Latest news with #Allsvenskan
Glasgow Times
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Glasgow Times
Celtic 'interested' in left-back after impressive Europe run
The 19-year-old Japanese defender, who joined the Swedish club last year, has caught the attention of several clubs, including Celtic, according to Sponichi Soccer. Kosugi made a strong impression in Djurgardens' Allsvenskan and Conference League campaigns last season. Initially a back-up to Samuel Dahl, he became a key player after Dahl's transfer to Roma. Read more: 'Winner' Ange Postecoglou backed as Tottenham players beg club to keep him on Rangers 'hold talks' with Scottish Premiership star but deal on hold The young talent, who came through at Shonan Bellmare, is yet to make his first-team breakthrough but has represented Japan at under-17, under-19, and under-20 levels. The Hoops could face stiff competition from Paris Saint-Germain and Atalanta, who are also said to be keen on the left-back. Djurgardens' impressive performance in the Conference League, where they reached the semi-finals, has increased interest in their players. However, they were unable to make it past Chelsea in the semi-finals, losing 4-1 in the first leg and 1-0 in the second. Kosugi admitted to FotbollSkanalen: "I couldn't do anything to Madueke. "He was so good. "I tried to stop him but he created a lot anyway." He added: "He's one of the best wingers in the Premier League, so it's difficult to face him. "But if I want to get there (to that level) I have to develop a lot." Celtic may need a new left-back with Greg Taylor looking set to leave on a free transfer. Kieran Tierney is returning on a free transfer, but with Jeffrey Schlupp's loan ending, Tierney would be the only option in that position. Talks have been held with Schlupp over a possible permanent deal.
The National
27-05-2025
- Sport
- The National
Celtic one of the clubs 'keen on' Djurgardens' Keita Kosugi
The Hoops are one of a number clubs said to be interested in the Japanese left-back, who has only been in Sweden for around a year, reports Sponichi Soccer. The 19 year old impressed in DIF's Allsvenskan campaign last season as well as during their Conference League campaign. After signing last year, he initially went in as back-up to Samuel Dahl and didn't get a lot of game time. However, he became a mainstay after Dahl's switch to Roma and went from strength to strength. Kosugi came through at Shonan Bellmare and hadn't yet made his first-team breakthrough before moving to Sweden in 2024. He is capped for his country at under-17s, 19s and 20s level. Read more: The date Kieran Tierney officially becomes a Celtic player again Arne Engels year one verdict & finding Cameron Carter-Vickers long-term partner PSG and Atalanta are also believed to be interested so Celtic could find it tough if they do decide to attempt to land the player. His club stunned Europe by reaching the semi-finals of the Conference League despite being unfancied but weren't able to make it past Chelsea to reach the final, losing 4-1 in the first leg and then 1-0 in the second. Speaking afterwards, the teenage full-back admitted he found Noni Madueke too hot to handle. He told FotbollSkanalen: 'I couldn't do anything to Madueke. He was so good. I tried to stop him but he created a lot anyway. "He's one of the best wingers in the Premier League, so it's difficult to face him. But if I want to get there (to that level) I have to develop a lot.' Celtic are likely to need a new left-back with Greg Taylor looking set to depart on a free transfer, with the offer of a new contract remaining unsigned. Kieran Tierney is coming in on a free transfer but with Jeffrey Schlupp's loan ending, the homecoming hero would be the only option in that position as it stands. Talks have been held with Schlupp over a possible permanent deal, his own deal at Crystal Palace up.
