Football Season Guide

Formed in 1996 Ostersunds is the baby of the Allsvenskan family. But with their impressive 8th place finish in their first full season in the top tier, they are proving to be a noisy one, and the hype is still growing ahead of their second season. Will they suffer difficult second season syndrome where opponents have sussed them out a little more and know how to get the best out of the fixtures with them, or will English head coach Graham Potter guide his side to another top half finish and get Jamtkraft Arena rocking again this season? The work Potter has done at Ostersund really can't be understated. He signed as coach for the club back in 2010, when they were in the fourth division. Their rise has been meteoric and they are now looking to cement their place in the top division. They certainly didn't look out of place in at the top table last season. A lot of their success hinges on a defensive solidity at the back. Aly Keita has been impressive in goal, while Tom Petterson has become very important organising the back four. Midfielder Brwa Nouri did a vital U-turn as he was about to sign for Djurgarden, but opted to stay at Ostersund in the eleventh hour. Up front Saman Ghoddos should still prove to be a handful, with Johan Bertilsson a very interesting attacking acquisition as well. There have only been a few tweaks to the squad that did so well last season, and Potter is doing a great job in building a team that are capable of once again holding their own in the Allsvenskan this season. There seems to be a plan in place that the players are keen to understand and implement, which means any worry of difficult second season syndrome is less likely than ever. Potter has instilled a confidence and firm belief among his players, and on their day they will be very hard to beat. Key players stayed, while the club has bought sensibly and looked for bargains rather than splashing unnecessary cash. There has been no panic and there continues to be calm in the planning for this season. Ostersund are more likely to prove that their Allsvenskan debut was not a fad rather than facing a difficult second season in the top tier.