The Quakes recently announced the hiring of head coach Mikael Stahre. Here are six things to know about the Quakes’ new gaffer:
- Stahre comes to San Jose from BK Hacken of the Swedish top-flight Allsvenskan, where he helped them jump from 10th place to fourth in just one season.
- He carries a strong defensive record and his sides have consistently finished among the league leaders in fewest goals allowed. Most recently, Hacken allowed 28 goals in a 30-game season, third fewest in the Allsvenskan.
- Stahre led AIK to the league double during his first season with the club in 2009. They won the league with an 18-5-7 record and league-low 20 goals allowed and later added the Swedish Cup after five consecutive tournament victories.
- In three seasons with IFK Goteborg (2012-14), Stahre’s side finished in seventh, third and second, continuously improving year-after-year. The club also won the 2012-13 Swedish Cup under his watch.
- He has shown a willingness and desire to play young players. In 2014, he gave ample playing time to 18-year-old forward Gustav Engvall and 20-year-old fullback Ludwig Augustinsson. The duo finished No. 1 and No. 2 in Newcomer of the Year voting and have both gone on to represent the Swedish National Team, who are bound for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
- Prior to coaching First Team football, Stahre was a youth coach, managing the Hammarby U-19s from 1994-97 and the AIK U-19s from 1998-2005. He led AIK to the junior national championship in 2004.
