Another American striker will be playing ball in the Swedish 1st Division this upcoming season, and his name is Andrew Stadler. Stadler is a starter/rotation player for the newly promoted outfit, Ostersunds. He went up with them last season. They begin their season in the top flite at the beginning of April. In the meantime they are competing in the Swedish Cup. Unfortunately they've lost their first two matches, 0-4 and 0-1, respectively. Stadler started the latter and came on as a sub in the former.
Stadler made his Allsven debut (after starting in the 6th division) for Ostersunds today, in an 0-2 loss at home to AIK. Stadler came on for the last 30 minutes or so, with Ostersunds already down the 2 goals, but couldn't tally after he appeared.
I wonder if the players on his old sixth tier team ever reminisce back to the summer when two future top division Sweden/Czech/Slovakia players joined them and they started winning games with double digit goals scored? Since this is a new thread here's a link to the old one for reference. Östersund have gotten quite a bit of press after the first two games of the league. Alot of positive things has been said about the style they play but some are also expressing doubts about them being too naive. It worked well in Superettan when they usually had better players then their opponents, but they might run into a bit more trouble in Allsvenskan. I sort-of-watched a replay of yesterdays game in the background while doing stuff on the computer and I thought Stadler did alright while coming on, he could have had an assist but his pass went between two Östersund players in the penalty area. I don't really think the big number nine target striker they started is that good, so there might be opportunity for Stadler to get some more playing time in the future although I think the most likely scenario is that he will remain mostly in the role of substitute.
Important game for Östersund today away against Falkenberg who are probably the worst team in the league. It was the type of game where Östersund needed to show that they could get the scrappy win on the least glamorous away trip of the year. The season has started with three games in one week so there was quite a bit of rotation in the starting eleven, with one of the changes being Andrew Stadler starting for the first time. And that turned out to be a very successful move as he got one assist and one goal in the game which ended in a 2-1 victory. Here's the assist: And here's the goal:
Noice, the story gets better. Didn't know if he'd be a regular and productive in the Allsven, or just a guy getting some opportunities because he was already on the roster before the promotion. That's some good positioning and poised plays on the ball in the box. Goal and assist, never can complain for a striker.
Stadler got a full article about himself in the biggest national newspaper over here. Here's a translation: A HISTORIC HERO - WITH HIS OWN FAIRYTALE Andrew Stadler went from being without a club in the USA, through Division 4, to Östersund. The football journey of Östersunds FK is impressive. But the story of the match winner against Falkenberg, Andrew Stadler, is probably even more so. - I've worked my way up the swedish league system just like Östersund. In 2010 Andrew Stadler had just graduated from a football scholarship at George Washington University in the US, but he was without a club. - My agent ignored me. He didn't even set me up with any trials. Back then he could hardly have guessed that five years later he would become historic as the player behind Östersunds first ever victory in Allsvenskan. HIS FIRST START After a substitute appearance at home against AIK the american got the chance to start away against Falkenberg. He assisted Emir Smajics 1-0 goal and then scored 2-0 himself. - It's not easy playing the football we want to play on this uneven pitch. But we had at least a couple of good combinations in attack during the first half. Which resulted in two goals. - We were alot better then Falkenberg in the first half, after that I don't know what happened. It wasn't that we didn't have a plan B, but it was difficult for us to play. We held on to the win, which is most important. The Östersund success story has received alot of praise. But one has to wonder if Stadlers story isn't even more impressive. WORKED AS A DOORMAN He played football in high school back home in Wisconsin, got a scholarship in Washington, but after graduating from there his career came to a halt. He had to take a job as a concierge, a sort of doorman, in an exclusive residential building in the american capital - when he got an offer to play football in Sweden. With Färila IF. In the sixth tier. - A friend of mine had a contact with the Färila manager Börja Gustavsson. It was a chance for me to start over somewhere and hope that I would be discovered by another club. He only played three games in the sixth tier. - I was signed by Sandviken, we were promoted to the third tier and played against Malmö FF in the Swedish Cup. I did well and Jörgen Pettersson who was the assistant manager for Malmö signed me when he took charge of Landskrona BoIS. While playing for them I did well in the games against Östersund, and there you go. SCORED IN MANY DIVISIONS - After todays game I have scored goals in the sixth tier, fourth tier, third tier, Superettan and Allsvenskan. It's an amazing story. - Yes, I know. I can't explain how incredible it felt to score and assist for Östersund. I haven't even gotten that much playing time during the preseason. What other games can you compare your two Allsvenskan games to? - What? None. These are of course the biggest games that I have ever played. What are your ambitions? - To play as many matches as possible. To make my mark. My contract ends after this season. I want to try to play at as high of a level as I can. The dream would be to play in Holland or Germany. - With what I've experienced so far you never know what might happen in the future. - At the same time Östersund is a very special club. We have players from all over but are still a tight group and it feels great to be part of their history.
