Expressen has been in contact with representatives of the 26 associations that are part of Allsvenskan and Ladies' Allsvenskan.

14 of these express a lack of confidence in the association's ability to lead football.

Among other things, there is talk of a lack of clarity regarding the direction of Swedish football.

- It is difficult to know what the association wants.

For one minute, everyone should join, preferably for as long as possible.

It is thought that this is the way to bring out as many good players as possible.

In the next minute, an elite center will be built at Arlanda.

The signals will be very different, so it will be difficult to know where we are going anywhere, says a sports manager in one of Sweden's largest associations, while an Allsvenska representative is critical of the lack of diversity in the association:

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It would be good if those who control Swedish football reflect what it looks like in society.

We need more young people, more with an immigrant background, more women, she says.

Umeå's sports manager critical

Many, both people who work at the Swedish Football Association and representatives of the elite clubs, talk about a culture of silence.

One person who does that is Umeå IK's sporting director Jörgen Crovin.

- I can experience being gagged on people who want to speak their mind.

But in principle may not speak out.

The union puts a stop to it, he says.

"Standing without an action plan"

According to Expressen, the most recurring criticism – from half of the associations – concerns the confederation's view of Swedish women's football.

Several representatives describe it as the union being left without an action plan to keep up with the rapid development that is now taking place in Europe.

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Elite football on the women's side today is not feeling well, if you generalize.

As far as that part is concerned, the association has absolutely no ambitions to improve it.

Not based on the dialogues we are having right now.

It is obvious that nationally we are not taking the necessary steps to have a healthy women's elite football, says IFK Kalmar's sporting director Tommy Nyberg.

"Adolescence and a culture of silence"

Even Håkan Sjöstrand personally receives harsh criticism.

Expressen has spoken to more than 20 current and former employees at the football association, and there are testimonies about a lack of leadership, incompetence, nepotism, arrogance and a culture of silence.

- I'm not that sensitive, I can take a boyish environment.

But it doesn't work to have a boss who sulks and who shuts you out from the community and from meetings you need to be at in order to do what you are supposed to do.

It is also exhausting to see everyone around you feeling so bad and sick to your stomach about what the work environment is like, the article says, for example.

According to Expressen, several people must be critical of how Sjöstrand expresses himself around critical people.

"Almost everyone we spoke to has witnessed how Sjöstrand rolls his eyes during meetings, seeks eye contact with male confidants or sighs that 'the

women's choir has spoken

'", writes Expressen.

Sjöstand: "Very bad expression"

Sjöstrand himself tells Expressen that he takes the criticism to heart.

- It is obvious that some people have perceived me in a certain way and that I naturally have to take it to heart.

These people must be entitled to their opinion.

At the same time, I have to say that it is absolutely not something that I myself stand for or recognize myself in, he says, and admits that "the women's choir is a "very bad expression" that he used after a colleague came to him "and was frankly tired on a whim”.

Sjöstrand's manager, union chairman Karl-Erik Nilsson, also says that they take the criticism to heart.

- This is a sharp and sharp criticism that we must listen to.

The federal board will of course take this up, but we also know that there are other pictures.

We have had fantastic results in employee surveys during the eight years that Håkan has been top manager, he says.