The 2021-2022 is quickly approaching.
Here's a quick overview of each club in the Superligaen.
=
Brøndby
Last Season Finish: Champion
Manager: Niels Frederiksen
3 Key Performers:
Mikael Uhre - Forward
Simon Hedlund - Forward
Josip Radosevic - Midfielder
Players to Watch:
Anis Ben Slimane - Midfielder
Rezan Corlu - Midfielder
Morten Frendrup - Midfielder
Key Question
Do they have enough to muster a title defense?
Brøndby's rebirth as a dominant club in Denmark has been built on the backs of their Masterclass academy and shrewd purchases in the transfer market. Last season's title revealed a club and a manager that has earned the resolve to withstand countless punches from the division heavyweights. With academy jewel Jesper Lindstrom on his way to Eintracht Frankfurt and other profiles potentially moving to new pastures, other profiles in the squad will need to step up.
Midtjylland
Manager: Bo Henriksen
3 Key Performers:
Evander - Midfield
Sory Kaba - Forward
Frank Onyeka - Midfield
Players to watch
Victor Torp - Midfield
Anders Dreyer - Winger
Junior Brumado - Forward
Key Question
How good of a manager is Bo Henriksen really?
From the outside, last season's failures for FCM boiled down to one recurring theme: lack of resolve. In Italy the concept is referred to as grinta, which loosely translates to grit and determination. FCM had a few player-manager "disputes" that either unsettled the squad or exposed the growing disenchantment of the first team. Can one man change that dynamic? Henriksen did more with less at AC Horsens in his time charge than any manager in recent memory in the Superligaen. FCM has the players. Do they have the right man to lead them back to the top?
FC Copenhagen
Manager: Jess Thorup
3 Key Performers
Kamil Grabara - Goalkeeper
Victor Kristiansen - Left Back
Jonas Wind - Forward
Players to Watch
Mohammed Daramy - Forward
Kevin Diks - Right Back
Pep Biel - Midfield
Key Question
When all the dust settles will they be champions?
FCK has spent heavily to reinforce the first team this transfer window. They still have the oldest roster in the Superligaen (average age 26.0). Thorup had an uneven start to his tenure midway through the last campaign. The squad did finish with a handful of promising displays in the championship round. The results will need to come consistently and early or there will be a lot of pressure on the squad.
Aarhus AGF
Manager: David Nielsen
3 Key Performers:
Patrick Mortensen - Forward
Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson - Winger
Gift Links - Winger
Players to watch:
William Eskilinen - Goalkeeper
Zachary Duncan - Midfield
Alexander Munksgaard - Right Back
Key Question
Can they manufacture goals outside of Patrick Mortensen?
Manager David Nielsen is an ascendant manager who has energized a club and a supporter base with his enthusiasm and bluntness. The sum is definitely worth more than the individual parts of the first team squad as they have overachieved the last few seasons. This side relies heavily on the goals of the perennially underrated Patrick Mortensen. Wingers Gift Links (best name in Scandinavia) and Jon Dagur Thorsteinsson are two of the most promising profiles in the league. Can they add more goals to their output? New purchase Dawid Kurminowski may just prove to be a capable deputy. Only time will tell.
FC Nordsjaelland
Manager : Flemming Pedersen
3 Key Performers:
Magnus Kofod Andersen - Midfield
Ibrahim Sadiq - Winger
Peter Vindahl - Goalkeeper
Players to Watch:
Andreas Schjelderup - Winger
Tochi Chukwuani - Midfield
Abu Francis - Midfield
Key Question
Can they make it to the Championship round if they sell Kamaldeen Sulemana?
Pedersen had his group surging at the end of the campaign as the newest profile of their perpetual movement, Andreas Schjeldrup, stole the show. FCN has had enviable success showcasing attacking talents but team results have suffered. I would connect the imbalance to the departure of profiles such as Abdul Mumin and Mikkel Rygaard. Solid, defensive minded role players who give an attack-centric squad a backbone. Sulemana's goals were vital last season. If his transfer to one of the bigger clubs inevitably goes through, who will fill the void?
Randers FC
Manager: Thomas Thomasberg
3 Key Performers:
Alhaji Kamara - Forward
Marvin Egho - Forward
Simon Graves - Centerback
Players to Watch
Tosin Kehinde - Winger
Tobias Klysner - Winger
Frederik Lauenborg - Midfield
Key Question
Push up the table or just enjoy the ride?
