“There was no other way out” • Wennerholm after HV71 shot Montén

Thomas Montaigne has to leave HV71 after playing only twelve matches.

There was no other way out after the 0-8 collapse against Malmo.

The team had already abandoned him.

I’m not at all surprised that Montaigne was sacked the day after a historically poor home game, in which the team completely collapsed after a scoreless first half.

The fans were in a mood of rebellion and the mood had reached such heights that it could not be evaded any longer.

For me it was clear that the players had already lost all confidence in Montaigne.

I can’t explain the utter frustration any other way.

No one seemed interested, or even a little embarrassed, as the goals continued to pour in.

Thomas Montaigne had to bear the brunt and it was he who had to stand in front of the TV cameras afterwards and try to explain the complete collapse.

He then also saw large portions of the home fans actually returning home after Malmo’s 4-0 second-half win, and many of those who remained were angry at the way the home team had behaved.

It’s not an easy seat, but at the same time it’s part of the job.

Such as the risk of expulsion if the results do not appear.

It topped most people’s lists

Of course I can feel sorry for the man Thomas Montaigne, who stood there almost alone in the storm.

But coach Thomas Montaigne?

No, hardly.

He is not the first coach to be fired, and he will not be the last either.

He is also on a lucrative two-year contract and can, if he wishes, take a year and a half long-term leave, while paychecks continue to deposit into the bank account.

Additionally, he topped most people’s lists for the coach most at risk of being fired first.

You must have a limited budget

He has been questioned from the start and many have reacted to the choice of Kent “Nobin” Norberg as coach – not least his fans.

Montaigne has only one season as head coach in the SHL and that has been since the 2012/13 season, when he was based in Timra.

Results?

Timrå finished second and then exited the Super League via the qualifying series at that time.

Since then, Montaigne has been an assistant coach at Linköping and captain of the national team for five seasons.

So sporting director Kent “Nobin” Norberg’s choice as coach seemed like a gamble from the start and it’s not at all surprising that he was the first to go.

Noben bears at least as much responsibility for this failure as Montaigne.

There is a feeling that he must have a limited budget when building teams, as was the case throughout his years at Timra.

It’s like he goes blind quick when there’s surroundings to explore.

His previous trip to Frölunda in 2009 ended after a year and a half.

Now his time in HV71 has been nothing but success.

He turned into the best team in the SHL

Montaigne is also not the first coach to be fired under Kent Norberg.

At the end of January, Tommy Samuelsson and Frederik Stillman got their kicks after a heavy loss to Luleå and a seemingly hopeless qualification spot.

Then it was the board of directors that made the decision, with the sporting director at the head. Club manager Johan Lindbom attended with Charles Berglund, Per Gustafsson and William Rahm and what followed was nothing short of a miracle.

HV71 turned out to be the best team in the SHL over the last fifteen rounds and were just three points away from the playoffs when it was all said and done.

This year’s team looked much broader and more knowledgeable, but the start is the same.

It wasn’t just the 8-0 loss to Malmo.

A few hours later, Oskarshamn beat Modo 7-2 and sent their neighbors Småland into the jumbo position.

The only solace?

Now it can only go in one direction.

It seems natural for Johan Lindbom to take over after last year’s success. Exactly the simple solution I suggested yesterday.

Thomas Montaigne being sent off after just twelve games is far from a record.

I don’t think about the longevity of all fired coaches, but I remember that Roger Millen had to leave Brinas in October 2017 and after only eight games.

But it was almost the same scenario, when Brenas started poorly and just lost at home to Skellefteu 8-2.

The last time things moved almost this quickly was when Barry Smith had to leave Djurgården in the fall of 2021.

He officiated thirteen matches.