Press and Journal
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Jimmy Thelin reveals family sacrifice to lead Aberdeen to Scottish Cup glory
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin says Scottish Cup glory is payback for the 'difficult' ongoing sacrifice he makes in being apart from his family. Thelin's wife and two children still live in Sweden which means Zoom calls every evening after training to talk with them. He admits he has to make the most of international breaks to return to Sweden to get quality time with his family. The 47-year-old says he is proud of his family for making that sacrifice for his footballing career. That was rewarded when Thelin led the Dons to their first Scottish Cup since 1990 when triumphing 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out against Celtic. His wife, kids, parents and in-laws watched the dramatic final win live in their home in Boras, Sweden. Thelin's brother Tommy, who previously played for him at Jönköpings Södra IF, attended the final. For Thelin ending 35 years of Scottish Cup agony was also reward for the club's supporters. On his family, he said: 'Of course we had to make a decision together and we know what we are doing. 'But still it's your family and it's always difficult. 'No one has forced me to do this, we are aligned in this process, but of course it's your kids and your wife. 'But it's been quite good to find opportunities in the breaks from school or international breaks to get some time together. 'And of course have these nice chats. 'A lot of Zoom, all the time, every evening. 'I have quite a lot of emotions now and I am so proud of my family back in Sweden, my wife and kids. 'They have allowed me to do this journey and have been so supportive all the time.' Aberdeen moved to appoint Thelin in April last year from Swedish top flight club Elfsborg. He led them to two Allsvenskan runners-up finishes during his time at the club. He remained at Elfsborg until they entered their mid-season shutdown before starting at Pittodrie in June. In his first season at Pittodrie, Thelin has now become only the fifth Aberdeen manager to lead the club to the Scottish Cup. The others are Alex Smith, Sir Alex Ferguson, Eddie Turnbull and Dave Halliday. Thelin had a video call with his family from Hampden in the immediate aftermath of lifting the trophy. Does lifting silverware make the sacrifice of being apart from his loved ones worth it? Thelin said: 'Yeah, everybody was together watching it. 'My wife, the kids, my wife's parents were there, my parents were there. 'It was so nice to have a chance to see them after the game and celebrate together. 'I'm so happy that my brother was at the final so we could celebrate together. 'We have some plans to travel when I'm coming back to Sweden to vacation.' In emotional scenes at Hampden, Thelin raised the trophy to the 20,000 Dons fans and gestured that it was for them. It was in acknowledgement of the tireless support from the Red Army during his time as manager. Aberdeen have sold out Pittodrie on multiple times this season. The Red Army also regularly snap up all their allocation for away tickets for both Premiership and cup games. All 20,000 of Aberdeen's tickets for the final were sold out in the first day of going on sale. Thelin said: 'If you think about what the supporters are doing, they are working hard, they have families. 'Yet they are travelling around the country to follow the team everywhere. 'They show so much passion. 'There were people over from Australia to see us in the final and it says so much how you need everyone to create success.. 'They show so much passion. 'And even in the tough times they are there to push us' 'It's not about a manager or a team, you need everyone to become a strong club. 'We try to create a team spirit to take us forward and that includes everyone.'
New York Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Why Anton Frondell is 2025 NHL Draft's most difficult top prospect to evaluate
Evaluating Anton Frondell ahead of the 2025 NHL Draft is anything but straightforward. Depending on who you ask in the NHL, he's either a future franchise center or a solid middle-six contributor. Scouts are split, with some seeing him worthy of a top-three selection, while others view him somewhere between six and 10. Advertisement The variance in opinion stems from Frondell's Jekyll-and-Hyde spectrum of performances over the past two years. All players have good games/events and bad ones, but Frondell's have been more pronounced than usual. On his best nights, Frondell looks like a player who can tilt the ice in his favor. His season in the Allsvenskan with Djurgården was a major selling point: 25 points in 29 games against men, production comparable to what William Nylander and David Pastrnak posted at similar stages and slightly behind Elias Pettersson's Allsvenskan numbers in his draft season. That's elite company and a big reason why some scouts are bullish on him. As a 16-year-old, his numbers in Sweden's top junior level were among the best in recent memory. On the international stage, he showed he could rise to the occasion, most notably at the U18 Five Nations tournament in February 2024, where he scored two clutch late goals to upset the United States on their home ice. Moments like that reinforce the belief that Frondell has the potential to be a true difference-maker. However, inconsistencies have clouded his evaluation. Despite strong performances in some tournaments, Frondell had forgettable showings in others, even against relatively modest competition. For instance, during the U18 Five Nations tournaments in both November and February, he was a mixed bag, producing some strong games but also disappearing at times. His production against U18 players was actually worse in his draft season than in his draft-minus-one season. At the 2024 World Junior A Challenge, he was solid but unspectacular as a 17-year-old, tallying