Henrik Larsson: The King of Kings

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Larsson will always be my favourite player ever, it's just a shame I was too young to truly appreciate his talent, phenomenal player.
Seeing him at 40 years old in the Celtic-Man U legends game was brilliant, and he was still class!
 
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Larsson will always be my favourite player ever, it's just a shame I was too young to truly appreciate his talent, phenomenal player.
Seeing him at 40 years old in the Celtic-Man U legends game was brilliant, and he was still class!

I'm only 16, so I remember him from my very early childhood (as a Celtic fan!). His chip vs Rangers and the UEFA Cup Final are my abiding memories. I'll never forget the 06 champions league final, he changed the game. That legends game was incredible, he pushed back the years to grab a vintage hat trick. He's one of the finest players I've ever seen.
 
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Swedish Football News

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Larsson agress new 3 year deal

Helsingborgs IF boss Henrik Larsson has put pen to paper on a 3 year contract extension. The club legend, who became manager in February 2012 on a one year probationary basis has clearly done enough to convince the board that he is the man to take Helsingborgs forward. The contract extension was agreed on October 1st, and will see Larsson stay with Helsingborgs untill November 2015.

Larsson's Helsingborgs side have been performing brilliantly in the Swedish Premier League, and find themselves fighting it out with Elfsborg for 1st place. Having already secured the Swedish Supercupen with an emphatic 6-1 victory over Elfsborg Larsson is confident that his side will finish the season on top. Added to that is the fact his side have surpassed expectations in Europe. They've enjoyed a magical journey to the Champions League group stages, and are now tussling with Europe's elite.

Helsingborgs' fans were happy to hear that Larsson has extended his stay with the club. Having forged an affinity with the club as a player, it now seems that Larsson could do the same as manager.

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October 2012

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Allsvenskan
Sunday 7th October 2012
Olympia

Helsingborgs IF (2-0) AIK
Bedoya
Mahlangu

We've done really well here, to come out with a clean sheet. It was an even game, AIK threatened but Par kept us alive with magnificent saves. Bedoya and Mahlangu showed a lethal touch and grabbed us two important goals.

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Allsvenskan
Saturday 20th October 2012
Boras Arena

Elfsborg (2-3) Helsingborgs
Sorum
Hanstveit
Andersson

This was the game of the season. Elfsborg raced ahead to a one goal lead early on, but Sorum replied soon after. Hanstveit then put us ahead, and I thought we might hold on to a 2-1 lead. However, on loan Celtic player Mohammed Bangura equalized for Elfsborg. It was a deadlock, until the 86th minute. Chris Andersson stepped up to rifle in a volley from the back post, and he sent the players, the staff and the travelling fans into raptures. It's a moment I'll never forget.

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Allsvenskan
Saturday 27th October 2012
Olympia

Helsingborgs (2-1) Malmo FF
Sorum
Larsson

A hard fought victory over one of the best teams in the Allsvenskan. Malmo haven't had the best of years, but they put up a stern fight. Sorum has had a great year, and then our left back Peter Larsson made it two. A late consolation goal for Malmo was not much to worry about.

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Allsvenskan
Wednesday 31st October 2012
Olympia

Helsingborgs (3-0) Norrkoping
Mahlangu (x2)
Sorum

We gave the fans an entertaining performance, one they enjoyed. Our midfield maestro was at it again, he's been an integral cog in the Helsingborgs machine. I am now VERY confident that we will win the league.

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League Table

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We are so close, so close. Two games remain, and there is a 5 point gap. I expect 6 points from our last two games in November. I'd be shocked if we didn't get the league from here, the players just need to remain focused. They'll reap the rewards later.


