History repeats itself for Malmö

By Jan Juhlin

It has been said that success comes in cycles and for Malmö FF it may be their turn once more.

Sitting pretty
The Allsvenskan club dominated Swedish football in the 1970s and were a force to be reckoned with in the 1980s. However, they fell away in the last decade and suffered relegation in 1999. Now, though, they are sitting pretty once more. A point clear with five games to go they are homing in on their first title since 1988. But perhaps more pleasing for this southern Swedish club is that their future is looking decidedly rosy.

Dominant in Seventies
Following IFK Norrköping's superiority in the 1950s and 1960s, Malmö came good the following decade winning five championships and reaching the European Champion Clubs' Cup final in 1979 where they lost to Nottingham Forest FC. In the Eighties they actually topped the table on five occasions but lost in the league play-off in all but two seasons.

Loss of players
During the early 1980s players such as Mats Magnusson, Lars Larsson, Joakim Nilsson, Robert Prytz, Jonas Thern, Patrik Andersson, Martin Dahlin and Stefan Schwarz all began their careers with the club and went on to play for the national side. However, the lure of a bigger pay packet proved irresistible for many. Between 1985 and 1992 the club lost 25 players to clubs across Europe. As Thern, now coach at Halmstad BK, says: "We were a top side back then, but there was no money in Swedish football and if you had an opportunity to go abroad you did."

Struggles started
While the club was in a sound financial position they began to struggle on the field as IFK Göteborg began a period of dominance that was to last through the 1990s. As Göteborg scooped up the riches of European football, Malmö were left to scrap for the relatively small rewards of the Swedish league. They began to falter and, after 64 consecutive years in the top flight, were relegated in October 1999.

Concentrated on youth
Malmö regrouped, though, and worked hard behind the scenes to revitalise their youth system. It worked. During their one season in the second division a young player called Zlatan Ibrahimovic was outstanding for Malmö and led them to promotion. Ibrahimovic was sold to AFC Ajax for €7m and the influx of cash married with the youth policy signalled better times. Niklas Skoog was signed from Örebro SK FK to partner Nigerian Peter Ijeh in attack. Moreover, Tom Prahl, out of contract at Halmstads, was appointed coach. It proved a shrewd move and the team soon settled.

Missing piece
Danijel Majsterovic, Hans Mattisson, Jörgen Ohlsson and Ijeh and Skoog began to gel in attack while keeper Mattias Asper arrived from Real Sociedad to stop goals at the other end. Malmö are now reaping the rewards - Ijeh has 20 goals this season and Skoog nine as the club sit top of the tree. "I'm in a fortunate position," says Prahl. "I've got 23 good players to choose from and a healthy crop of youngsters coming up."

History repeating
With Göteborg struggling, it seems the first decade of the new millennium might belong to Malmö, as the cycle turns their way again.