What seemed to be forever ended when coach Ola Lindgren left the club in January 2019.
It was not long before the long suite of victories at home, 80 from March 25, 2015 to March 8, 2019, was broken.
There was also no fifth gold in a row in the spring of 2019 and thus no games against the best clubs in Europe in the Champions League.
Ljubomir Vranjes was the man who would take Kristianstad to another level.
With Vranjes, who in 2014 was named the world’s best handball coach, the club would become even more professional.
– The players must be ready for training a quarter of an hour before and not come a minute before with their shoes untied, Vranjes went out after taking over from Ola Lindgren.
It did not help that the players tied their shoes in time.
The results did not materialize, Kristianstad went to the semifinals in 2019 and after a weak start to the new season, the club announced in December 2020 that they had broken the agreement with Vranjes, an agreement that was written until 2022.
– It probably did not go as someone had hoped for. Neither we nor Vranjes were happy with how it turned out in the end, it is very sad when it happens, says sports director Jesper Larsson.
I still think we have a pretty cool team, but it’s not like 2016.
After a transition period with the IFK profile Ulf Larsson as coach, Kristianstad signed a three-year contract with 44-year-old Norwegian Jonas Wille this season.
– He has the curiosity, sensitivity and wants to work with young players, says Jesper Larsson.
After four rounds of the handball league, IFK Kristianstad is in seventh place with four points.
Two of the points can be lost if the Handball Association decides that there will be a replay against Skövde due to Kristianstad for a period playing with seven outfielders on the court.
– The results may not have gone our way but it takes some time. I still think we have a pretty cool team, but it’s not like 2016, says Jesper Larsson.
Expectations are still high, not least when the team plays at home in Kristianstad arena in front of almost 5,000 spectators.
In 2019 they went to the semifinals against Alingsås, in 2020 the corona pandemic stopped the Swedish Championship play-offs and in 2021 Skövde became too tough a task in the semifinals.
Fans want Swedish Championship gold.
– You have to aim for that if you are doing sports, but as I said, it has been a bit choppy so far. I think we had good players in the years we missed as well.
– Thanks to the club’s Swedish Championship gold, Ola Lindgren took Kristianstad to Europe.
Photo: Mathilda Ahlberg / Bildbyrån
During Ola Lindgren’s time Kristianstad managed to attract really good Nordic players who could then take the step out into Europe.
Today you do not have as much appeal.
– We have brought players here but perhaps not to the same extent, Larsson admits.
The tough times with virtually empty stands have of course eroded the economy.
– Last year, we had to pull all the strings and were forced to take austerity measures in all directions and edges.
Before the start of the series, coach Jonas Wille had high hopes for 20-year-old nine-meter player Zoran Bozic, but a cruciate ligament injury stops him from playing.
Now they were forced to quickly recruit Vasja Furlan from French Chartres.
– An experienced sloven who did well, says Jesper Larsson.
On Wednesday night, IFK Kristianstad will face newcomer Hammarby in Eriksdalshallen.
How that match ends, the sports director does not dare to predict.
– We have been both up and down, states Jesper Larsson.
Kristianstad really has all the prerequisites to come back and become the great power in Swedish handball.
Hammarby won Swedish Championship gold three years in a row 2006–2008.
Magnus “Nollan” Grahn was involved in building up the champion squads, today he is chairman of Hammarby handboll AB.
– Being a leader in Sweden is hard regardless of sports and how powerful your finances are. You do not have to have the biggest budget to always win even if it is a good condition.
With four straight Swedish Championship golds in the back, Grahn thought that IFK Kristianstad would sit a little longer on the throne.
– But Kristianstad really has all the prerequisites to come back and become the great power in Swedish handball.
Hammarby has started strong in Eriksdalshallen and defeated both Lugi and Malmö, away there have been losses against Guif and Sävehof.
– A little too big a difference at home and away, at home we have been extremely strong, Grahn states.
He hardly thinks that Hammarby’s players underestimate the former champions.
– Kristianstad actually has a very good team on paper.