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Champions League

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Champions League Group D
Wednesday 3rd October 2012
Estadio da Luz

SLB (2-3) Helsingborgs
Bedoya
Sorum
Uronen

Wow. It hasn't really sunk in. This is one I'll tell the grandkids about. We went 2-0 down in the opening 5 minutes, Cardozo and Rodrigo punished our defence. I feared the worst from there. Things went quiet for 35 minutes, until just on the stroke of halftime Bedoya fired home a beautiful shot from 25 yards. 2-1 at halftime was fine. I sent them out, and all I told them was to play their game, to pass it and move, that the chances would come. On the hour mark Sorum skinned two defenders and slotted the ball low to the left. We were level. 15 mins later, Harbuzi charged down the right flank and fired a ball back into the box and Uronen was there to fire in the winning goal. We hung on for a historic victory.

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Champions League Group D
Wednesday 24th October 2012
Olympia

Helsingborgs (1-1) PSG
Hanstveit

We've surpassed all expectations in the Champions League so far. We entertained the oil rich Frenchmen, and we did not lose. We took the lead through our veteran center back. Lindstrom's dismissal left us to defend a slender lead with 10 men. Eventually, Lucas Moura equalized, but I was chuffed to bits with the draw.

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Champions Group D

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Who would have predicted that? Minnows Helsingborgs sit 2nd, ahead of Arsenal and PSG. The group is very much wide open right now. However we are well in contention to have European football after the winter break. Can we do it?

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Player of the Month

May Mahlangu

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He's had another fantastic month for the club. The interest from foreign clubs has increased as a result. His performance against SLB won him the adulation of the European press. I'm not sure that we'll hold onto this gem unfortunately.


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Summary

This month had the potential to be disastrous or magnificent. Luckily, it was the latter. The players battled for every point we got this month, and the results were exactly what we deserved. Can we press on in the Champions League? I'm hopeful, as are the fans.

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November 2012

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Champions!!!

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Allsvenskan
Saturday 3rd November 2012
Olympia

Helsingborgs (1-0) Gefle
Bouaouzan

We've done it! The league is ours. It was a nervy affair, and I thought it might end 0-0. The deadlock was broken on the 80th minute mark, and from then on I knew we had it. The players and fans rejoiced. A year of hard work came to fruition, and I told the players to enjoy this success. I addressed the fans at full time, and thanked them for their commitment to the club, and told them to look forward to more of the same to come.

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Allsvenskan
Sunday 11th November 2012
Sodertalje Fotbollsarena

Syrianska (4-7) Helsingborgs
Simovic (x2)
Sorum (x2)
Sadiku
Baffo
Bouaouzan

When I came here I promised the fans entertaining football. I'd never really envisaged anything like this. With the league secured the players let loose, and they provided a memorable game to end the season. It's been a fantastic league campaign, and I'll expect more of the same next season.

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Final League Table

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In the end, there was a wide enough margin between ourselves and Elfsborg. It makes for good reading. We always knew that we were capable of challenging, and in the end we went all the way to win the biggest prize in Swedish football. Two in a row is a great achievement for Helsingborgs IF, and to lead my boyhood club to one of those titles is beyond my wildest dreams.



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Champions League

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Champions League Group D
Tuesday 6th November 2012
Parc des Princes

PSG (1-2) Helsingborgs IF
Mahlangu
Sorum

Our Champions League fairy tale continues. I simply cannot believe how good a performance the lads gave. I went with a 4-4-2, and it worked. Two of our best performers over the whole season grabbed the goals. This leaves us in a remarkable position. I could never have imagined we'd be in the top 2 after 4 games, can it be done?

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Champions League Group D
Wednesday 21st November 2012
Emirates Arena


Arsenal (1-0) Helsingborgs IF

We lose out in a narrow game. To be honest we never threatened Arsenal, and they were wasteful. I can't fault the boys though, on the grandest stage they gave it their all.

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Champions League Group D


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We are guaranteed European football after the winter break. It defies belief. We have faced the challenge of Europe's elite head on, and come out on top. Can we get into the knockout round of the Champions League or will it be the Europa Cup for us? Either way, I'll be delighted.


