The Japan Times - Minnows Mjallby set to land historic first Swedish title

"I don't even dare to think about it," Torstensson told AFP, with his side .

With an 11-point lead over second-placed Hammarby, the dream is almost a reality for the tiny club from a town of less than 1,400 people.

Most of theiur hoistory has been spent outside the top flight and their previous hjighest league finish was fifth.

"This is my home club, and I was born in the village of Mjallby... It would be something!," Torstensson told AFP.

"With our simple facilities, our small budget, Mjallby have been the underdogs of Swedish football for many years," the 59-year-old added, smiling.

A former army officer turned secondary school head teacher, the affable manager has never strayed far from Strandvallen -- the outdated 6,000-seat stadium with stands weathered by the winds of the Baltic Sea that has been the team's home since 1953.

His long and varied career is considered by many as an asset for the southern club, which hired him in 2023.

"I have more experience managing people in various situations, not just during a match or training," he explained.

Every morning, he gathers the team -- whose average age is 24 -— for a hearty breakfast and outlines the day's training programme, which takes place on a field overlooking the sea and the municipal campsite.

- 'Step by step' -

The atmosphere is friendly. The players, most of whom live in Solvesborg, the nearest town, carpool to training in modest cars.

It is a close-knit team, Finnish defender Timo Stavitski explained.

"It's a small place, so everyone is in a similar situation, and we have a lot in common."

Mjallby have been chaired for 10 years by local industrialist Magnus Emeus, who has stabilised their finances.

"I had a fairly clear strategy from the start. You can never succeed on the field as long as there's disorder off it, and the first thing to do is ensure the finances are balanced," he explained.

Despite this stability, the club remains small-time compared to other clubs in Sweden.

In 2024, they had a budget of 84.7 million kronor ($9 million), about an eighth of that of Sweden's richest club Malmo FF, who started the weekend in seventh but have won four of the last five titles, and 27 in total.

"Emeus runs the club like a business, we go step by step, and the success we have now is well-deserved," Glehn Hermansson, 65, who volunteers during training sessions and hands out water bottles, told AFP.

Emeus insisted that he had no other goals now that the title is almost secured. But, he admitted, "you can always set goals to improve a little."

- On the bus -

"What's important is that we don't lose ourselves and start thinking we're something else: Mjallby is Mjallby, it's neither Malmo FF nor Real Madrid," he emphasised.

One thing is certain, they will be playing in the Champions League qualifiers next season.

Unfortunately, it will not be at their home gorund in Hallevik, as their stadium does not meet UEFA safety standards.

"A reasonable goal would be to succeed in the qualifiers" to reach the league stage, Torstensson said.

Stavitski, under contract until 2028, is setting his sights higher.

"We are a solid club, stronger than many others in Sweden, and many other Swedish clubs that aren't as strong as us have succeeded in Europe, so why not us?" he said.

Before them, IFK Goteborg won the UEFA Cup twice (in 1982 and 1987), and Malmo reached the final of the old European Cup -- the predecessor of the Champions League -- in 1979.

Mjallby could be crowned league winners as early as Sunday if Hammarby lose or draw against fourth-placed AIK.

At that moment, Mjallby's players will be on the bus heading for Gothenburg where they will play IFK on Monday.

K.Yoshida--JT