*The profile is based on interviews of four former players to the coach, both key players and squad players. An approach for getting an objective profile, but also a way to see what impression the coach has left on players.
Douglas Jakobsen is (recently appointed) the head coach of Swedish second tier team GIF Sundsvall. He has in a relatively short period of time as a coach in Sweden taken the step to elite football, after being a head coach in first-team football for just three years: one year in fourth-tier club Karlberg, and two years in third-tier club Sollentuna. A coach who is characterized as calm, has a long-term perspective, and an educational approach in his leadership.
Born: 1995 (27 years)
Club: GIF Sundsvall
Active years (as senior head coach): 3
License: UEFA A, on-going UEFA PRO course
Languages: Swedish, English, French (intermediate)
Career, results, & context
Douglas was appointed head coach of Karlberg for the season 2020, after being an assistant/resource for half a season where he worked with video analysis and was responsible for parts of training exercises.
In his first season with Karlberg in the fourth-tier, which was compressed to only one game against each team due to COVID19, his team managed 1.77 points per game, taking a 5th spot (of 14 teams) in the table, and being totally superior in defense with seven conceded goals in 13 games (second best team conceded 15).
After one season with Karlberg he was appointed the head coach of Sollentuna, in the third-tier. In Douglas’ first season Sollentuna averaged 1.57 points per game, resulting in 6th place (16 teams). The following season his team landed at 4th place, managing 1.5 points per game.
The conditions of the clubs he has managed have been limited resources together with lack of experience of playing in the higher leagues, while competing in the same competitions against several clubs with bigger resources and a clear and obvious aim to climb higher up in the divisions. The culture of the clubs have therefore been taking in young players where a large part of the squad has recently come from the big clubs’ youth system in Stockholm, and introducing them to senior football which has led to squads with a low average age and little experience compared to the competitors.
Leadership
Douglas is described by his players as an extremely theoretical and analytical coach, putting emphasis, and possessing qualities, in pedagogically instructing the individuals and the collective the reasons behind implementing the tactical changes he advocates, or the rotations/movements that at first sight can be unusual and strange for a player with no experience of these kind of movements. The emphasis and clarity has resulted in players feeling calm and secure on the pitch in doing these movements, resulting in seeing the effects of it and developing the players into thinkers on the pitch. He also is someone who is open for diving into numbers and statistics to further analyze his teams.
Despite being theoretical, he possesses an understanding of the psychology of individuals and is capable of adapting to the squad or timeline he has. The calmness and constant focus on learning and development of players, and rarely showing signs of stress, are other capabilities he possesess.
During games and training sessions, he is a coach who steps back letting the players decide, instead of being the vocal coach who frequently instructs the players. When communicating with his players on the sideline, he is trying to spread positive energy and rarely calls a player out negatively.
Douglas is described as a coach who spreads an aura of self-confidence, with a big belief in what he is doing and what he is trying to implement in his teams. His man-management approach is being closer to his players, one in the group, instead of keeping an arm’s length distance from his players.
Tactical
Douglas’ game idea has always been to dictate the game through possession, but not just for the sake of it, but by always having a meaning in every decision with the ball, and with every movement without the ball. The meaning of movements and decisions, which have for example been to create numerical superiority in different parts of the pitch, detailed in how to get out of the opponent’s press, in order to advance to the last third in a controlled manner. Although being a detailed and theoretically strong coach, he advocates freedom in the final third, with some emphasis on half spaces and his own research on the “Assist V”.
The idea of numerical superiority in different parts of the pitch have also been emphasized in Douglas’ teams’ defensive build up, focusing on a structure that defends the defensive half spaces. The details in defensive play without the ball has not been left out, where for example defenders have been instructed in how to defend the penalty area.
Small details like analysis on throw-ins is also a part of the game that Douglas’ former players describe as unique.
Future of former players
After coaching one season in the fourth tier and two seasons in third tier, eleven of his former players are now playing in the top two leagues in Sweden, while three players have moved abroad.