Norwegian Second Division

I'm playing in the Norwegian Second Division at the moment and have run a few games at this level over the years.

There's just something I've always wondered, and that is how do they organise the groups? Is it random or is there some pattern to who goes in each group? I thought it might be geographical but there seems to be teams from all over Norway in each group.

I'm KFUM Oslo in my game and they play in Group 1, yet wiki says they are in group 4 for next season.

It makes no sense to me and I don't speak Norwegian so I can't look the rules up.

Anyone know?

As far as i know it's supposed to be geographical. Although even in real life that doesn't really add up all the time.

PS! Good thing you're not managing Levanger. That's my local rival team

It's geographical, although in my experiences managing in Norway, teams so seem to switch from Group 1 to 4 sometimes.

As stated, it's geographical. Group 4 is the group where the teams from Northern Norway are placed. But there are not 14 decent enough teams in that part of Norway to fill the group (also because of a relatively complex 3rd division). So the other teams placed in this group is usually from around the Oslo area (the capital).

So that is why teams from the capital area could be shuffled in another group from year to year. Because of distances in Norway, it is easiest and cheapest for the Northern Norwegian teams to travel to Oslo to play away games, rather than western or southern Norway.

Thanks for the explanations folks. It seems I doubt my intuition too much.

I can imagine it would be a hectic country to travel across, but no doubt a beautiful one from the photos I've seen. I've managed Skarp in 08 and now Oslo and have developed a fondness for the league.

Roykela, when I beat Levanger I'll let you know, but I doubt I'll end up in their group.

Thanks mate. And in details pleeeeaaaase. Want to enjoy that to the fullest

Norway is a great place to manage in FM, I nearly always head their first when each FM is released. I've just started a new save with the hope of working my way up through the divisions in Norway, with the aim of getting a job in Italy at some point.

I wish it was the same for me as it is for you Gundo.

Me, my tactics and norwegian clubs = incompatible.

I have never, ever succeded in Norway, in any version of the CM/FM series.

Even more reason to give it another go, roykela, put those wrongs right?

I've even developed my usual tactically strategy, so that they work in Norway and it's quite attractive to watch too!

I might add I'm a huge fan of Nils Arne Eggen also, I remember his time at Rosenborg with fondness, the man is an absolute Legend in terms of what he did for the Norwegian game.

Even more reason to give it another go, roykela, put those wrongs right?

I've even developed my usual tactically strategy, so that they work in Norway and it's quite attractive to watch too!

I might add I'm a huge fan of Nils Arne Eggen also, I remember his time at Rosenborg with fondness, the man is an absolute Legend in terms of what he did for the Norwegian game.

True. I probably will one day. Sounds impressive with a working and attractive tactic in Norway lol

Egeen is definitely my all-time favourite in Norwegian football. Legend indeed. One of a kind. Not really the same without him, for me

Once you get to the top in Norway, whats the highest reputation your club can get?

Would i be right in guessing that it will only go as far as National?

Once you get to the top in Norway, whats the highest reputation your club can get?

Would i be right in guessing that it will only go as far as National?

Well you can get in to Europe so I can only guess it has the chance of going continental. Rosenborg have been a big club in Europe. There was a time when I often saw their name in lights in the big European competitions.

I never really saw much progression in my last big game in Norway. I was at Skarp for a good 8-9 years with little change in my reputation. The game is different now and reputation is much easier to progress, so I'd like to think I can move up the ladder fast if I do well with KUFM Oslo.

Even more reason to give it another go, roykela, put those wrongs right?

I've even developed my usual tactically strategy, so that they work in Norway and it's quite attractive to watch too!

I've managed to get a nice little attacking strategy going with Oslo, though I do have to make sure I'm sound defensively. The game seems very physical in Norway so it's nice to get a little fast-flowing football that I've seen.

I play a 4-5-1/4-3-3 with advanced wingers and it's enjoyable to watch. I may not score a bucket-load of goals, but I see some nice play.

Almost, but not completely uninteresting fact: KFUM is the Norwegian branch of YMCA.

I'm playing in the Norwegian Second Division at the minute too with FF Lillehammer and always wondered about this. Cheers for clearing this up guys

Almost, but not completely uninteresting fact: KFUM is the Norwegian branch of YMCA.

Yeah I found a website that, when translated, seemed to suggest some link with the YMCA but I wasn't sure exactly how related they were. It would seem to go hand in hand with the fact that 95% of my squad were on amateur contracts when I joined. I'd like to have kept it like that but new players wanted part-time, so I've progressed KUFM Oslo.

Good to know there's a lot of people interested in the Norwegian leagues. I had thought this thread might go down like a lead balloon.

I've started numerous saves in Norway over the years, but tend not to manage to stick with them for long before the pull of managing in Scotland tears me away (to a new save). I do love the idea of managing in Norway though and have had some fun...will no doubt try again, esp. since I took loads of effort to put the 3rd tier into my game, even though the way FM works makes a total mess of the assignments of teams to the 24 sub-divisions of those regional leagues

The groups are geographical based. As earlier stated they are divided into:

northern teams

mid-norwegian teams (in and around Trondheim)

western-teams

southern teams

With the teams from south-east (in and around Oslo) which house a lot of people and a lot of teams spread through these groups. And this is because Norways main airport is Oslo Airport.

KFUM Oslo (YMCA Oslo) is from the southern part of Oslo, located in the middle-class villa-house build area Ekeberg. Ekebergsletta which means Ekeberg-plains is where the world biggest youth tournament Norway Cup is hosted at about 25 football fields. KFUM Arena is located on Ekebergsletta above Oslo Centrum with a nice view over the city and the Oslo fjord.

