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Episode 104 - Eliteserien Title Retained | 24th November 2030 "I'm in the Norwegian Hall of Fame" -- -- My Profile -- My Job History -- My Bio

Saturday 23rd November 2030 Reaction to Viking's Eliteserien Title -- Viking Board -- Supporters

Saturday 23rd November 2030 Eliteserien Round-up --

Aah, gotcha. Thanks, @warlock So you either need to earn more, or get more creative at cooking the books, ahem... generating new sources of income?

Saturday 23rd November 2030 Bodø/Glimt 2-3 Viking Post-Match Press Conference -- -- I'm so incredibly proud of the players. At 0-2 down it was all slipping away from us but they showed their character, their togetherness, and to turn it around and win in Bodø/Glimt's own back-yard was something unbelievably special. Delighted for my backroom staff, many of whom came with me from Hødd, who have worked tremendously hard behind the scenes. I'm thrilled for the Viking Board, the chairperson Jarle-Bech Eriksen who's been so supportive here since day one. But this is for our amazing de mørkeblå supporters, 413 of them were inside Aspmyra and, in the second-half, they out sang 7,800-odd Bodø/Glimt fans. It was incredible. It was, because it clawed us back to just 1-2 down and it gave us some hope because, honestly, the game and the Eliteserien title were slipping away from us at that point. We started the game well, Lasse Nordås headed inches over the bar after 10 minutes and we were giving as good as we got. But after about quarter of an hour, Bodø/Glimt settled and took control of the game. They scored after 31 minutes and again eight minutes later and Tite's team seemed to be cruising at that point. I did think about waiting until the break to make changes but, the way the game was going, we could've been 3-0 down and the game over so we changed there and then, we changed to an Attacking mentality and a more Attacking shape and it worked, because Lasse Nordås scored which meant we went in at half-time only one goal behind and the players were on a high. After the break we were much better, the players had belief and, to be fair, I think Bodø/Glimt started to feel the pressure. Preslav Borukov equalised around the hour mark and suddenly it really was game-on. We knew 2-2 wasn't enough and that we had to win. The crowd sensed it. Our fans got louder and louder and the Bodø/Glimt fans got nervy which, I think, transmitted to their players. And then came the strangest moment of the whole game which could've cost us. Brice Wembangomo hit a delightful cross into the penalty area, Lasse Nordås went down under a challenge, and Preslav Borukov headed the ball into the back of the net. We went crazy but the goal wasn't given because the referee had already blown for a penalty... only VAR sent the referee to the monitor and he changed his mind, no penalty. We were furious. A goal chalked off and a penalty taken away from us in a matter of seconds. Time was running out now... ... so we went for it. a much more Attacking shape because if we were going to miss out we were going to miss out going for it. Edvin Austbø hit the bar with a cracking shot from just outside the penalty area and you do start to wonder if it's just not our day. And then, then, the referee awarded us another penalty. My heart was in my mouth as VAR reviewed the referee's decision but this time it was a penalty and Lasse Nordås was calmness personified as he scored from the spot to give us a 3-2 lead. I knew Bodø/Glimt were going to throw everything at us then, they had to, and our shape was far too Attacking and left us vulnerable, so... ... we changed. And it was like the Alamo. But we defended magnificently, winning headers, making tackles, getting blocks in, Jasper Torkildsen making saves... ... and then the final whistle and we'd retained our Eliteserien Title. After the goal got ruled out, and the penalty decision overruled, it did start to look like things weren’t going to go our way. So yes, the winning goal when it came was massive for us although, obviously, we didn’t know it was the winning goal at that point but at 3-2 we had the title if we could hold onto the lead. At 0-2 down after 39 minutes it looked like it might be slipping away, but we always had belief we could do it. Success brings more pressure, sure. Bring it on. That’s why I signed a four-year contract extension. I think we've been pretty consistent all season but those three wins out of three in July against Bodø/Glimt, Odd and Sandnes Ulf didn't do us any harm at all. Lasse Nordås has only been with us for 13 games but his form since joining Viking has been top notch.

