Kim Björkegren

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Lars Kim Björkegren
Kim Björkegren 2018.jpg
Kim Björkegren during the pressconference after Beijing BG Phoenix opening game in 2018.
Personal information
Full name Lars Kim Björkegren[1]
Date of birth (1981-12-18) 18 December 1981 (age 40)
Place of birth Linköping, Sweden
Teams managed
Years Team
2015 IK Gauthiod Men
2016 Hovås Billdal IF
2017 Linköpings FC
2018-2019
2020-2021 Apollon Ladies FC
2022– Racing Louisville FC
Honours

2020/21 Coach of the year
2020/21 Winner Cypriot League
2020/21 Runner-up Cypriot cup
2018/19 3rd Place Chinese FA cup
2018/19 3rd Place Chinese League cup
2017 Runner-up Swedish cup
2017 Winner Damallsvenskan
2017 Nominated coach of the year in Sweden
2015 Winner DM

Lars Kim Björkegren (born 18 December 1981) is a Swedish football manager who was hired as the new manager of Racing Louisville FC in the U.S. National Women's Soccer League effective with that league's 2022 season. He was hired from Cyprus champions Apollon Ladies FC. Björkegren has earlier won Damallsvenskan with Linköpings FC and worked in China. Kim is the only Swedish Manager since Sven-Göran Eriksson who won two domestic titles in two different countries.[2]

Coaching career[]

Kim Björkegren started his coaching career in his hometown Linköping, where he coached Karle IF's men's team in Swedish division 4. After climbing the ladder with teams such as Kisa BK and IK Gauthiod on the men's side, Kim took the decision of starting to coach women's football when accepting a role as the headcoach for Hovås/Billdal in 2016.

IK Gauthiod[]

Björkegren came to IK Gauthiod from a role within the youth team of Tyresö FF, where he was ment to take over the senior team after Tony Gustavsson's departure, but when the club folded, Björkegren went to Grästorp and IK Gauthiod.[3] The spell in Gauthiod was successful for Björkegren, who led his team to a 5th place in the Swedish division 2. The team also qualified for the Swedish Cup, by winning the DM final against IFK Tidaholm with 3–1. After only one season with IK Gauthiod, Kim decided to leave with the motivation that he had ambitions to coach a team at a higher level.[4]

Linköpings FC[]

Björkegren replaced Martin Sjögren as the manager of the reigning champions Linköpings FC in 2017 with the outspoken goal of defending the title as the champions. Björkegren and Linköping secured the title in the 2017 Damallsvenskan with two rounds to go,[5] despite the fact that they lost influential key players such as Pernille Harder, Fridolina Rolfö & Stina Blackstenius before the start of the season, and in addition to that, team captain Magdalena Eriksson was sold to Chelsea during mid season.[6] During the successful season of 2017, Björkegren led Linköpings FC not only to become the league champions, but also to reach their best ever positions in UEFA Women's Champions League, when he guided the team to the quarterfinal.[7]

Beijing BG Phoenix[]

In January 2018, Björkegren got presented as the new manager for the Chinese club Beijing BG Phoenix, which made him the first Swedish coach in the Chinese Super League.[8] Björkegren appointed the newly retired Swedish player, Elena Sadiku, to become his assistant coach. Björkegren who also was in charge of the clubs transfers, signed the Spanish star Vero Boquete[9] as his first signing to his new club, and later the Swedish striker Marija Banusic,[10] where both players camne to play a significant role in Beijing BG Phoenix successful season.

Björkegren decided to leave China after the season in 2019 to move back to Europe, and to be closer to his family.

Apollon Ladies FC[]

In June 2020 it was announced that Björkegren had been appointed as the Manager for the Cypriotic Champions, Apollon Ladies FC, prior to their 2020-21 campaign. Apollon had as a goal to defend the championship title and advance further in UEFA Women's Champions League.[11]

Björkegren led Apollon Ladies FC to win the domestic league in Cyprus, and went thru the season without losing one single game.[12] When the league finished, Apollon had taken 64 out of 64 points, and won the league with a stunning goal difference of 105+[12]

When Björkegren led Apollon Ladies to win the title, he became historical, as the first Swedish coach to win a league in two different countries.[13]

After the success with Apollon Ladies FC, Björkegren was awarded as Coach of the Year, by PASP, the finest rewards a coach could win in Cyprus.[14]

Racing Louisville FC[]

On 9 December 2021, Björkegren was announced as the new head coach (American equivalent to "manager") of Racing Louisville FC, which had completed its first season in the National Women's Soccer League several weeks earlier.[15]

Honours[]

  • Winner coach of the year 2020–21
  • Winner Cypriot League 2020–21[16]
  • Runner-up Cypriot League cup 2020–21
  • 3rd Place Chinese FA cup 2018
  • 3rd Place Chinese League cup 2018
  • Winner Damallsvenskan 2017[17]
  • Runner-up Swedish cup 2017[18]

References[]

  1. ^ Kim Björkegren at Soccerway Edit this at Wikidata
  2. ^ "Histori league title for Swedish coach".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  3. ^ "Gauthiods nya tränare".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ "Tränare lämnar Gauthiod efter ett år".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "Linköping försvarade titeln".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ "Magdalena Eriksson klar för Chelsea".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ "Guldtränaren öppnar för återkomst i Sverige".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  8. ^ "Linköpings guldtränare tar över Kinesisk klubb".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ "Vero Boquete leaves PSG for China".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Bekräftat Banusic lämnar Linköping".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ "Tidigare guldtränaren klar för ny klubb".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ a b "Stats Apollon Ladies".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Kim Björkegren första Svensk att vinna utomlands".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Coach of the year".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ "Racing Louisville FC Hires Björkegren as Head Coach" (Press release). Racing Louisville FC. 9 December 2021. Retrieved 15 December 2021.
  16. ^ "Vinnare av ligan på Cypern".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ "Guldtränaren öppnar för en flytt till Sverige".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ "Rosengård vann Svenska cupen".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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