KFUM or Kåffa as they are called are viewed upon to have a strong youth setup and has raised several big Norwegian footballnames. Most familiar would probably be Henning Berg (Ex-Blackburn and Man utd, now manager of Premier Division club Lillestrøm). Most of their senior-players has gone through the ranks of jr-football in KFUM.

KFUM is known in Oslo to play an attractive possesion and passing game, switching the ball frequently from side to side before braking down the opponent. Players in KFUM are all amature (for now) with no income from football, and recently promoted from 3. divisjon. they are still little brothers in the area with fierce rivals Manglerud Star or MS which is from the neighbor suburb of Manglerud.

A funny fact is also that KFUM Oslo just won the first Norwegian Premier Leauge in futsal (indoor football), and were crowned champions of Norway, and will be representing in next year Europa Cup. This team is the same players with is found in FM, and the assistant coach of KFUM "outdoor-football" is also the managar of Norway futsal national team.

Hope a little background information will give you inspiration for your KFUM-save!

Best regards from an ex-KFUM youth player, an Ekeberg native and now Manglerud Star player...

Good to see people from around the world managing in norway. Even tho I'm from norway I dont like managing there so much, but since the league just started I had to try out my local team (Viking FK), and since Nevland Is joining them in the summer too:p Was fun indeed.

Anyway been a few versions since I played a game in norway, I remember I played with my other local team (Bryne FK) in FM 07 I think, got them to be the best team in norway, even did well in CL, remember I got to the final on year. Beating teams like Inter, Chelsea and United on the road to the final. United was the best win (not because I'm Liverpool fan) but because I won 4-0 home, and in the 2. leg I was 4-0 under at half time, and United scored 2 more goals leading 6-4, and I brought on a 17 y/o who scored 2 goals and sending me to the final. Lost to Arsenal I think tho:/ But was a fun ride. I remember there was some fantastic norwegian regens in FM07 so it was abit easyer to do good in norway then but it can be fun managing in norway. You got to expand your horizon, you cant just buy Aguero, Silva etc.

my girlfriends from trondheim, i might take over and giv the assistant manager job

I've been managing in Norway since the league was first available in the franchise [and when I got an old copy of FM Norway, for nostalgia sake].

Besides the obvious bond with the country, I really enjoy it, even in lower divisions, thanks to the relatively short season. Also it being a "poor" league makes things much more interesting, as you don't have much money to spend and, unless you're really doing well, there are no good (foreign) players you can spend big bucks on anyway.

In a way, even Tippeligaen is some sort of "Top Level LLM". Just like managing in Serie B or Championship, but without 50 games seasons and the bonus of still being in a big football-nation.

Now I'll just have to start another game, down in 2. divisjon, completing the job I had done in FM08 with Byåsen... from 2.Div to Tippeliga in 3 seasons... Then as the new adventure was to begin, FM09 came out and I abandoned the save.

The groups are geographical based. As earlier stated they are divided into:

northern teams

mid-norwegian teams (in and around Trondheim)

western-teams

southern teams

With the teams from south-east (in and around Oslo) which house a lot of people and a lot of teams spread through these groups. And this is because Norways main airport is Oslo Airport.

KFUM Oslo (YMCA Oslo) is from the southern part of Oslo, located in the middle-class villa-house build area Ekeberg. Ekebergsletta which means Ekeberg-plains is where the world biggest youth tournament Norway Cup is hosted at about 25 football fields. KFUM Arena is located on Ekebergsletta above Oslo Centrum with a nice view over the city and the Oslo fjord.

KFUM or Kåffa as they are called are viewed upon to have a strong youth setup and has raised several big Norwegian footballnames. Most familiar would probably be Henning Berg (Ex-Blackburn and Man utd, now manager of Premier Division club Lillestrøm). Most of their senior-players has gone through the ranks of jr-football in KFUM.

KFUM is known in Oslo to play an attractive possesion and passing game, switching the ball frequently from side to side before braking down the opponent. Players in KFUM are all amature (for now) with no income from football, and recently promoted from 3. divisjon. they are still little brothers in the area with fierce rivals Manglerud Star or MS which is from the neighbor suburb of Manglerud.

A funny fact is also that KFUM Oslo just won the first Norwegian Premier Leauge in futsal (indoor football), and were crowned champions of Norway, and will be representing in next year Europa Cup. This team is the same players with is found in FM, and the assistant coach of KFUM "outdoor-football" is also the managar of Norway futsal national team.

Hope a little background information will give you inspiration for your KFUM-save!

Best regards from an ex-KFUM youth player, an Ekeberg native and now Manglerud Star player...

Remembered to come back to this thread after a long week of work and get this great post. Thanks agranisimo, very interesting to have all this info from an ex Kaffa player.

The interesting fact is I try to play that possession game you mentioned. KFUM have a very strong central midfield and I tend to pack that and distribute quickly to wingers who endeavour to feed my star striker. They don't seem to break as quick as I'd like but opposition teams struggle to get through.

I wondered if the Saether's in my team were brothers; Husby Saether in defence, Eivind in midfield and Jon up front. The game doesn't list them as favoured personnel to each other.

I think I may have to learn Norwegian. I have a fondness for Skarp from FM07 and now I'm developing one for KFUM. There's something simplistic yet entertaining about the Norwegian league.

I may have to end my current game in a week because I have a new PC on the way. It's much, much faster and I'd like to try and start a much bigger game world. I going to apply for the KFUM job at the start again however.