just four points in five games against a fairly average talent pool. He also didn't even touch a point/game against in Sweden's top junior league in 10 games played this season. Advertisement During the spring playoffs with Djurgården, fellow draft-eligible Victor Eklund earned regular minutes, but Frondell's ice time shrank. After Djurgården secured promotion to the SHL, Frondell joined Sweden's roster at the U18 World Championship. Expectations were high, but he registered only three points in five games and didn't make a major impact, even though he faced strong opposition, arriving just in time for the medal round. Compared to draft-eligible peers like James Hagens and Porter Martone (who are late 2006s like Eklund while Frondell is a 2007), who dominated the previous year's tournament, Frondell's modest output stood out for the wrong reasons. The Frondell debate ultimately boils down to two interpretations of his skill set: Case for optimism: Frondell has NHL-caliber tools. He's a strong skater, a highly skilled puck handler and a player who competes hard and doesn't shy away from physicality. His shot is high-end, with a release and velocity that can beat NHL goalies from distance. He also has the playmaking ability to facilitate offense. Scouts who are high on Frondell view his production in the Allsvenskan as a sign that he can handle difficult competition and believe that with time, he will iron out the inconsistencies. There's also the matter of Frondell's season arc. He started slowly, partly due to injury, but found his stride in the second half against men. The Frondell bulls see a player similar to Anze Kopitar or Aleksander Barkov — a big, responsible, two-way center who can anchor a top line and a guy you win with in the playoffs. They also caution about overreacting to his U18 World Championships, as players who were great against men but had a bad tournament, such as Pastrnak and Martin Necas, tend to slide in their draft years after a poor ending to their season. Case for caution: On the flip side, skeptics point to the uneven performances, particularly internationally, and concerns about his hockey sense. In games where Frondell isn't at his best, he can fade into the background. On his off nights, he doesn't look like a true play driver and can be someone who leans on his linemates to get him the puck in scoring positions. This leads some to project him more as a very good second-line center who brings size, compete and scoring punch but doesn't consistently tilt the ice like a franchise player. Names like Bo Horvat and Anton Lundell are thrown around for this side of the coin — who are still excellent players, mind you. Colleague Max Bultman noted Frondell's inconsistencies are similar to those of Elias Pettersson in his draft season. Pettersson ended up becoming a great player but those issues have lingered in his NHL career. Frondell's evaluation ultimately comes down to the interpretation of the data. You can view the exact same information as someone else, and tilt your head in a slightly different direction to look at it and come to a different conclusion. If you believe his flashes of high-end production and mature, translatable game against men are signs of a potential hard-to-play-against No. 1 NHL center, he's worth a top-three pick and potentially the No. 2 pick after Erie's Matthew Schaefer. Advertisement If you're more concerned about his streakiness and lack of dynamic, game-breaking traits, he fits more comfortably as a top-six center — valuable, but not necessarily someone to form your rebuild around. Personally, I lean toward the latter camp. Frondell has the potential to be a very good second-line center on a contending team. He's skilled, strong and competes hard, but over two years of viewings, the high-end offensive displays haven't been consistent enough to put him in the same category as someone like Michael Misa, who is a better athlete and much more consistent producer. That said, Frondell is still an excellent prospect and a true premium young center talent. Frondell embodies the complexity of projecting 17-year-olds into the NHL. There are a lot of variables that go into the mix between the physical maturity, the offensive tools, the character and the body of work can comprise over 100 games at varying levels of competition with different levels of stakes. I won't blink if Frondell is the second player picked, and similarly I won't if he goes seventh. His resume has the highest degree of uncertainty this year among the top prospects in the 2025 NHL Draft.
Press and Journal
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Press and Journal
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin delivers Alexander Jensen fitness update ahead of Rangers clash
Aberdeen boss Jimmy Thelin will make a late fitness call on right-back Alexander Jensen ahead of Sunday's Premiership clash at Rangers. Jensen was ruled out of the 1-0 loss at St Mirren at the weekend due to a quad muscle injury. Scotland international full-back Nicky Devlin came in to replace Jensen for his first Aberdeen start since February 1. Jensen has been the regular starter at right-back since signing from Swedish Allsvenskan club Brommapojkarna for £545,000 in January. Aberdeen travel to Ibrox on Sunday in need of a win to keep alive the bid to finish third in the Premiership. Thelin's Reds trail third-placed Hibs by three points with the Easter Road club also holding a superior goal advantage. Asked if Jensen will be fit to face Rangers, Thelin said: 'Let's see how we manage him. 'He trained fully today and we have three games in the next week. 'So let's see how much he can tolerate, but we have a good squad.' Midfielder Sivert Heltne Nilsen, striker Ester Sokler and winger Vicente Besuijen are all ruled out for the rest of the season. Latvia international centre-back Kristers Tobers has returned to training after being sidelined for two months with a hamstring injury.
