For most teams, losing a forward with 15 goals in 15 games midway through the season, amid a historic title chase, might be cause for panic. Sirius, the runaway Allsvenskan leaders, are not most teams. I think he was by far the best player in this league for the first six months [of the season] … but, with that being said, I’m feeling quite comfortable with us moving forward.” It helps that Sirius have been here before.
They loaned last season’s top scorer, Leo Walta, to Swansea in February before the deal became permanent this summer for a fee of around £3m. Like Ure, Walta arrived at a young age, developed rapidly, caught the eye of a wealthier club and earned Sirius a significant profit, which they reinvested. That has become the blueprint for their success, allowing a club with no major honours to their name, having spent most of their existence in Sweden’s lower leagues, to compete for a first Allsvenskan title against storied rivals with far greater resources.
Having the best development culture, but also building a squad with mostly young players that we saw big potential in.” In that sense the departure of Ure, a former Scotland youth international who came through Rangers’ academy and Anderlecht’s reserves before moving to Sweden at the start of last season, is a sign that Sirius’s model is working exactly as intended. Hopefully it helps us getting the next Robbie here.” No one is expecting Uneken to match Ure’s numbers immediately and, if there is a period of adjustment, Sirius have plenty of breathing room. They are 12 points clear of second-placed Hammarby and undefeated in the league with just under half the season to play.
Isak Bjerkebo, their left winger, has also been prolific, tallying 14 goals and nine assists in all competitions. They also have one of the tightest defences in the league buttressed by Mohamed Soumah, a goalscoring centre-back brought in with money reinvested from the deal that took Walta to Swansea, and a high-tempo midfield capable of harrying opponents to exhaustion. Holding it all together is Andreas Engelmark, who was appointed head coach in January last year.
The team’s ascent is all the more impressive given that his early days in charge were hard going. Sirius spent a significant portion of last season looking nervously over their shoulders, dropping to 14th, the Allsvenskan’s relegation playoff spot, for several weeks. Engelmark battled on and, despite sustaining the heaviest defeat of the season, an 8-2 loss at Djurgården in September, Sirius ended strongly.
In fact, they have not lost in the league since. I really feel comfortable, in that sense, now Robbie has left us, that we can find ways to get results, to perform well and play well.” For people in Uppsala, the city where Sirius are based, the club’s meteoric rise has been a source of huge excitement. Attendances at their ground, Studenternas, have leapt up, while there is a buzz around the place that has energised staff and players alike.
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