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Player of the Month

May Mahlangu

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He had another brilliant month. He's been untouchable in Europe, and key to our remarkable success. I'm delighted with the progress of this young man, and I believe that he is destined for big things in European football.


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Summary

A fantastic month for the club. We secure the league title after a 28 game tussle with Elfsborg. Our incredible run of form in Europe continued, as we claimed another major scalp.

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December 2012


Champions League

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Champions League Group D
Tuesday 4th December 2012
Olympia


Helsingborgs (1-0) SLB
Lindstrom

The adventure continues! We clearly weren't here to make up the numbers. Some stubborn and determined performances have been rewarded with a 2nd place finish in the group. We will now eagerly await the draw for the next round, it'll be a special day.


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Group D - Final Standings

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There you go. 2nd place, and we earned it. The players gave some unbelievable performances in the group stages, and other European teams are taking notice. Will we face a giant in the next round? I hope so.


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Player of the Month

I couldn't pinpont one player this month. They performed as a unit against Benfica. Everyone pulled their weight, to help continue our magical journey.

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Summary

Just the one game this month, but oh how important it was. I was delighted with the performance put in by the lads. I'm eager to see who we'll face next, as are the players and fans. I will be looking to extend some contracts of our top performers, with better finances we may be able to tempt them to stay. I'm also looking to add to the squad, despite our fantastic year we could do with some individual quality.


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Champions League
Last 16 Draw

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Helsingborgs IF vs Manchester Utd

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How about that. I'll already be facing up against one of my former teams, and managers. The players are excited, as am I. Realisitcally, we have very little chance. But we were not expected to make it this far. If everybody gives 100 % against United, we will have a chance. We now begin to prepare. The winter break will hamper this. I'll definitely organize some friendlies to keep the lads match fit, and look to bring in new players. These two matches will be the biggest of my managerial career, I am nervous and excited.

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League Review

Final League Table

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I'm delighted that after a hard fought battle with Elfsborg we can call ourselves Champions. We'll need to maintain this high standard of football next year, as the fans will expect us to retain the title. I'll also expect this of my players.



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Team Stats

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The stats show that we were worthy champions. We had the best attack and the best defence. Overall our team played very well. We rightly finished the season at the top.



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Player Stats

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Individually, Thomas and May stand out. Thomas was the top scorer, and May set up a good few of those. The fact that three of our players had such high average ratings indicates to me quite how well they were over the course of 30 games. The mark of a good player after all is consistency.



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Best 11

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The best 11 was released, and I do agree with it for the most part. Gashi was unlucky to miss out, he had a good year. Skacel struggled after a good start to his tenure, his contract won't be expected. Sorum's goal record is magnificent, and although he is now 29 years old, I will try and tie him down to a new contract. It's been a good year, as evidenced by this best 11.


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​Transfer Update
Helsingborgs IF

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Outgoing Transfer News
I'll deal with the outgoing transfer news first. Some of the player sales forced me to bring in new players.

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Rudi Skacel

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Rudi made a great initial impact. However, throughout the course of the season he failed to nail down a place in the starting 11. Rudi began to show his age in the end, and I decided to release him.


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May Mahlangu

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Sold to Wolves for £2.4 million

This is a highly disappointing piece of business. May had a fantastic season, and as a result he refused to renew his contract at Helsingborgs. I felt we should cash in on his value. To be quite honest I would have preferred closer to £3 million, but nobody offered it. I took the highest bid. I would have liked to have kept May on for a bit longer, but I wish him all the best with Wolves.

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Alejandro Bedoya

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Sold to Vit. Guimaraes for £650k

Alejandro had a good year for us, and when we entered contract extension discussions he demanded £8k per week. For a player who was not a definite starter this was far too excessive. I'm disappointed to see that he took a lower contract at Vit. Guimaraes, but what can you do.

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Incoming Transfers

With our improved financial situation and an increase in our reputation we were able to attract a higher calibre of players. I'm happy with our dealings in the transfer window.

