– I feel I have something unsettled at the club. I know I have more to contribute than what I have shown so far. That is what a very self-critical Salvesen says to news. The large forward with the recognizable blonde ponytail takes time for a longer chat while Glimt is at a training camp in Spain ahead of the upcoming season. And there is a revenge-hungry forward sitting in front of us. Everything was in place for him to take new steps in his career last year. Glimt paid dearly, around ten million, to get him from Godset, and he was to have an important role for the team which the year before was league champion with the league’s best goal difference. Then the decline began. In 23 games for Glimt in total in Norway and Europe, he ended up with only three goals and disappointed both himself and those around him. He got less and less playing time and ended up further and further out in the cold towards the end of the season. – A tough decision When Viking came to the field this winter and wanted to bring him to Stavanger, and Glimt accepted the offer, most people thought he would pack his bags and head south. But Salvesen surprisingly chose to reject the offer from Viking and stay at Aspmyra. – It was quite a tough decision, you get the signals you get and understand that it will be a tougher battle for playing time. I didn’t take the easiest path, so to speak. I am prepared to stick with it and work hard, says the 26-year-old. Lars-Jørgen Salvesen and Kjetil Knutsen had an honest and open dialogue about the striker’s standing in the club when Viking came on the field. Photo: Egil Sande / news He says he had several good conversations with Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen before he made the final decision. – He was quite clear about what he meant and thought about things. But at the same time I was very clear that I was going to change parts of my game and perform better than I did in the autumn. The only thing that is important to me is that I am assessed on the same basis as the others. As long as the performances decide, I decided that it is right to stay, says Salvesen. Takes “drastic” action Now he is highly motivated to refute the critics. To manage that, he has taken concrete measures. – I have changed the entire training program quite drastically. The training program I have run this winter has been the complete opposite of what I have done in the past, he says. In short, the new training regime means that he has stopped heavy strength training and switched to more explosive training. The plan is that it will make him lighter, more explosive and quicker in his step. – I hope it will eventually produce results, he says. – Has given him an honest picture Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen is the man who gave the thumbs up to sell the forward to Viking. He says he has always been very keen to have a close dialogue with Salvesen in order to be crystal clear about the kind of situation he is in. – I have given him an honest picture of where he stands, and we have had a fantastic dialogue , He has handled the process he has been involved in impressively well. It was his choice that he wanted to stay, and it is a very clear signal that he has faith in himself and faith in Glimt. Those are exactly the kind of players we want, says Knutsen to news. Glimt coach Kjetil Knutsen is excited about what Salvesen can deliver in 2023. Photo: Egil Sande / news – How did you react when you got the message that he chose to stay? – He is very confident that he is competitive, and that is a very clear answer to us. It was his choice, and no one has tried to push him to Viking, not at all, says the Glimt boss. – Isn’t it a bit typical that this ends up with him scoring a lot of goals this year? – Hehe yes! Wouldn’t that be great, then? We have four very good strikers now, we have Lars-Jørgen and (Runar) Espejord, and we have brought in Faris Pemi. In addition, there is someone who is often forgotten, Lasse Nordås. He has incredibly exciting potential and has been good in training this winter. Then you understand that there is quite tough competition to play in Glimt. That applies to all four, Knutsen asserts. Lars-Jørgen Salvesen has taken steps to become more agile. Here from Glimt training in Spain. Photo: Egil Sande / news Berg: – Nothing would have pleased me more Midfield profile Patrick Berg pays tribute to Salvesen’s choice to stay. Berg tells news that he had a number of conversations with Salvesen about the possible transfer, and then Berg was clear that it is hardly a stupid choice to stay. The national team player believes it is important not to forget that Salvesen was thrown straight into Glimt everyday life last year. – And then there were mostly matches all the time and little training. He has not really been given the same good conditions to succeed as everyone else who has been here longer, because then you are more integrated into our style and principles. I really think we will see a Lars-Jørgen who wants to contribute for Bodø/Glimt this season. There is nothing that would have pleased me more than to see him succeed, says Berg to news. – Realizing that they cannot trust me blindly. Salvesen emphasizes that there are no bad feelings between Glimt and him today. On the contrary, he fully understood that Glimt wanted to sell him after what he delivered on the pitch since his transfer from Godset last summer. – I understand that they cannot trust me blindly when I say that I will be better this year than I was last year. But it was up to me, I chose to stay, and now it’s up to me to perform and prove it, he asserts. – What will it take in 2023 for you to be satisfied? – It is difficult to answer now, but I have a goal to develop as a player, and I believe that I can do that here regardless of whether I get to play or not, because the training routine here is extremely good. But the main focus will be to develop myself and perform better. The first taste of the 2023 version of Salvesen comes already on Thursday 16 February. The yellow jerseys will then play against Lech Poznań in the playoff match between the group runners-up from the Serie Liga and the group three from the Europa League, where the winner gets a place in the Serie Liga play-offs.
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