Norwegian Football In General

Glimt1916 · Post by **Glimt1916** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:38 am

Two Norwegian teams played in the UEFA cup last night. Start got trashed 5-2 at "home" by Ajax, while Molde did better and drew 0-0 home against Glasgow Rangers. Start had to play their game at Åråsen, the home ground of Lillestrøm. I'm not really sure why.

Glimt1916 · Post by **Glimt1916** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:53 am

No, the weather was fine

I don't think Scottish football is that much better than Norwegian football. Obviously Celtic and Rangers have a lot of money, and are usually much better than the rest of the teams over there, but over two games I think Molde can do just fine against Rangers. In fact they should have had a penalty last night according to norwegian newspapers. If they had won 1-0 I believe they could actually have knocked Rangers out, but now it will probably be too difficult

Glimt1916 · Post by **Glimt1916** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 10:20 am

I've been at both Celtic Park and Ibrox, and the impression one gets is that it's like a professional club plays an amateur club in the cup or something like that. The difference between the Glasgow teams and the rest are enormous. I saw Rangers-Dunfermline when Dunfermline was third on the table, and Rangers beat them 5-1. When I looked at the table afterwards, Celtic and Rangers were the only teams in the league with a positive goal difference! That says something about the domination of those clubs. And I think that the lack of real competition in the league is the reason why they fail when they play in Europe

Glimt1916 · Post by **Glimt1916** » Fri Sep 15, 2006 1:06 pm

Reports in Scottish media about last nights game:

http://sport.scotsman.com/football.cfm?id=1363052006

Molde will rightly consider themselves unfortunate not to have earned a lead to take to Glasgow, having been defied by a fine display by Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who was making his European debut. In the closing stages of the match, Rangers were hanging on grimly and were indebted to their custodian, who was making only his 13th starting appearance in eight years with the club.

Polish referee Jacek Granat incensed the home team and their supporters when he waved play on after Rodriguez had flattened Molde's Senegalese striker Madiou Konate with a fierce aerial challenge.

http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/70140.html

Departing with a goalless draw was, in the end, something of a relief. Only a fantastic stretch of fingertips by Allan McGregor prevented Stian Ohr from claiming a winning goal for the hosts as Rangers found themselves pinned back during the closing exchanges.

Kesseboy · Post by **Kesseboy** » Wed Sep 20, 2006 4:12 pm

Due to a bad coefficient (poor previous performances by Norwegian teams), the Norwegian qualling to the Champions League next year--I think--will be one team entered into the second qualification round. Which means sort of easy opposition in that round, but then with a risk of facing one of the top seeded european qualifying teams (i.e. "big" teams).

When it comes to the UEFA cup, I believe that Norway gets three places in the qualifying rounds, but at what stage I'm not sure. After the qualifying round, there's one elimination round, followed by a bit unusual group stage -- five teams who each get four games, so no home and away game against each team. This year is looking slim, as the Norwegian efforts have been lesser than usual.

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong!

Kesseboy · Post by **Kesseboy** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 5:59 pm

There aren't that many Norwegians playing in large clubs at the moment. There is Ole Gunnar Solskjær at Manchester United, John Arne Riise at Liverpool, Morten Gamst Pedersen at Blackburn Rovers, John Carew at Lyon, Frode Johnsen is enjoying some success at Nagoya Grampus Eight (I think?) in Japan, and Trond Sollied is head coach at Olympiakos. That's about all I can remember off the top of my head.

Kesseboy · Post by **Kesseboy** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 6:10 pm

Norwegian players have been popular around Europe, and have given notable performances in most leagues across Europe, oddly enough with the exception of Italian football. England has been, and is, by far the "big" nation to hold Norwegian players, but now a days there just aren't that many good players around.

Kesseboy · Post by **Kesseboy** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 6:24 pm

That seems a bit strange, yes. I can't think of any real clear examples of that happening, at least not often. There were three (or even four?) Norwegians at Manchester United at a point -- Solskjær, Ronny Johnsen, Henning Berg and perhaps Erik Nevland was there at the same time. There was a slight gathering of Norwegians at Wimbledon when Egil Olsen was manager there, but I don't think there were that many players, maybe two (Martin Andresen and Trond Andersen). Historically, Norwegian players are hard-working and usually with adequate language skills, and are said to be socially adaptable. Often you'll probably find that foreign players are bought in pairs or groups, to try and ensure that at least one of them has an easier job settling in. For Norwegian players I don't think that has been a motivation, but with that being said I'd be surprised if there were such a motivation for collecting aussies at a club. I'd suppose that it would rather be that they are relatively reasonably prized quality players.