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Ivan Bolado

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(Signed for free)

Ivan is a player I've always admired. I immediately identified him as a target but due to a cruciate ligament injury he was unable to pass a medical, and so played no football last year. He is a player with many strengths, I look forward to seeing him in a Helsingborgs shirt.

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Leandro Paredes

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(Signed from Boca Juniors for £3.2 million)

This is a coup. Our scouting range was increased, so I sent them to South America. This boy caught the eye. At £3.2 million he seems a bargain, he'll be a huge player from the off.

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Ademar

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(Signed from Flamengo for £3.2 million)

Another large transfer outlay, but I'm confident that Ademar will settle in and fill the void left by Mahlangu. I'm glad that we can attract these sorts of players. Despite being young, he'll have a starting place in the team. Hopefully this will aid his development as a player.

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Genaro Snijders

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(Signed from Willem II for £60K)

Signed as more of a cover option to add depth. Howver, depending on how the boy develops in training he could find himself vying for a starting position. I feel that £60k is a bargain and he could play an important role in years to come.


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Total Income - £3.1million
Total Expenditure - £6.5million
Net Transfer Spend - £3.4million


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Summary

I'm satisfied with our transfer dealings. We were forced to buy, after certain players were allowed to leave. We have reinvigorated the sqaud with some quality young players. Let's see how this season turns out.
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Pre-Season Results

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Friendly
Saturday 26th January 2013
Olympia

Helsingborgs (2-2) AaB
Lindstrom (x2)

Lindstrom ran proceedings in attack today. However the inexperience of our defence showed, as some of the younger lads surrendered out two goal lead.

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Friendly
Saturday 2nd February 2013
Olympia

Helsingborgs (2-1) Halmstad
Lindstrom
Frejd (OG)

Lindstrom has made a good start. These matches are about fitness, but it's always nice to see the players holding on to a slender lead like this.

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Friendly
Tuesday 5th February 2013
Olympia

Helsingborgs (0-4) AC Horsens


It's pre-season. That's a good excuse, right? A rather shambolic performance, but I made 11 changes at halftime, and the 3 goals in the 2nd half were well deserved on AC Horsens' part.


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Friendly
Saturday 9th February 2013
Olympia

Helsingborgs (2-1) Oster
Bolado
Harbuzi


Back to winning ways. Sorum had the day off, Ivan lead the line equally well.


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Friendly
Tuesday 12th February 2013
Olympia

Helsingborgs (3-1)
Tonnerberg
Sorum
Ademar

A nice way to round off pre-season. Our new boy Ademar has had a good pre-season, and looks more than ready for what Swedish football, this goal the jewel in the crown of an excellent pre-season.

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Summary

Not the best pre-season that we could have had. Results were mixed, but this year it was all about team cohesion. We now look forward to a two legged affair with Man Utd, another duel with Elfsborg in the Swedish Supercupen and the opening round of league fixtures.


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Champions League
The Last 16

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So here we are. Helsingborgs IF battling it out with global superstars Man Utd. I can't say that I'm confident of our chances. We've played well against some big teams, but in my opinion this is one step too far. I'll tell the lads to enjoy the experience, give it their all and to play without the burden of high expectations.

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Champions League Last 16 Leg 1
Tuesday 19th February 2012
Olympia

Helsingborgs (1-2) Manchester United
Sorum

It was always going to be tough. We battled away, and deservedly got a goal after Rooney and Van Persie had put United 2 up. The tie is as good as over in my eyes, barring an absolute miracle at Old Trafford. I was happy with the effort the lads put in, and we'll hopefully see the same ethic at Old Trafford.


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Champions League Last 16 Leg 2
Wednesday 13th March 2013
Old Trafford


Manchester United (3-0) Helsingborgs

Our magnificent run in the competition comes to a shuddering halt at Old Trafford. We never threatened the United goal, and they used their superior fire power to emphasize the difference in quality. I can't fault the lads, they put in a great effort and the financial rewards of this run in the competition will benefit the club for years to come.


