The trauma of University exams and the inevitable yet utterly destructive post-exam binge has left fjordball-towers in a sorry state, and obviously a few stories have been missed this past week..
Aalesund Batter Sogndal
Rather predictably, Aalesund's two-legged playoff against Sogndal was never much of a contest. In the first leg Sogndal were smacked around in their own backyard and lost 1-4, making the second leg a bit of a formality. A hat-trick from man-mountain Tor Hogne Aarøy in the first half of that second leg sent Aalesund on their way to a 3-1 win, making it an emphatic 7-2 on aggregate. The ridiculously large (204 centimeters, for God's sake) forward told the press afterwards that he wanted to go abroad next year, possibly to Japan, which if national anatomical stereotypes are anything to go by would be just cruel.
Lyn Batter Fans' Nerves
Even more predictably, Lyn were in deep doodoo when time came to renew the club's pro-license thingy for 2009, seeing as they were some way off meeting the Norwegian FA's demands for fiscal stability. The club that a few months ago almost went bankrupt now faced being relegated to the wild wastelands that is the 3rd tier of Norwegian football, but while details are hazy it appears that they were bailed out in the very last minute. Much to the delight of their fans, obviously. Come to think of it, much to the delight of fjordball as well, as Lyn are a club that keeps giving young talents a chance to play at the highest level of Norwegian football, and there aren't too many of those around.
Who Wants To Be A Millionaire (and manage Brann)?
One of the most farcical hiring-processes of recent years looks like it might be coming to an end, as Brann have yet again held a meeting with Steinar Nilsen. After having been rejected by Åge Hareide, Nils Johan Semb, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, some Swedish blokes and some other people as well, they turned to Nilsen a few weeks ago (though bizarrely they denied it at the time). Then they flew in Esbjerg-manager Troels Bech (who was fired from Esbjerg shortly after, as it happens) so that he could have a look around, before seemingly changing their minds and having another meeting with Steinar Nilsen.
All this sniffing around and talking to different people isn't that unusual really, but having every inch of the recruitment-process published in the press however is just ridiculous. Brann's sporting director Roald Bruun-Hanssen, a recent recipient of one of fjordball's much coveted awards, seems hell-bent on undermining their next manager before he has even started the job by making it perfectly clear to everyone that whoever ends up getting the job wans't even their second or third choice, but more like their sixth or seventh choice. Way to go Roald!
(Part two of the awards-thingy IS coming, we promise. And also, you can look forward to a "team of the year" as nominated by someone who actually knows what he's talking about!)
4 opinions:
Weren't Lyn bailed out by Vålerenga? Or am I thinking of someone else?
They were bailed out by several people I imagine, but Vålerenga's main sponsor did come up with some of the money for them yes..
Lars,
Is Start's former manager in the running for the Brann job? If not any idea where he will land?
It's a funny thing, because he really should be. He did a great job at Odd for a number of years with very little recourses, he went in at Start and got them straight back up in a year when a lot of weird and unsettling things were happening behind the scenes at the club, so in a way he is more experienced than Steinar Nilsen is.
Of course Nilsen has worked miracles with Tromsø this season, but then again he's never managed outside of his hometown and anyone will tell you that there is a world of difference between being a big fish in your hometown and going into a big club like Brann, which unlike Tromsø is a bit of an institutional shitstorm (if you'll pardon the language) with loads of intrigue and politics behind the scenes.
Bizarrely, it might actually count against Sandstø that he's from Bergen as there is a very real feeling here that Brann want an outsider with a big reputation rather than one of "their own"..
The latest development in this case is that Danish champions AaB have apparently decided to move in for Nilsen, in which case he would probably take it, so in terms of the Brann-job there is still some hope for Sandstø. That said, odds are they'll turn back to that Esbjerg-bloke Troels Bech if they don't get Nilsen, and sprout some nonsense about how he was the one they wanted in the first place..
I
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