Sunday 9th April The day had arrived and I met the players at our stadium and prepped them before we got on the coach to get to Hacken. As one of the favourites to win the league this season, this is where the pressure really began. The coach departed at 10am and we were all anxious to get the first game underway, more importantly in my eyes was not to lose the opening game. I spoke to Anders at the front of the coach about a possible team to beat Hacken and we decided it would be best to use McDonald Mariga and Daniel Andersson in centre-midfield. Are assumption was that one holding midfielder would allow the other to push on and create chances for our front players. We arrived at Rambersvallen, the home of Hacken, and settled in to the dressing room. The tension was building as the time edged ever closer to kick-off, I wished the team luck for the game, before naming my starting eleven. Bengt Madsen came down to see the players and talked to each one individually, giving them words of advice and having a joke along the way. The players left the dressing room and I took my place in the dugout, Stefan Lundin (Hacken coach) greeted me but didn’t stick around for a chat as he went straight back to his dugout.
Courtesy of SVT2 Sports – The April Month In Brief
Allsvenskan Matchday 1:
Hacken 1 (Robert Mambo Mumba '3) Malmo 1 (Pape Pate Diouf '71) “After a dire start to the game we managed to enforce our domination on the match and I think we could of won it today. The season is long and if we can pick up points on the road and win our home games then we’ll be just fine.” I said after the game to STV2’s journalist Daniel Jackobsson. Deep down I was disappointed, I told the players at half-time to go more attacking and play with a higher, more direct tempo. Nonetheless, a point away from home was a good result and I was pleased with the players efforts in the game. We returned back to Malmo late that night as I discussed tactics with Anders for the next game, which was in 4 days against Elfsborg at home, a must win…
Allsvenskan Matchday 2:
Malmo 2 (Marcus Pode '20, Pape Pate Diouf '59) Elfsborg 1 (Mathias Svensson '85) Malmo Stadion
So our first home game, after the point against Hacken it was vital we won this match. I was delighted with the early goal from Pode and we never really looked like losing our lead apart from the anxious last five minutes of the match when Svensson smashed home from 8 yards. It was a one-sided game and the result was kind on Elfsborg who never really not going.
Allsvenskan Matchday 3:
IFK Goteborg 2 (Stefan Selakovic '23, Jonas Wallerstedt '66) Malmo 2 (Marcus Pode '4, '76) Marcus Pode
This game had been eagerly awaited as one of Malmo’s fiercest rivals in Sweden, I was determined not to let the supporters down and told the players to do it for the fans before kick off. I was delighted when Pode, a home-grown player of Malmo, slammed the ball home. Stefan Selakovic caused problems for us all games, so at half-time I made sure Daniel Andersson stuck closely to him in order to prevent is effect on the game, it seemed to work. I sensed my first defeat as coach when Wallerstedt nodded it past Sandqvist, but I was wrong to…Marcus Pode showed great anticipation to latch on to a cross from Osmanovski as he knocked it past the keeper, I was delighted with the result.
Svenska Cupen 2nd Round:
Eskilstuna 0 Malmo 7 (Pape Pate Diouf '7,'45,'62, McDonald Mariga '36, Daniel Andersson '79,'90, Yskel Osmanovski '82) Bengt Madsen was the first to offer his congratulations on this emphatic performance, he went on by saying “Beating Eskilstuna so comprehensively would be a big boost to the club and would of sent our travelling fans home happy”. I was delighted in the manner of the performance although I felt sympathy for Mikael Danielsson who was in charge of Eskilstuna, as he wished me luck for the rest of the campaign.
Allsvenskan Matchday 4:
Malmo 2 (McDonald Mariga '16, Marcus Pode '85) AIK 1 (Kenny Pavey '21) Marcus Pode continued his rich vein of form by striking home a late winner. A poor back pass was latched on to by Pode who audaciously shot from 45 yards, the advancing keeper had no chance as he stood stranded! I felt we’d done enough to win the game although Rikard Norling thought otherwise, after the game he issued an inflammatory informing me morale was high at AIK and he wouldn’t be giving up on the title just yet.
Allsvenskan Matchday 5:
Malmo 1 (Marcus Pode '77) Oster 0 In a fairly drab match, Marcus Pode was once again the difference between the two sides, if he carried on this form I could see Bengt and myself having a tough battle keeping him at Malmo. Nobody had came knocking for him as yet, but I felt it was only a matter of time. My first month had past by and I hadn’t suffered a defeat, what a start I thought to myself, but I’d be ensuring the team keeps it’s feet firmly grounded.
Allsvenskan League Table