Saturday 23rd November 2030 Bodø/Glimt (1st) v Viking (2nd) Eliteserien -- -- -- --

Saturday 23rd November 2030 Team Meeting -- Aside: How does everybody else get on with Team Meetings? I must admit, I don't have a great track record of getting results after team meetings. -- - - -- Jakob Napoleon Romsaas was the only player who didn't appear motivated. As Jakob is ruled out any way with a torn hamstring, I'm not going to worry about that. --

Preview -- -- Bodø/Glimt have some very good players... but we have very good players as well. This is as big a game as you get in Eliteserien. It truly is winner takes all. Win and we're Eliteserien Champions, lose and they are. And if it's a draw, well then Bodø/Glimt are Champions... but that's ok, I don't believe in playing for a draw in any case. Jasper Torkildsen is looking the part now in goal for us. We definitely missed him against Brann last time out when he was away with Norway. Look the Brann game is gone now. We can't change the result. We gave the players a few days off, told them to sulk if they needed to but, basically, enjoy their day's off, get the Brann game out of their system, and come back raring to give it one last shot against Bodø/Glimt for the Eliteserien Title. I'm nervous, yes, but confident in my players and their abilities. Win, lose or draw, this group of players are all winners for me. Bodø/Glimt will start as favourites because they are top of Eliteserien and at home. We've played them twice already this season, in consecutive games end of June beginning of July. At Aspmyra they smashed us 4-1 in Cupen but back at our SR-Bank Arena we scraped a 3-2 Eliteserien victory. -- Our appeal against David Brekalo's red card wasn't successful, as we expected to be fair, so we'll be without David and David Møller Wolfe due to suspension. Julian Faye Lund came down with a virus, and schoolboy Roger Vestgøte is out with a neck injury, so Martin Børsheim will again be our back-up goalkeeper on the bench. Other than longer-term injury Jakob Napoleon Romsaas, everybody else is fit and available. -- Expected Line-up -- You know Egil, this time you might be right. Let's hold a Team Meeting.

Very well done, @Punch

It sure is, @warlock. Would it have made any difference if my two internationals Preslav Borukov, and Jasper Torkildsen had played? I dunno. The red mist of our captain, David Brekalo, certainly didn't help but, in truth, Brann played very well and were probably the better side, slightly better... even when it was 11 v 11 but we had more chance of knicking something then. Yeah, I don't believe in playing for a draw - that tactic has jeopardy written all over it - but we have given the draw advantage to Bodø/Glimt. Looks like I might have to go with my assistant Egil Ulfstein and do the team meeting this time. Thank you. As the home team, Bodø/Glimt will go into this Title Showdown as clear favourites to lift the Eliteserien crown.

Wow! Even Real Sociedad, 4th in that table, have almost double the salary you do, and the top three are way out of sight... Going to be tough to dislodge those two juggernauts but you did finish in between them once, so... ... overachieving is always a possibility though... OK, apologies I'm not familiar with Spanish football and La Liga, so why are so many clubs spending over that salary cap limit?

Great first two seasons, @warlock but Real Madrid and Barcelona are juggernauts that are going to take some overhauling. Good luck 🍀⚽️🤞

Sunday 17th November 2030 Viking (1st) v Brann (4th) Eliteserien -- -- -- -- It's disappointing, of course it is, to lose the Best i vest derby at home to Brann but, in the overall scheme of things, it doesn't change too much. We've lost the top spot and dropped to 2nd in Eliteserien but we go to Aspmyra next Saturday and if we can beat Tite's Bodø/Glimt we'll be crowned Eliteserien Champions. Any other result and Tite's Bodø/Glimt will be crowned Champions. It promises to be quite a job. I don't like it, but Brann came into our SR-Bank Arena and won the Best i vest derby. Emre Belözoğlu and his Brann team, and their supporters, are entitled to enjoy it. David Brekalo will be a big miss when we go to play Bodø/Glimt. We've appealed the red card because even if their's only a slim chance of having it overturned, it's worth the risk as having our captain, David Brekalo, on the pitch improves our chances of winning. We had to change our shape after the sending off. We were so close to getting a nil-nil draw but Brann's late goal was a real kick in the teeth. We went Attacking and changed our shape for the final few minutes but it was difficult with 10-men and time ran out on us. We'll also be without David Møller Wolfe for the title showdown away at Bodø/Glimt after he picked up another yellow card. At least we'll have our internationals Preslav Borukov, and Jasper Torkildsen back. --

