Assistant Coach Rejected Hammarby Move When Karlsson Was Hired as Head Coach
Alexander Rubin turned down chance to join Hammarby as assistant when Kalle Karlsson arrived, choosing to stay at Västerås SK instead.
SFN Editor ·
Alexander Rubin was offered the opportunity to follow Kalle Karlsson to Hammarby as assistant coach but chose to remain at Västerås SK, according to reports from Swedish media.
The revelation emerged as Hammarby announced Henrik Rydström as their new head coach on Friday, replacing Karlsson who departed after a difficult period at the Stockholm club. Rydström has signed a contract until 2028 and will be joined by Theo Olsson as his assistant.
According to VLT, Hammarby sporting director Mikael Hjelmberg confirmed that Rubin was approached when Karlsson was appointed. However, the experienced coach decided to stay with Västerås SK, leaving Karlsson without his preferred assistant.
Hjelmberg acknowledged that Karlsson may not have received optimal conditions at Hammarby, pointing specifically to the fact that the former head coach was unable to bring an assistant trainer with him to the club.
The decision by Rubin to reject the move now appears significant given the subsequent difficulties Karlsson faced at Hammarby. Karlsson's tenure ended after a disappointing run of results and reported internal issues at the Allsvenskan club.
Rubin's loyalty to Västerås SK, who are competing in the Superettan, ultimately meant he missed out on a potential return to Sweden's top flight with one of the country's biggest clubs.