Rydström plays down major changes at Hammarby: 'We'll tweak what's already there'
New Hammarby coach Henrik Rydström says he won't revolutionize tactics but focus on refining details and raising standards in daily training
SFN Editor ·
Henrik Rydström has dismissed suggestions he will bring a tactical revolution to Hammarby, instead emphasizing gradual improvements and higher standards in daily training.
The new coach believes Hammarby already possesses many of the fundamental principles he wants to implement. "You want to have the ball, dominate and press high. That makes for a shorter starting stretch," Rydström said, according to Expressen.
Rather than wholesale changes, Rydström sees his role as fine-tuning existing systems. "I would rather say it's small nuances, that you tweak a bit on what's already there," he explained.
The most significant adjustment will come in defensive play, where Rydström wants to move away from the man-marking system used under previous coach Kalle Karlsson. His vision is for defensive positioning that creates better offensive opportunities for Hammarby's most creative players.
Rydström also defended his methodical approach to possession play, which has sometimes drawn criticism during his previous coaching appointments. He argues that controlled build-up play keeps his teams in better positions to win back possession when they lose the ball.
The clearest message from the new coach concerns player accountability. "I think the most important thing is to make the players aware of their own responsibility," Rydström stated, emphasizing that long-term potential means nothing without excellence in daily preparation.