Preview -- -- I know you think we need a team meeting, Egil, but Lasse Nordås has already rallied the troops so let's try and treat the Brann match as much like a normal Eliteserien game as we can, shall we? -- We'll be doing everything we can to win the Best i vest derby for our wonderful supporters, not to mention maintaining our Eliteserien top spot. It's disappointing though that for such a big game against 4th placed Brann that we're missing Preslav Borukov, and Jasper Torkildsen because of international duty. With Jasper Torkildsen away with Norway, and Roger Vestgøte injured, we've had to call up Martin Børsheim from the 2nd Team and register him so that Martin can go on the bench today. Fortunately we don't have any other fitness issues. -- Expected Line-up

Sunday 10th November 2030 Eliteserien Evening Result --

Sunday 10th November 2030 Sandefjord (12th) v Viking (1st) Eliteserien -- -- -- There's a lot of pressure on the players when they're chasing an Eliteserien title with not many matches left to play. It's a real credit to them, their spirit and character, that they were able to produce such a fantastic performance under that intense pressure. Once again, I find myself swelling with pride for this group of players. --

Preview -- -- We have a few injury concerns. Brice Wembangomo is suspended for our visit to Sandefjord. We gave the players two days well-deserved rest after the Salzburg match and we have no fitness concerns. -- Expected Line-up

Saturday 9th November 2030 Eliteserien --

Tuesday 5th November 2030 RB Salzburg (Austria) v Viking (Norway) UEFA Champions League -- -- -- I'd hoped we'd be able to put Lasse Nordås on the bench and not need him so that he'd be well rested to face Sandefjord in our next Eliteserien match... but we did need Lasse, as it turned out, and he put in a big performance for us. All of us were up off the bench, me, my coaching staff, the substitutes. It was an incredible, euphoric moment. No. Not at all. RB Salzburg made life very difficult for us, as we expected, and they had the better of the first half, though I thought we were competitive and gave them a run for their money. Our captain, David Breckalo, conceded a penalty. I didn't agree with the decision but VAR upheld the referee's decision. Then up stepped Jasper Torkildsen, throwing himself full length to save the penalty. Only Salzburg did score, five minutes before the break. We made four substitutions at half-time, sending on four of the big names we'd rested. Then a fifth on 62 minutes. Preslav Borukov hit the post and you do begin to think it isn't going to be your day. Then Lasse Nordås equalised on 74 minutes and put us 2-1 up six minutes later. We then weren't sure whether to go defensive or stay as we were. Salzburg thought they'd equalised on 84 minutes but the goal was ruled out for offside. And then we did decide to go defensive and we managed the game out for a less-than-comfortable 2-1 away win. This group of players are always surprising me. I'm so proud of them. --

Thanks, @JaytheGreat. I'll be honest, I was expecting Chelsea to smash us. I can honestly say, in all my years playing FM, I've never felt so at home at a football club as I do at Viking.

Preview -- -- Jakob Napoleon Romsaas will be out for a while and Steinar Braathen is suspended after his two yellow cards equals a red in our last UEFA Champions League match against Chelsea. We don't play Sandefjord in Eliteserien until Sunday so we don't have to worry too much about match fitness, although we will be making a few changes. We've included 15 years old goalkeeper Roger Vestgøte on the bench, although he's unlikely to play as we have three goalkeepers on the bench.. -- Expected Line-up

Thank you, @samboing I agree... hence why I signed At the moment, I feel like Viking is my club... although I blame @I have nothing to say for bringing me back a Viking cap and scarf from his recent visit to Stavanger. You do? I think Domestic Dominance is still a big ask for Viking... I wish I felt the same. Getting used to newgens is going to be a challenge for me. I'm trying, honestly I'm trying... suggestions on a post card please...

Yes indeed. With three games left, I can see Bodo/Glimt winning both their games before the last match of the season showdown at Bodo/Glimt’s Aspmyra Stadium. That means we’ll have to win both our games to go into that last game of the season still ahead by one point. Thank you, @Muttley84

Friday 1st November 2030 Until Next Time... ... when the 2030 Eliteserien season concludes, and... ... we play two more UEFA Champions League matches. -- November's Fixtures -- Thoughts, comments, general feedback appreciated. Any questions, just ask and I'll answer them if I can. Thank you for reading and following. Until next time...

Episode 103 - Title Run-in | 1st November 2030 "Monthly Review" -- Results -- Board Confidence -- Supporter Confidence -- Finances -- Dynamics