In less than a week after he was named head coach of the club that he represented for many years, Eritrean-Swede Henok Goitom go his first victory for AIK. The team had a lot of confidence in Henok as they were able to score three goals in 25 minutes and won the game with the score of 4–2. An emotional Henok spoke to the media after the game and expressed that his players have been very supportive during his start and played the way he expected them to.
Henok as a coach had one practice session with AIK before the match against IFK Norrköping. It was an immediate success as the team was positive about the changes that Goitom has introduced. He came up with an idea that instead of playing the defensive style of the previous coach to be more offensive and also be more confident as a club. With players that have similar backgrounds as him and an experience with a club he once run with his father while also playing for AIK. In 2014 when he was in his prime at the age of 29 Henok would start coaching a club he built with his dad for members of the community outside of Stockholm where he used to live. During winter months when the weather is cold with degrees below freezing his club which played in the division 4 classification would train hard. Kista Galaxy trained on an artificial grass with Henok and his father Goitom Habtemariam coaching them. He came to coach his club as often as he could and it did not affect his playing time with AIK, where he actually thrived and became a top player in the Swedish premier league. Giving back, and being able to help to make his community and country better with his incredible knowledge football/Soccer is what Henok has been trying to do for years.
His dedication to giving back to his community in Sweden or to his country of Eritrea is unparalleled. His accolades in the most beautiful game is a long list and this weekend he proves that he is a legend. His vision as a player has transformed into what he is doing today. He exemplifies the true spirit of Eritreaness as he is more interested in action rather than talk. Eri-internationalsports has been following Henok’s activities for a long time and he has a track record of being excellent in everything he did. Hard work and dedication have paid off and will continue to pay off for Henok. Hopefully he can contribute in some capacity to the growth of Eritrean soccer, which needs all the support it can get. Who better than it’s captain to support and help build it? We shall wait and see. Congratulations to Henok on his first victory as a head coach. Wishing him many more!
Erisports.
