The bandy goalkeeper became a football hall coach – 29 years old
Martin Falk was 14 years old and would apply for an internship. Instead of ending up on the ICA Cypress or the local pizzeria in Brålanda, the small place of growth in Dalsland, he sent away a dozen e -mail.
Recipients were all clubs in the four highest English football leagues, from the Premier League to League Two. He received two answers.
– Arsenal wrote well type: « Hello, no. »
– Everton wrote kind of type: « It’s just coming, we fix everything. »
At first, no one really believed in the teenager’s fairly grand plans, neither at school nor at home.
– But then they began to understand that it was for real, and then I had to go over. I got to see the whole association there. The football part, the market part – everything.
– It was an incredibly fun week.
Maybe that was also where the dream of the coaching profession started to grow really with Martin Falk.
– The bandy was pretty small, so there may not be so many steps to take. In football, there are so many steps to take, he says.
Yes, it wasn’t Only football that was the thing at first. The active career as an athlete, it consisted of many broken fingers as a promising band goalkeeper.
Just over two miles from Lilla Brålanda is the bandy nest Vänersborg, where Martin Falk started his career, which then took him to Sandviken-and two SM golds. But soon the time between the bandy posts was over, even though he has recently passed the 20-dash.
– I really loved playing bandy, but football has always been a bit of a bigger dream, so it was that I really invested in it, says Martin Falk.
When he now got his first He does so, even though he has just turned 30, with plenty of experience in his backpack. There are victories, with different assignment descriptions, in clubs such as Västerås SK, Sandviken, AIK and now most recently Malmö FF.
– It has been six, seven years since I started training a youth team, and now it is the third year in Allsvenskan, says Martin Falk.
– So things have gone fast – but it’s fun, and it is important to continue, I think, even if it goes fast, to reflect on why things have gone.
What do you think is that made you succeed so far?
– Curiosity, maybe. I have always tried to visit many coaches.
Several of those he can now title all Swedish coaches are on that list.
– Stefan Billborn (IFK Gothenburg), among other things, which I visited when he was in Hammarby.
He also has contact with other young coaching abilities such as Alfred Johansson (Rosenborg, Norway) and Fabian Hürzeler (Brighton, England).
– It’s all about always seeking new skills, and developing my own skills. To reflect a lot and constantly have high ambitions. I think I am very driven as a person. Because I have always searched …
Martin Falk is looking for the right word.
– Not the next step maybe. But the next point of development for myself.
The 30-year-old came into being An IFK Norrköping where Kris is not too strong a word to use to summarize the situation. Following the SM gold under Janne Andersson’s leadership in 2015, the association has groped, and this spring the message came that the financial statements for 2024 showed SEK 43.8 million minus.
– We have not been able to sell players for a fairly long time. This has a significant impact on the result, said club manager Michael Sturehed, who has since been allowed to leave his post.
IFK Norrköping finished in eleventh place in the Swedish table last year.
Now young abilities are going to Get the chance to flourish – but don’t think that too many missed victories will be tolerated for that matter.
IFK Norrköping is a classic club with all Swedish measurements measured. There are 13 SM golds in the Cup shelf, and expectations that are significantly higher than a middle placement or a secured contract.
– I don’t think it needs to be opposite. That we will win matches in the short term and build something in the long term, says Martin Falk.
– But it is important to find a balance in it too. They (young players) should not feel that they carry Norrköping and the club on their shoulders.
Was it obvious for you to take the job?
– I had discussions with Malmö (where Falk was assistant coach) about extending, and was well set to it before this showed up. When it did, it felt very right.
– I felt I was very ready to do this. Had I not known it, I would never have taken the assignment. I Love Also, there is this pressure as it does in such a club. Supporters and a city that cares.
Andreas Alm got fired At the beginning of December last year. When it began to be whistled that it was perhaps Martin Falk who would be the replacement in « Beijing », some noted which artists were under the tab « recently played » in his Spotify account.
Markus Krunegård, the Swedish bear strain and Eldkvarn. Common denominator: Norrköping.
Martin Falk sitting with music sprung from Norrköping in his headphones to prepare for his new football gig-given the 30-year-old’s level of ambition, it is not an unreasonable picture to paint.
But it doesn’t really fit.
– Well. They think so, but I have actually always listened to the bear strain a lot and Krunegård. They are always at the top year after year on my most played, he says.
– But what I did was I tried to learn about the club and about the city.
Martin Falk continues into a small exposition.
– The first day when I came here I got a good tour of (Marketing Manager) Mats Willner, who told us about the culture and history. It also makes it easier to understand the supporters, what they want from the players on the pitch. Norrköping is a working town. It is important to work hard, and it is important that the players and we leaders understand it.
– Because we manage a trust we have gained. I think it is important to understand the entire context of a football club in order to also give something back.
IFK Norrköping won This year’s all -Swedish premiere against the newcomer Öster with 4–3. On Sunday, AIK awaits in round two.
Read more:
The big favorite, new acquisitions and profiles – everything you need to know about Allsvenskan 2025
