Josef, a violent convict, trains children from Djurgården and Hammarby, among others.
Now clubs are calling for unsuitable private coaches to be suspended.
“It is very sad that these individuals do not have to take responsibility for their actions,” says Kristian Kriegström Gentile, Operations Manager at DIF Ungdom.
It is becoming increasingly common to hire a private soccer coach for your child. Who gives technique lessons, strength training or helps with match analysis – in addition to the sessions the child has with his association.
Many clubs oppose this trend primarily for financial reasons. In order not to make investing in football a class issue, they themselves try to provide all the support that young people may need.
But there is a more important aspect. Private coaches are usually self-employed and therefore outside the security work that the National Athletic Association carries out in its member sports.
According to the Stockholm Football Association (StFF), in the vast majority of cases independence is not a problem. They think that there are many competent and knowledgeable people who can, for example, help children with multiplication exercises. Unscrupulous actors usually find it difficult to prove themselves in the tough competition.
“skeptical of every private training”
But there are exceptions.
Sportbladet has written several articles about Josef, who has been convicted six times of assault, harassment and illegal threats against young women. However, his business is growing and today, according to his own information, he is training about 50 young people.
Josef’s Soccerfriends – the names are fictitious – has an Instagram account where his training participants wear clothes from Hammarby, Djurgården and other Stockholm clubs. The associations Sportbladet talks about expressing concern, but pointing out they can’t stop anyone from taking extra lessons from him.
– It is difficult for us to control which particular actors our games are related to or not. What we can say is that they should consider why they need additional training in addition to our activities, and be careful in any of them, says Kristian Kriegström-Gentil, Operations Manager at DIF Ungdom.
– We have no control over who our players go to in particular. I am skeptical of all private training, coaches who have a lot of ignorance and see this as a source of income,” says Kai Gisberg, 13-19 athletic director at Hammarby.
But something must be done. The federation and the clubs agree that the security gap must be bridged. At Stockholm’s annual Children’s and Youth Football Conference last fall, federations demanded some kind of blacklisting of non-serious or dangerous players.
In front of the green list, not the black list
StFF Chairman Bjorn Ericsson understands their wishes but foresees legal hurdles to their desire.
– It may not be legal to blacklist. But what we are talking about is offering some form of certification to the private actors. Without knowing where it ends. If you can prove you have an F tax slip, some form of soccer education and a clean transcript, you can end up on the green list. Not that everyone on the list is a great coach, but it does mean some kind of control, he says.
Within a year, the Stockholm Football Association believes the system will be in place.
– This guy will not end up on the green list, says Bjorn Ericsson.
How effective is the green list, in your opinion?
– If it is present, it will be a little easier to check if the coach is present. But we will continue to advise all clubs and associations to always take references from the leaders.
Sportbladet has been in contact with Josef, who believes the latest ruling is incorrect and wants to appeal.
– Nothing is clear yet, he says.
