Crew SC announced Wednesday the hiring of Sixten Böstrom as new assistant coach for the club. Photo/Wikimedia
[dropcap]C[/dropcap]olumbus Crew SC announced Wednesday afternoon that the club has hired former European head coach and Finnish international Sixten Böstrom as an assistant coach.
Böstrom will join Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter’s staff immediately as the team continues it’s preseason training in Florida.
The 51-year-old joins Crew SC after serving as head coach in the Finnish First Division for HJK, the most successful club in Finland. Böstrom has also served as the boss of three other European clubs: Örebro, Jaro and Ekenäs IF. Additionally, he has served as the education manager for the Finland Football Association.
Böstrom’s success as a coach saw club berths into the 2014-15 UEFA Champions League Second Qualifying Round with HJK and the 2011-12 UEFA Europa League Second Qualifying Round with Örebro in Sweden. Örebro’s qualification was its first since the 1997-98 season.
“We’re excited to have Sixten join the technical staff,” Berhalter said. “His experience and his tactical expertise are going to be an asset to the coaching staff and the club.”
Böstrom was a midfielder prior to his coaching career, playing 13 years of professional soccer for clubs in Finland, Sweden and Singpore. His time as a player included two topflight stints with HJK.
During the 2013-14 campaign, Böstrom managed HJK to a 28-7-9 record and a +68 goal differential over 44 matches. In 2013, he won the Veikkausliige title with a 22-4-7 record, finishing 12 points clear of FC Honka for the First Division championship.
Crew SC is currently in preseason, which is highlighted by two stays in Florida and Texas. The club will appear in a pair of inaugural tournaments before the season officially begins March 7 at Houston.
