Kalmar had very difficult season, which nearly saw the team relegated, but in the end dramatic survival was achieved in the play-off vs. Brage after 4:2 aggregate win. The Reds played those 2 play-off games and the decisive final round without permanent manager after Magnus Pehrsson abandoned the team right at the most important part of the season.
The first 8 rounds were pretty decent with just 1 defeat suffered in those games (W2 D5). However, from early on it was clear that scoring goals would be problem for Kalmar and this brought 11-game winless run between rounds 9 and 19 (D4 L7).
Despite so many flat and uninspiring displays the Board remained behind coach Pehrsson and even gave him substantial funds to strengthen the squad in the summer. However, none of the 4 new players he signed proved a hit in the second half of the season and Kalmar remained in or just above the bottom 3 pretty much all the way from July onwards.
Still it looked as if survival will be achieved with just 1 point needed from final 2 games, but when 2:3 home loss was suffered vs. Falkenberg in round 29 coach Pehrsson repaid the trust in him by resigning ahead of the decisive season finale. This brought 0:3 loss vs. Sirius in the last round and Kalmar collapsed in the bottom 3 as result. Still character was shown in the play-offs.
Not many players performed at high level throughout this dreadful campaign, but captain Viktor Elm was an exclusion. Not only he was able to at least make the defence solid, but with 3 goals at the other end he was actually the team’s third top scorer in 2019 too.
Kalmar first need to find new manager now and then they need to reshape their squad according to his likings this winter. The fans won’t be too bothered if 90% of the players are dropped.