Kesseboy · Post by **Kesseboy** » Mon Oct 02, 2006 6:07 pm

It's a league, modelled somewhat after the Champions League, where the four top teams of the Danish, Swedish and Norwegian leagues face eachother, firstly in groups, then in a knockout stage, throughout the winter. It hasn't been terribly successful as of yet, for all sorts of reasons. For example, Tromsø IL had to play indoor in Nordlandshallen in Bodø (where Glimt played their first matches this season, due to the laying of the artificial grass at Aspmyra) because their home ground, Alfheim, was in a state that didn't invite for football (at least that's how I remember it). Also, Start of Kristiansand had to play at Falkum in Skien for some reason. The results being quiet and boring matches, at least in Norway and Sweden, with low attendances and low quality football.

Kesseboy · Post by **Kesseboy** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:14 pm

This is how the Norwegian Tippeliga ended:
1 Rosenborg: Original head coach Per Mathias Høgmo temporarily retires mid-season due to depression/being overworked. His replacement has considerable success and is named Coach of the Year. Høgmo retires completely at the end of the season.
2 Brann
3 Vålerenga: Original head coach Kjetil Rekdal resigns mid-season, being replaced by assistant Petter Myhre, who has considerable success.
4 Lillestrøm
5 Stabæk
6 Start: Original head coach Tom Nordlie sacked mid-season. The Norway national team's assistant Stig Inge Bjørnebye replaces him.
7 Lyn
8 Fredrikstad
9 Sandefjord
10 Tromsø: Original head coach Ivar Morten Nordmark sacked mid-season. For the second consecutive season, Steinar Nilsen replaces a sacked head coach and takes the team to safe place.
11 Viking : Original head coach Tom Prahl sacked with not too many games left. Replaced by Tom Nordlie who takes the team to safe place.

12 Odd

13 Ham-Kam: Head coach Frode Grodås sacked after the season.
14 Molde: Head coach Arild Stavrum sacked after the season.

And this is just this season... 7 out of 14, that is 50%, but as you see, two of them were only after being relegated.

Regarding the steel fences, Europe in general had some problems with hooliganism in the 80's and early 90's. The problem wasn't as notable in Norway, but I suppose a lot of teams used those fences in order to be allowed to play european cups and such.

eidurgud · Post by **eidurgud** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:49 pm

Kesseboy wrote:There was a slight gathering of Norwegians at Wimbledon when Egil Olsen was manager there, but I don't think there were that many players, maybe two (Martin Andresen and Trond Andersen)

Do you have something against Andreas Lund, Kesseboy? And Kjetil Wæhler? He didn't play any games, I think, but he was employed there..

"Leo" and Tore Pedersen has also played for Wimbledon, just to inform..

Kesseboy · Post by **Kesseboy** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 3:54 pm

I will consider myself forgiven for forgetting Lund and Wæhler as they didn't exactly, ehr, make a lasting impression on the club. And Leonhardsen and Pedersen, were they there when Olsen was manager there?

eidurgud · Post by **eidurgud** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:43 pm

Pedersen, I think, but not "Leo".

Lund and Wæhler didn't "make a lasting impression on the club", but you think that Andersen and Andresen did so?

The only player who actually has made an impact at Wimbledon, is Vinnie Jones.

Kesseboy · Post by **Kesseboy** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:50 pm

Lawrie Sanchez? Dave Beasant? Robbie Earle? Dean Holdsworth? John Fashanu? John Scales? Hans Segers?

eidurgud · Post by **eidurgud** » Sun Nov 12, 2006 4:54 pm

John Scales?

"Middelmådige kjøtthau", every single one of them!

Segers: corrupt
Fashanu: corrupt

Holdsworth and Earle - OK, I'll take them. What was the name of the "other" colored player? Earle and... ?