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Summary

So that's that for our foray into Europe. This has far exceeded my expectations, and we certainly deserved to get this far. Although Manchester United eventually ran out 5-1 winners on aggregate I'm still happy with how we did. Next season is still about just making it to the group stage, it's all dependent on the draw. But this campaign has given me hope.

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March 2013

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We've been drawn in group 2, alongside Allsvenskan side Norrkoping, Varnamo who gained promotion to the Allsvenskan this season and first division side Brommapojkarna. I expect to qualify.
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Swedish Cup Group 2

Swedish Cup
Wednesday 6th March 2013
Nya Parken

Norrkoping (0-2) Helsingborgs IF
Sorum (x2)

We deliver a solid performance in the first game of the group. Norrkoping were our only realistic opposition in this group, so getting this win should see us through to the quarter finals.

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Swedish Cup
Saturday 16th March 2013
Olympia

Helsingborgs IF (3-1) Brommapojkarna
Sorum
Sadiku
Paredes

We ran our opponents off the park. I'm really annoyed at the manner in which we conceded, but Leandro played fantastically and we ran out comfortable winners.

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Swedish Cup
Friday 29th March 2013
Olympia


Helsingborgs IF (4-0) Varnamo
Paredes
Lindstrom
Uronen
Sorum

We had already secured qualification, but the lads went all out to finish on maximum points. 4 different scorers, it looks like we are strong in all areas of the squad.


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Final Group Standings

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We qualified with consummate ease. The other teams never threatened, and these group games gave the new lads the best possible start, as they settled in nicely. We face an adversary from the Allsvenskan, AIK, in the quarter-finals. I expect to beat them.

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Swedish Supercupen

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Swedish Supercupen
Saturday 9th March 2013
Boras Arena

Elfsborg (1-1) Helsingborgs IF
(Helsingborgs IF win 3-2 on penalties)
Paredes

This was a nervy affair from the off. A really even game, unlike last year. We took the lead in the first half, and held it until the 70th minute. I'm delighted that we secured the win on penalties, and Leandro had a great game.


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Allsvenskan
31st March 2013
Olympia

Helsingborgs (5-3) Orebro SK
Hanstveit
Atta
Gashi
Paredes
Sorum


We finished our league campaign last year with a 7-4 victory, and we start this year's campaign with a 5-3 victory. This free scoring, free conceding manner of playing isn't ideal, but as long as we outscore the opposition I'm happy. 5 separate scorers, we seem to find goals from every area of the pitch.


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League Table

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We sit top...after one game. Let's just hope it's a similar situation after 30 games.


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Player of the Month

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He's settled in well, 4 goals in his first month. At just 18 I thought it might take a while for him to get settled, but he's come out all guns blazing. I'm hoping for more of the same next month.


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Summary

I'm very happy with this month. Easy passage through the Swedish cup group, we got our hands on another Supercupen and made an exciting (and more importantly winning) start in the league. The champions league exit left the boys a bit demoralized, but getting to play in 'The Theater of Dreams' was an experience they'll never forget. I'll also never forget the kind words of Sir Alex Ferguson after the game, 'you're destined for big things in management Henrik, let me tell you that.' That sort of praise is incredible. I hope Sir Alex is right.

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One Joins Helsingborgs On Deadline Day

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Henrik Larsson was a busy man on March 31st, after having guided his Helsingborgs IF team to a 5-3 victory over Orebro SK he finalized the signing of the 18 year old Chilean goalkepper Hugo Cabrera, for a fee of £100k. Larsson has described him as a 'talented' and 'exciting' young man who had a 'massive future' in the game.

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There has been a south american flavor to this transfer window for Helsingborgs IF, as Hugo Cabrera is the 3rd South American to join the Swedish Champions. Manager Henrik Larsson has described South America as a 'talent factory' that keeps on 'producing world class footballers.' He is clearly trying to find the next big thing, and who knows, he could well have done just that.

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