for the club to restore their status as an Allsvenskan club, but a strong season last year saw them finish second in the Superettan. Along with a rebranding of the club, Eskilstuna have also moved to a new stadium which will be an adjustment for all the remaining staff and players. A new coach in the form of the experienced Pelle Olsson completes an entirely new start for the team and perhaps the start of a new era. Eskilstuna have had a high turnover of players over the winter, bringing in plenty of Allsvenskan experience to a side that previously had little. That has even meant overhauling a defence which was the best in the second division last term. Daniel Bjornkvist, Ludvig Ohman and Alexander Michel have all played at the top level and will be expected to start, though it could be seen as a risky move to change a successful back line. Further forward there are more minor changes with Emmanuel Frimpong easily the marquee signing of the season having previously lined up for Premier League giants Arsenal as well as Fulham and Wolves in England amongst many other clubs. He will be expected to control the midfield along with the vastly experienced Mauricio Albornoz. Eskilstuna’s biggest flaw last season was their lack of goals, their top scorer Mohamed Buya Turay finished with just ten and was joint eighth on the top scorer list. Though the squad does not lack in attacking options with a total of five senior strikers, Olsson will have to balance out his options and try and maximise periods of form when they come. Olsson is himself a very seasoned campaigner in the league with Gefle and Djurgarden being his previous clubs at this level. With Gefle he did well to keep the side in the league for a few seasons in a row and that will be his aim here. His task will be to bring a squad with a number of new signings together, get them used to their new surroundings while also playing against a highly competitive league. It will be a test for the entire club but one which these Allsvenskan first timers will be very much looking forward to.