What creates Arsenal’s opponents Östersund special?
Since expelling Galatasaray in a second subordinate round, Östersund have caused startle after startle in a UEFA Europa League, with their Anglophile patrol now rewarded with a turn of 32 assembly with Arsenal. UEFA.com checks out a Swedish phenomenon.
Formed: 1996
Nickname: ÖFK
UEFA bar foe honours
• none
Domestic honours
• Swedish Cup 1 (2017)
• Remarkably, Östersund are still usually 20 years old. They usually reached a Swedish tip moody in 2015, carrying been shaped by a partnership of internal sides (Ope, IFK Östersund, Östersund/Torvalla and Frösö) fervent to emanate a marquee bar in a cold ‘Vinterstaden’ (winter city). Ostersund itself is improved famous for skiiers than footballers, nonetheless that might be changing. “Now immature boys and girls are fasten soccer schools and we see kids using around in a tops,” pronounced unapproachable ÖFK coach Graham Potter.
• They have good friends abroad. One-time executive of football – and now chairman – Daniel Kindberg built clever ties with Swansea City interjection to his loyalty with then-manager Roberto MartÃnez; moreover, before a polite fight in Libya, Östersund were operative on tighten footballing ties with a north African country, nonetheless €50m of appropriation never materialised. “What you’ve never had, we never miss,” pronounced Potter.
• Englishman Potter has worked sorcery during ÖFK. A journeyman actor who spent many of his career in England’s reduce leagues, Potter came to Östersund in Dec 2010 and successfully directed them from fourth tier to tip flight, their crowds rising from a few hundred to several thousand during a 8,500-capacity Jämtkraft Arena. However, he was not speedy by a opinion to his organisation in a town, recalling: “My mother went to a internal hothouse and she was asked: ‘What are we doing here?’ ‘My husband’s got a job.’ ‘Great, what is it?’ ‘Football coach.’ ‘Who for?’ ‘Östersund.’ ‘I’d go home if we were you.'”
• Potter and Kindberg have radical coaching ideas – including broadening players’ minds by carrying them work together on informative projects such as essay books, entertainment an art exhibition, behaving and even putting on a prolongation of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake. “We’ve finished a entertainment play, we’ve finished painting, we’ve finished dancing, we’ve finished singing – I’ve been partial of each one and it doesn’t get any easier!” pronounced English midfielder Jamie Hopcutt, who assimilated a bar in 2012. “It unequivocally takes we out of your comfort section yet it has helped us come together as a team.”
• Östersund scaled new heights in 2017 when they won their initial Swedish Cup, violence Nörrkoping 4-1 in a final. Eighth in a joining in 2016, a Allsvenskan’s many primeval side kept adult a good work this year notwithstanding a daze of European football, finishing fifth in a inhabitant standings.
• They constructed a initial large dissapoint of a 2017/18 European campaign. Having overcome Galatasaray 2-0 in Sweden – Hopcutt’s stoppage-time second idea instilling outrageous faith – ÖFK finished a pursuit with a 1-1 second-leg pull in Istanbul. Skipper Brwa Nouri’s 60th-minute chastisement rendered educational an Ahmet Çalık reply. Kindberg said: “The Turkish supporters – who had been unequivocally antagonistic during a beginning – applauded us off a pitch.”
• The Swedes combined even some-more ripples by creation it by a UEFA Europa League organisation stage, finale adult turn with Athletic Bilbao on 11 points in Group J. Success alerted a British press to his whereabouts, yet Potter is in no precipitate to lapse to England yet, saying: “I’ve worked unequivocally tough to get to this point. My family have done sacrifices, relocating divided from home. we still consider there’s a lot to do in Ostersund. We’d like to win a joining and try to contest in a Champions League.”
• Östersund have benefited from diversity; their patrol includes internationals from Iraq, Syria and a Comoros, with Nigerian brazen Salisu Abdullhi Gero revelation UEFA.com: “I consider a enlightenment here creates us even stronger as a family. We have some positively good guys in a team, and we are usually one family given we always share jokes and do all together, on and off a pitch. It creates us trust and do a same thing.”
• They apparently have some-more than one Arsenal fan in their ranks, nonetheless usually defender Ronald Mukiibi has shown his colours so far. Ahead of a turn of 32 draw, he pronounced a Gunners had “been my organisation given we was little”, adding that he was fervent to accommodate Arsène Wenger to “ask him about his starting XIs”. The 26-year-old was impressed after a draw: “It’s insane. To face a organisation I’ve upheld all my life. Who would have thought?” He added: “I hoped to play for Arsenal during Emirates, yet now we get to play opposite Arsenal during a same ground. Life takes puzzling turns.”