Karlsson's Self-Criticism: Wanted to Make Hammarby Less Man-Marking Focused
Former Hammarby coach Kalle Karlsson reflects on tactical changes he would have made, admitting the team should have evolved their defensive approach.
SFN Editor ·
Former Hammarby coach Kalle Karlsson has opened up about the tactical adjustments he believes could have improved the Stockholm club's performance, following his departure from the Allsvenskan side.
Karlsson admits he should have developed a more flexible defensive system to replace Hammarby's rigid man-marking approach. "I think I could have found a more flexible defensive system," Karlsson told FotbollDirekt.
The tactical evolution was discussed internally during the spring, including conversations with Nahir Besara. However, the team ultimately continued with the man-marking system inherited from Kim Hellberg's tenure as coach.
Karlsson explained that strong results during pre-season, cup matches, and the early league games provided no immediate reason to change their approach. But he gradually noticed that Allsvenskan opponents had become more adept at handling man-marking defensive systems.
The former Hammarby boss also disputed suggestions that his team played with a three-man defense, clarifying that they operated from a 4-2-3-1 formation that would shift during matches due to their man-marking principles.
Interestingly, Karlsson believes the traditional manager role is disappearing from Swedish football, suggesting broader changes are coming to the domestic game beyond just tactical formations.