For people who like to read old threads, there's a longish one that's mostly about Stadler in the Academy. Goes back to 2011. http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads...tadler-nermin-crnkic-and-james-weber.1770392/
Ostersunds played and won 2-1 at home against BK Hacken today. Don't have the look of a team who was newly promoted or will get relegated this season. High pressure, technical, fairly fast, one touch passing style. Stadler started and played into stoppage time. He was the RAW in a 4-2-3-1. Kind of odd because he is a striker by trade. But I thought he made it work. Benefits him that Ostersunds seems like they are anti-cross. They only have 1 or 2 options in the box when they get forward, and they aren't much aerial threats. They seemed much more content to keep possession if they could and pick their spots. Play most non-shooting range set pieces short from what I saw. Stadler did very well in the one-touch passing style and the possession-directive. Rarely gave the ball away. He also forced a number of to's with his pressure and got back defensively well for a striker by trade. Unfortunately he wasn't in on either of the goals. He was in on a number of the chances however. On a different day, he would have scored. Best opportunity was off an aggressive steal by him which a teammate picked up and then played him in at an angle, but he couldn't get it across the keeper enough. Another notable one his teammate got a knock away into the box, which Stadler read well and tried to touch around the keeper, but it got away from him too far. Keeper appeared he might have gotten a piece of Stadler, and if he went down he might have gotten the call, but he did the honest, tough Wisconsinite thing of staying up and it went for naught. Also had some good dribble weave forays to put him and teammates in good spots. Definitely looks like a guy who could start a lot of games for them this season.
Mål! Stalder gör 0-1 efter en ÖFK-hörna i den 21:a minuten. #VIGEROSSALDRIG— Östersunds FK (@ofk_1996) May 18, 2016 Stadler in the right place at the right time again as he scores his second of the season!
ASN profile: http://americansoccernow.com/articles/andrew-stadler-is-pursuing-soccer-dream-in-sweden Said Stadler: “I hope to continue going up. I don't see this like I finally made it. I want to do well here in the Allsvenskan but I want to get to Holland or Germany. With the U.S., I would love to play on the national team. It would be sick just to get one call-up and an opportunity in a friendly. That would be a dream. It's going to take a lot of hard work, and I will have to play well every time I get a chance.”
As the midseason break is almost over the Allsvenskan clubs are playing friendlies now to get back in form and today Stadler scored the 1-1 goal in a game against norwegian champions Rosenborg.
Östersund played their final friendly game of the midseason break yesterday before the league starts up again next week and Stadler scored twice this time. With this good run of form he might be making the case for himself to be a starter more often (he has been in the first eleven five matches and started on the bench seven times so far in the league). Here are the two goals from yesterdays game:
Stadler has started both matches for Ostersund since returning from international break. He didn't tally in either, but they were both positive results for his club. First match he went 90 as they won 1-0 at home over Jonkopings. Then the match (today) he went 65 as they drew 3-3 on the road against 2nd place Norrkoping. At the moment they sit comfortably mid table, 12 points from the automatic drop zone. Actually are much closer to European play for the newly promoted, modest club.
Andrew Stadler 76 min & scored a 52' game-winning GOAL in Östersunds FK's 4-0 W vs Sundsvall in the Allsvenskan (Swedish top flight) #USMNT— Roderick MacNeil (@rodmacneil) August 6, 2016
Good 1st touch, and strong effort w/ his weaker foot. 762057884981223424 is not a valid tweet id Hopefully he gets a run of games where he's starting now. He's been in and out of the starting lineup, based on the form of the team. Like one bad team game, and he gets dropped. Coach is too over-reactive. Seems they play somewhat better with him on the field. They employ a pretty technical brand of ball for the Swedish league, like a poor man's Dortmund in the high press 4-2-3-1. But because they don't have elite talent, teams can get chances on the counter, and if they're efficient, punish them, instead of getting punished. That's what happened against Orebro earlier in the season. Lost like 4-1 at home. But could argue Ostersunds out-played them. Just scored on practically every opportunity. Should just stick with Stadler, and the style at home plus against some of the lesser teams in the league, and take what they get from it. Slim chance of getting relegated, and better at sneaking into a Europa League place.
USA Andrew Stadler Scored for Ostersunds in their 0 - 2 win over Sollentuna in Svenska Cupen Qualifier— AccrossthePond (@accrossthepond) September 6, 2016
USA Andrew Stadler, has joined Dalkurd in Superettan where he will join fellow American Alex De John in the upcoming season— AccrossthePond (@accrossthepond) March 23, 2017
That's too bad. I thought he looked sufficient enough for the Allsven, and that was playing somewhat out of position as an attacking winger. He's a second striker by trade. I think it would have been better for him if he had gotten on one of the lower top division teams who counter more. Ostersund did surprisingly well for a newly promoted team and played a proactive style. They were sort of like Bournemouth.
Andrew finally makes the 18 at Dalkurd as they host Norrby today in Superettan. Alex De John is also in the 18
Andrew & Alex De John help Dalkurd to Promotion into top tier in Sweden with a 2 - 2 draw today - ending the season in 2nd place (automatic promotion) Andrew scored the 2nd goal for Dalkurd (only his 2nd goal this season)
Andrew started today in Dalkurd's first friendly of the year as they won 1 - 2 at IK Frej - first match as an Allsvenskan team!!
On the bench for friendly: 55 minuter kvar till avspark mot Shamrock Rovers. Här är kvällens startelva!55 minutes left for kickoff against Shamrock Rovers. Here is tonight's lineup!55 deqîqe maye ji bo maça li hember Shamrock Rovers. Ev taxima me ya îşev e!#DalkurdFF pic.twitter.com/RZmP9UMhd3— Dalkurd FF (@DalkurdFF) January 30, 2018
61' Byten i Dalkurd:UT: Yukiya Sugita IN: Andrew StadlerUT: Rawez Lawan IN: Kristijan Miljevic#DalkurdFF— Dalkurd FF (@DalkurdFF) January 30, 2018