Story Summary
Robin Kovacs has criticised the continued taunting he receives from Luleå supporters, saying the chants have gone on for too long. The IF Björklöven player was targeted again on his latest visit to Luleå and responded by making an obscene gesture towards the home crowd after the match.
Kovacs said the hostility stems from his departure from Luleå seven years ago, when he agreed to join Örebro Hockey for the following season while still under contract. He said the parties subsequently agreed to end his Luleå deal early amid the reaction to the move.
The forward said Emil Larsson also signed for Örebro at the same time, but that news did not emerge then and left Kovacs to absorb the criticism alone. Kovacs represented Örebro for three seasons between 2017 and 2020, recording 92 points in 141 appearances.
Key Facts
- Robin Kovacs said recurring taunts from Luleå supporters are becoming tiresome.
- Kovacs made an obscene gesture towards the home supporters after the match during his latest visit with IF Björklöven.
- Kovacs said Luleå’s organisation had distanced itself from the chant, but supporters continued to sing it.
- Kovacs agreed to join Örebro Hockey for the following season while still with Luleå seven years ago.
- Kovacs said he and Luleå agreed to terminate his contract early after the reaction to his planned move.
- Robin Kovacs played 141 matches and registered 92 points for Luleå between 2017 and 2020.
IHM Discussion
This is a dispute with a long memory rather than a fresh transfer controversy. Kovacs accepts that emotions surrounded his exit, but his comments make clear that he believes the response has outlasted the original circumstances. His frustration is directed not simply at being heckled, but at the continuation of a chant that he says Luleå had already rejected.
His post-match gesture will inevitably become part of the conversation as well. It gave a visible response to a hostile atmosphere and underlined how personal the issue remains whenever he returns to Luleå in Björklöven colours. Kovacs has now put his version of the original departure on record: he had agreed an advance move, Luleå ended the contract early, and he felt he carried the backlash alone.
Why It Matters
Former players returning to a previous club often face a charged reception, particularly when a departure remains contentious among supporters. In this case, the reaction has followed Kovacs across several seasons and now surfaces in a HockeyAllsvenskan setting with IF Björklöven.
The episode also keeps attention on the relationship between a player and a fanbase that once watched him produce regularly for the club. Kovacs was a significant contributor during his three Luleå seasons, and that history gives the continuing hostility more context without resolving the disagreement over how his departure is remembered.
Mini Q&A
Why are Luleå supporters still taunting Robin Kovacs?
Kovacs links the chants to his decision seven years ago to agree a future move to Örebro Hockey while he was still a Luleå player, after which his Luleå contract ended early.
What did Robin Kovacs do after the match in Luleå?
Kovacs made an obscene gesture towards the home supporters after the match and later criticised the continuing chant.