Djurgården has had a tough start to the season.
Eight losses in nine matches.
Today, Djurgården announced that they are going their separate ways with head coach Barry Smith, a message that did not come completely unexpected according to SVT Sports expert, Maria Rooth.
Djurgården has underperformed under Smith's leadership and has only Timrå behind in the table.
- These are telling numbers for a team that has not found a home in their game and in the way they want to play.
They do not trust others to do their job and it has been clear that this may require clearer leadership, says Rooth.
"You can not fire 25 players"
And new leadership has now been picked up for the time being in the form of the assistant coaches, Nichlas Falk and Mikael Aaro.
- When a group underperforms, you have to do something.
And it's hard to fire 25 players.
In the first position, it is difficult to bring in someone completely new from the outside, then it is perfectly okay that in a first position you bring in assistant coaches who have full control of the group, she says and continues:
- And should it not work, you have to focus your eyes elsewhere.
What has not worked with Barry Smith?
- SHL changes every year, and if you look at many of the successful coaches today, they are a little younger and have a newer and faster mindset.
I do not think we have seen it in Djurgården.
They have not kept up.