Randers is what I like to call an an elite mid-table side. They've seemingly mastered the ability to not be in a relegation race but not potent enough to push higher up the table. That label might end up being a curse. Randers has a strong nucleus of young profiles that other clubs in the division or abroad may snatch up before they reach their peak. It would be a mild surprise if this current squad made the championship round again.
Aalborg BK
Manager: Marti Cifuentes
3 Key Performers:
Iver Fossum - Midfield
Mathias Ross - Centreback
Pedro Ferreira - Midfield
Players to Watch:
Tim Prica - Forward
Louka Prip - Winger
Magnus Christensen - Midfield
Players to Watch:
Key Question
Is Cifuentes the solution?
Marti Cifuentes has enjoyed success in Scandinavia as a manager. AAB may be his toughest test to date. This squad should should be fighting in the Championship round. Not the Relegation round like they did this past season. Cifuentes must find a way to harness the potential of the squad whilst getting top shelf results. The addition of Prip from relegated AC Horsens should be a shot in the arm for an attack that was mostly lame last campaign. Positive results would need to come fairly quickly for Cifuentes to get more time to implement his vision.
SonderjyskE
Manager: Michael Boris
3 Key Players:
Haji Wright - Forward
Viktor Ekani - Midfield
Emil Fredriksen - Midfield
Players To Watch:
Julius Eskesen - Winger
Rasmus Vinderslev - Midfield
Emil Holm - Right Back
Key Question:
Can the club rebound from the rocky departure of Glenn Riddersholm?
Riddersholm left the club this summer after a string of lackluster defeats and murmuring from players. His tenure wasn't all dark. He engineered the SønderjyskE 2019-2020 Danish Cup victory and helped polish talents such as Alexander Bah and the emergent Haji Wright. Michael Boris starts anew with capable squad that may only need a new voice to shepherd them.
Odense
Manager: Andreas Alm
3 Key Players:
Moses Opondo - Midfield
Emmanuel Sabbi - Winger
Oliver Christensen - Goalkeeper
Players to Watch:
Max Fenger - Forward
Mads Frokjær - Midfield
Mikkel Hyllegaard - Forward
Key Question:
Who will score the goals?
Take everything I wrote on Randers and add it to this preview. The main difference between the two clubs in a sporting sense is the lack of a "proven" striker up front. Fenger has flashed at times and Sabbi is electric when on song but that hasn't been a consistent occurrence. Perhaps new manager Andreas Alm is orchestrates more consistency from his young attack force?
Vejle Boldklub
Manager: Carit Falch
3 Key Players:
Allan Sousa - Winger
Wahid Faghir - Forward
Tobias Mølgaard - Right Back
Players to Watch
Arbnor Mucolli - Winger
Saeid Ezatolahi - Midfield
Kevin Yamga - Winger
Key Question
Will Vejle regret buying out Falch's contract from Lyngby?
In short, no. Falch showed tactical nous and considerable man management to churn out results for Lyngby in the last campaign. Although they ended up being relegated his Lyngby side were a difficult matchup for the remaining teams in the relegation round. Vejle started strong but faded as the prior season went on. Look for Vejle to not only stay up but to be the surprise package of the season.
Viborg FF
Manager: Lars Friis
3 Key Players:
Lars Kramer - Centreback
Tobias Bech - Winger
Sebastian Grønning - Forward
Players to Watch:
Alassana Jatta - Forward
Younes Bakiz - Winger
Sofus Berger - Winger
Key Question:
Will they be strong enough over the course of the season to stay up?
Viborg won the promotion race on the trot and overall had a strong season. Survival in the Superligaen will depend on their defense and how many goals they concede.Viborg has promising talent in defense, midfield and attack. It will be an intriguing season for a club with a roster poised to grow and mature in the nation's top league.
Silkeborg
Manager: Kent Nielsen
3 Key Performers:
Rasmus Carstensen - Right Back
Anders Klynge - Midfield
Sebastian Jorgensen - Winger
Players to Watch:
Nicolai Vallys - Midfield
Mark Brink - Midfield
Nicklas Helenius - Forward
Key Question:
Can the Silkeborg defense be strong enough to balance out the offensive output?
Even with the departure of academy jewel Magnus Mattson to the Eredivisie Silkeborg has plenty of attacking talent waiting in the wings. The same question that was proposed to Viborg applies here. The defense has to be stout for them to stave off relegation. Both Viborg and Silkeborg are up against it as the Superligaen is as strong top to bottom as it may have ever been.
======
PS: I send out a weekly email where I share player recruitment trends and best practices. Sign up for it
here.
