Eleven consecutive competitive matches without a win.
Under pressure, Jimmy Thelin realizes it won’t last.
– Now we have to finish the season well, says the coach after the loss to Djurgarden.
If you ask guys, they are all tirelessly loyal to Jimmy Thelin.
Ostensibly at least.
Team captain Johan Larsson, who has found it difficult to work individually recently, stands behind his coach.
– We have complete confidence in Jimmy. I stand behind him. He’s not the one who saw that we drew him recently, or that we’re losing him today. We’re a group that does this, so we have to turn this around together.
Bear Frick would rather see himself than his coach.
– I’m not good enough. I have to take a lot, there were many missed opportunities against Djurgorden and we conceded a lot of cheap goals. From me and the team, I think there are absolutely no problems (with Tylen). Jimmy can’t be in the penalty area by himself and head the ball away.
“I can’t keep giving up goals”
The protagonist admits it was a season full of miscalculations. Thelin was satisfied with the effort as a whole against Djurgården, but believed that the defensive game had become a serious problem.
– Djurgården is good at standing positions and posts, but now it’s very easy in our box. We cannot continue to give up on these goals.
Thelin does not appear uncertain about his future as head coach of Elfsburg, despite a poor tenth place in the table and an excessively long match streak without a win.
– I feel very safe. We have a clear idea of what we want to do. My job and my job is to focus on match by match and practice by practice. We will work on. We have a clear idea. Having had a good 2020 and a good 2021, the expectations have increased. But the team has been adjusting all the time. The potential has come and the quality has left.
“We have to do better”
Can fans simply rely on results to fluctuate wildly from season to season for Elfsborg given your place in the Swedish football hierarchy?
– I think all people want to win. Earn European titles and places. This is our ambition all the time. Then we also have to develop and consolidate our position and then there will be a struggle over whether we can sell to replenish. Then no one is talking about competitors now. They are very good sometimes in certain periods and seasons.
At the same time, he is critical of himself. Elfsborg has a strong team that is recognized as broad and sharp.
We are not satisfied with our season yet. We ourselves feel we must do a better job based on the potential we have. I always believe that fans should have passions, ambitions, and dreams, says Tellin and concludes:
We also have to manage expectations, not panic. We need to keep building. Now we have to finish this season well.