The Nomination Committee for the Football Association surprised with a message early Thursday morning rather than Friday as promised. That Simon Åström since was the chairman candidate was given the pressure in Swedish football. The dissatisfaction with Fredrik Reinfeldt has been great and one chooses him rather than that Åström’s visions have attracted.
In March 2023, Fredrik Reinfeldt was elected chairman of the Football Association after Karl-Erik Nilsson, who then sat on twelve years on the board, of which eleven as chairman. Before Nilsson took over as SvFF base, Lars-Åke Lagrell had played the role for 20 years and Lennart Johansson in six. Yes, you realize that there is no major roll on such a post.
Fredrik Reinfeldt was certainly questioned before the annual meeting in 2023, but he was elected democratic (voting numbers 143-111 against Lars-Christer Olsson) and fought back a number of candidates on the way forward. It was a big deal that Reinfeldt did not do interviews, but he only followed the process that Swedish football has chosen. That is, nominated candidates talk to the nomination committee.
That criticism was alive
Prior to the election in 2023, the candidates were also added to a digitally met those entitled to vote. Reinfeldt and the others had to give a presentation and also answer questions. So it was an improvement, and that model has been in Swedish football. It was even worse for the 2012 election when Lars-Christer Olsson was blocked from meeting many districts, but many people forgot or they did not guard it.
That model can be criticized for, not Reinfeldt. But it was as if the last time as prime minister with all the criticism about the “open your hearts” century and that he as prime minister called for a press conference when the favorite team Djurgården’s coach Magnus Pehrsson jumped off after experienced threat never completely disappeared. It was a criticism that lived on among supporters and some journalists.
But in Swedish football, two years ago they wanted something new. In other ways, it was not possible to interpret that veteran Lars-Christer Olsson was hit on his own home ground by the newcomer Reinfeldt. Olsson, who himself sat on a number of heavy items and sat on the SvFF Board for many years until he stepped down by 2021, was part of the challenges Swedish football faced 2023 and a majority wanted something else.
“A senseless development”
Fredrik Reinfeldt was chosen on a mandate of change and was immediately given the opportunity to participate in the recruitment of a new secretary general. Now we stand here less than two years later where Andrea Möllerberg has been fired and Reinfeldt has been nobbad in his hunt for re -election. A senseless development in a way, but as I wrote already this summer. Never have I felt an equally boiling and angry dissatisfaction.
Fredrik Reinfeldt may take responsibility for it and he never fully grabbed what the chairman of Swedish football meant. It is not enough to be sharp on some press meetings, at union meetings and drive an important issue such as the roof rule within RF. You have to be part of the movement and especially when no one knows one.
Fredrik Reinfeldt may have worked in another popular movement for 40 years but in the Swedish football mill he was unknown except as former prime minister. If he realized the value of making contacts and being more out in districts and associations from the start, he would have been sturdy when it started to blow. Now he had no roots at all when it whipped up to storm.
Dismissed the criticism
Just that he did not stay more than short in the comrade meal after being chosen in 2023. It was something that many reacted to and so it has continued with a social disinterest. As someone I talked to at the union recently put it: “Imagine being so incredibly smart but still not understanding the simple thing about being social and making sure to connect with people”.
He also showed bad ball mind about taking out the entire fee from SvFF despite six-seven other assignments that provided million revenue. In addition, to press the union half the cost of its personal assistant at the same time as a spine … he completely dismissed the criticism of it and called Futtig. A bit like a pat on the head of those who dared to question.
Just as when Reinfeldt at a partner lunch explained to anyone who thought that Sweden, like Norway, could cast his vote around the World Cup in Saudi Arabia with the fact that he knew about this. Only direct warring countries were unsuitable as World Cup hosts. And the statement in an interview in SVT the other day that he perceived himself as an extremely visible sports leader shows that he has a skewed picture of the situation.
“Of course a failure”
Of course, it is a failure for Fredrik Reinfeldt to be forced away from Swedish football after less than two years. I understand that he does not give more statements and it has to pain him, but he actually fell on his own grip. Just as Secretary -General Andrea Möllerberg did not know the winds even though they were rock hard. She also went out.
Clearly, some from the outside may wonder what is wrong with those who work in Swedish football. I would say the opposite. It is healthy that they reacted as no one questioned changes but just how to do them. There they have gone too hard without any anchoring and leadership has been directly weak which has created an environment that is hardly favorable.
Do not point out that Jon Dahl Tomasson’s national team won a Nation’s League group with Estonia, Slovakia and Azerbaijan as a sign that the Football Association is doing well. Nor is Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyökeres and Dejan Kulusevski. Or do not take that Peter Gerhardsson took Sweden to the European Championships this summer as a sign that the business is working.
Rough misjudgment
During this time I have talked to a lot of people in the movement and where some have been more Reinfeldt-friendly. They have dismissed our and other media journalism with the fact that it is grumpy types that are heard. That many people like the hard taken. It can be noted that even those people have grossly misjudged how genuine and strong dissatisfaction was at the office and within the movement. The answer they have received in recent weeks.
Not even an army of PR people can create this attention. Without it, it has rather been about reactions that have come from all directions after a hard time and very little explanation as to why you did as you did. And then the gods should know that SvFF had their fair share of dissatisfaction, fear and culture of silence before and that before Reinfeldt and Möllerberg stepped into Swedish football.
It is a depressed part of it all that followers of former Secretary General Håkan Sjöstrand had to lift how everyone had to say his under him when it was just the opposite. The trade club was closed. Employees surveys showed a mood at the bottom. Only the dissatisfaction of the staff meant that Sjöstrand’s sintering of the restructuring of money repaid came to know and was reported to the police against the will of the former secretary secretary.
Have thoughts on what is going to happen
Add that Karl-Erik Nilsson and Sjöstrand left a shared Swedish football after a wrecked attempt to merge districts. Now Simon Åström gets an opportunity to show that he can unite Swedish football and take it forward and also show everyone that he is not only a counter candidate to Reinfeldt but has thoughts and ideas about what is to happen.
Many are critical of Åström for sitting on the SvFF Board and being part of the now criticized decisions. It is legitimate criticism and where he did not really answer how he reasoned. Just as some point to his weak ending in Örebro SK. Which he is allowed to live with. We hope that he answers the questions and at the same time shows that he can become the unifying leader that Swedish football needs.