Jani Honkavaara has officially been appointed as the new head coach of Djurgården IF, marking the start of a new chapter for the club after the dismissal of Kim Bergstrand and Thomas Lagerlöf. The 48-year-old arrives from KuPS, the Finnish champions, where he led the team to both league and cup victories last season.
Expressen reports Honkavaara's excitement about taking on this prestigious role. “I am very happy and excited to come here and coach Djurgården. I feel proud to be part of the history of this massive club, with all its traditions and heritage,” he remarked on Djurgården's official website.
Honkavaara's coaching style focuses on quick, forward-oriented football. He emphasized, “The focus is on the players, but I also have certain principles I always want to implement. Regardless of which formation we use, we can lean on those principles during the game.” This approach includes maintaining high pressing to disrupt opponents' plays.
Explaining his game philosophy, he noted, “Players get clear instructions, but sometimes the opponents won’t allow us to play with quick offense, and then there must always be different tools we can use. These aspects must be practiced with the players daily, but mainly we should establish a strong foundation of our own play.”
Bosse Andersson, Djurgården's sports director, expressed his satisfaction with the hiring of Honkavaara. “We are very pleased Jani chose to come to Djurgården. He has made a significant impression on us as both a person and leader. He is a coach with excellent leadership skills, and I believe he will be appreciated by all Djurgårdare,” he stated after conducting thorough scouting.
Honkavaara signed a contract running through 2027, reflecting the club's long-term vision. He recognizes the challenges of his new position, especially coming from the relatively smaller Finnish league to the more competitive Allsvenskan.
“Everything is bigger here. The audience is larger, and the identity of the league and clubs is bigger. There’s no doubt it’ll be different from Finnish football. Coaches often say there are no easy matches, and this certainly applies to Allsvenskan. I am aware of the pressure, with high expectations at a club like Djurgården,” he explained.
During his introductory press conference, Honkavaara addressed the issue of derbies, which have historically posed problems for Djurgården. The club has experienced repeated defeats against rivals AIK and Hammarby. “I have noticed the derby situation. Derbies are different matches, and managing the emotions is the main challenge,” he said.
When asked about the possibility of winning derbies, Honkavaara was cautious. “I would be disappointed if it’s just one victory. I don’t like to talk about results beforehand; outcomes follow after. But I guarantee the team is mentally prepared,” he noted.
Honkavaara’s philosophy as he steps onto the pitch involves fostering unity and communication within the team. “The goal is to get the team to understand the value of every personality, both on and off the pitch. My teams have always done things together outside of football,” said Honkavaara. He believes this approach leads to stronger performances during matches.
This new appointment follows the departure of the previous coaching duo who had established Djurgården as one of the top teams in Swedish football over nearly six years, including winning the league title in 2019. Roberth Björknesjö filled the interim role during the latter part of the previous season, ensuring the continuity of the team's structure during this transitional phase.
With training set to resume on January 20, Honkavaara is eager to take charge. “I will move to Stockholm in January to prepare and start working,” he expressed, sharing his enthusiasm for the upcoming challenges and the opportunity to lead Djurgården.
Conclusively, Djurgården fans can look forward to what Jani Honkavaara’s leadership will bring as he aims to blend his effective coaching style with the team’s existing talent. The pressure of expectations and the challenges of derbies are acknowledged, but Honkavaara's ready to tackle these head-on. His commitment to developing young talent and fostering team spirit points to what could be an exciting future for Djurgården IF.
