Johan Fransson is an experienced gentleman. An active playing career that landed in 15 seasons in the SHL, plus another year overseas, before an accident forced him to end his career. In the last season, he jumped on a head coaching assignment with league colleague Falu IF – but which he is now exchanging for the same assignment in Färjestad BK.
– Interest grew quite immediately after the first conversations I had with Färjestad. To be asked by such a big club, making the investment they are making in the women’s side, was flattering. Since then, there has been a bit of thinking back and forth, but the gut feeling was right from the start. I’m really excited to get started, he says.
After sneaking onto the leadership track via the youth section in Leksand, he jumped at the task of training Falu IF’s ladies. A decision he does not regret.
– You were a little more nervous when you were going into girls’ hockey. Sure, you’ve seen a bit of that, but I quickly realized that it was so much more fun than I could have imagined. I had heard it would be great fun coaching girls, and it really was. People who have done it told me you won’t regret it. It’s great fun, and I’m really passionate about trying to take girls hockey a step forward.
What do you feel you can bring into this gang?
– I am a very simple person who thinks it is important to create a pleasant environment. But then there is something else I really stand for and that is that you have to compete. You have to compete in every stage to develop. The word means so much, and it doesn’t have to be that you win everything, but you have to compete to have a chance to do it. As a coach, you can see quite clearly when people are not competing. It’s probably something I take with me and that I want to develop in Färjestad, says Fransson.
You are familiar with Färjestad as a club since your active time. What will it be like to be part of the club in the future?
– Great fun. As I said, I have visited many times as a player and got to experience both one and the other. The fact that I already have friends in the organization will be a big help. Among other things, I have played with Micke Johansson and Niklas Fogström (J20). I have played Wallin in the national team and Tollefsen has been mangled a few times. There is a lot of experience to bounce ideas off of there, so it feels good to have the guys on his side now, he smiles and continues;
– Also having Jennifer Axelsson with me in the team is something I value greatly. She has a long experience in women’s hockey, and I think we will complement each other very well in taking this team forward, says Fransson.
Sports director Emma Murén is happy that Johan Fransson will be the new coach in Färjestad BK.
– He will be a good asset for our team. A big advantage now is that he will work on it full-time, which means that the conditions for development will be greater. Then he comes in with very good experience from his own career. Getting a higher competitive mentality is, I think, very important to take the next step. We have had a good dialogue from the first moment, and I feel that both person and coach are absolutely right for us.
