PHOTO: Bildbyrån
Djurgården has acted hard and poked Linus Klasen from matches.
Now the decision is met with strong criticism from a former teammate.
– I’m so tired of this, says Niklas Olausson in the podcast “Fifty Five”.
It was last week as Djurgården’s management team, with the sports manager Niklas Wikegård in the lead, chose to poke the star player Linus Klasen. Instead of playing matches, he has to train on his own to get back in shape.
The class is poked
Wikegård has been clear that the reason for Klasen’s poking has been due to poor physical values. Nor will the 38-year-old play any of the three games in the HockeyAllsvenskan this week.
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The harsh decision has caused a lot of reactions around hockey Sweden and now a former teammate is stepping forward. Formerly the Luleå player Niklas Olausson sees Djurgården’s decision completely.
– I get so angry when I read this. Whether it’s that he needs to be trained better, whether that’s what they want, or whatever. As long as you perform on the ice, you can always drive extra on the side. Now it happens that we sit and talk about this, it becomes a headline and he is hanged. Shoot it internally. They play their matches and if they think he ranks among the twelve forwards, he will play. It doesn’t matter what physique he has. Then he can drive extra after training and matches. If they want him to get in better shape, the matches are great fitness training, says Olausson in the “Five Five” podcast.
READ MORE: Niklas Wikegård gives new information about why Linus Klasen is missing
Saw the decision
He thinks that Djurgården is wrong in its actions and should not punish a player for his fitness if he still contributes on the ice.
– They don’t take Victor (Eklund) away for two weeks so that he can practice passing because he fits too badly. That’s never the case. Why is there such a focus on it. They must see to what he does on the ice, in my world. Then maybe it’s the case that he needs to pick up the slack. Absolutely, but then run it extra. As long as he helps Djurgården score points on the ice, he will play. I think it’s bad, he says in the podcast.
– I’m so tired of this: “You must train extra fitness”. Then maybe someone else in Djurgården should practice extra passes or blocking shots. You don’t bench a player in Djurgården because he fits too badly and tell him to practice passing for three weeks.
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Olausson and Klasen played two seasons together in Luleå between 2012-14 and admits that he is colored by his close relationship with his friend. But he thinks Dif should have acted differently and been more clear towards Linus Klasen.
– Had I been the leader… Because we agree that he belongs in Djurgården Hockey? Then you can take him in and say that; “this is how ‘Klasse’ is, that we want you to be in a little better shape. You will continue to play, but we want to be able to play you 22 minutes in a playoff. We want you to be so fresh at the end that you can handle it, because we need you”. Then he would have bought it with holes and hair, but now they will take him away for three weeks because he will only train. When you’re 38 or so, it’s not immediately the case that you buy it fully. I don’t believe that, he says in his clear criticism and is concerned that Klasen may leave the club.
– Do you do that as a club. Do you make that decision… Do they want him to leave? Do they want him to screw it up and go somewhere else? It is very risky to do this. If they want him in top form in April, this could go either way, I can tell you that. It may be that he does not play another match for Djurgården.
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