– It is a huge defeat for the NFF, which has worked so hard to introduce this play-off system and been the driving force behind the fact that the play-offs are important in order to assert themselves in Europe, says Carl Erik Torp about the NFF’s turnaround. The play-offs in the Toppserien have been strongly criticized by players, supporters and clubs since the model was implemented last year. In October, the Norwegian Football Association (NFF) therefore set up a series committee which was to come up with a recommendation with proposed changes, which the board of the NFF voted on today, Wednesday 18 January. news learns that the NFF board has come to an agreement on a triple series model where the play-offs are cut short, and one and a half series games are played where the teams meet each other three times. On 4 and 5 March, the clubs will vote on the proposal in the Confederationstinget. Only then will it be formally clear whether the play-offs will be scrapped and what this year’s Toppserie will look like. JUBILEE: Avaldsnes after the qualifying match for the Toppserien between Avaldsnes and Øvrevoll Hosle at home. Photo: Jan Kåre Ness / NTB The Pinlig Espelund committee, headed by Karen Espelund, proposed in 2018 that the Toppserien should have a new structure with play-offs. The play-off model was five-voted by the clubs at the Swedish Parliament in 2019, but was not implemented until 2022 due to the state of emergency linked to covid-19. EXPERT: Carl Erik Torp. Photo: news – Finally, after two years of pandemic postponements, they were allowed to try out the playoffs, and then they face such fierce opposition that they have to scrap it already after one year. It is embarrassing for the NFF, but it is also embarrassing for the clubs who, after all, participated in voting for the play-offs and this model in 2019. The play-off model In 2019, the confederation decided with an 82.3% majority to introduce a play-off model in the Toppserien. It was first implemented in the 2022 season after states of emergency due to the covid-19 virus. The 2022 season was played like this: The series is played as a base game and a playoff game. In the base game, each team plays against each other at home and away in 18 league rounds. In the play-offs for league championships and relegation, the teams only take points and goal difference from the games of the regular season against other play-off participants. In the playoffs for the league championship, teams No. 1–4 in the regular season play against each other at home and away for six league rounds. The winner is this year’s series champion. In the relegation playoffs, teams No. 5–10 in the basic game in the 0th division as well as No. 1 and 2 in the 1st division after the end of the basic game play against each other in a match in 7 series rounds. Points obtained in the basic game are canceled before the playoffs. Teams No. 7 and 8 in the play-offs are relegated to the 1st division. Team no. 6 plays a qualifying match against the winner of the play-off in the 1st division for a place in the 0th division next season. Source: The Norwegian Football Association Brann, Vålerenga and Rosenborg also agreed on a proposal to the Confederation of Norwegian Parliament this autumn to cancel the play-offs entirely. Sports coordinator in Rosenborg, Roar Vikvang, told news before the proposal was ready, that they would probably withdraw their own proposal and support the NFF’s proposal if they want to remove the play-off model: – We as a club have had close and good dialogue with the series committee . It is well known that we are three clubs that have put forward a proposal that we want to cancel the play-offs. If the Confederation Board ends up with a solution that insists on canceling the play-offs and ends up with a series of several matches, we will probably stand behind it and withdraw our proposal. Lyn’s general manager, Carl Gustav Borande, also hoped for a change from last year: – We are positive as long as we play meaningful games throughout the season. There are good arguments for both double and triple. Dissatisfaction reversed “Terribly bad advertising for Toppserien. We are being ridiculed.”, answered one of the players in the Toppserien to news’s anonymous survey last spring. The survey showed that 90 out of 108 players disliked the playoff model very much. POSITIVE FOR THE FINALS: The top series’ top scorer Elise Hove Thorsnes. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB One of those who doubted the new model was Vålerenga player Elise Hove Thorsnes, but she was pleasantly surprised: – I was very skeptical about the playoffs before the season last year, but then it gave us some opportunities as we were so far behind Brann. We couldn’t capitalize on it, and luckily it was a worthy winner in the end. I’m actually in favor of play-offs, but that you take the points from the regular season with you. It’s cool to play regular games against the best teams.
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– A huge defeat – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
