Just to put it into perspective what it will mean for Glimt if they are successful against Dinamo Zagreb: Sweden’s Malmö, by comparison, earned around 327 million Norwegian kroner after their participation in the Champions League group stage last season, according to Fotbollskanalen. And that despite the fact that there was only one point for the Swedes in six games. It says a little about the prize money that is in the pot if Glimt secures a ticket to the world’s best club tournament. When you also include the financial gains the Norwegians have already raked in after the European success they have had in the Serie Liga, it goes without saying that the reigning league champion is beginning to have an economy few can match in the Eliteserien. Full discord in Football-Norway There are divided opinions about whether Glimt’s participation in the Champions League will be good for Norwegian football. A round news has done at Glimt’s biggest rivals in the Eliteserien shows that the clubs themselves largely hope Glimt will succeed, while the supporters largely hope Glimt fails. In front of news, Kjetil Knutsen responds as follows when asked if he thinks it is good for Norwegian football in general that his team makes it to the Champions League: – That was a good question. If there are divided opinions about it, I think that they do not understand the significance of Norwegian teams participating in Europe and that we are actually developing Norwegian football together. There’s a pretty simple answer to that. Those who see it as a negative thing for Norwegian football, I think they need to think again and perhaps understand what it means for Norwegian teams to participate in Europe, says Knutsen to news. Is it good for Norwegian football if Glimt qualifies for the Champions League now? – Of course we hope Glimt succeeds Eirik Bjørnø, general manager at Viking, is on the same wavelength as the Glimt coach. He is crossing his fingers for Norwegian advancement on Wednesday evening. – Of course we hope Bodø/Glimt succeeds in qualifying for the Champions League. It is good for Norwegian football that we have teams that enter the group stage, and getting a team into the world’s best club tournament will mean a lot for our league ranking and not least Norwegian football’s reputation, Bjørnø asserts to news. He believes one of the main arguments is that a higher league ranking will mean more places in European tournaments for Norwegian teams in future seasons. – One day it may be us who benefit from their success. The value of players who are sold out of Norway will probably also increase with Norwegian participation in the Champions League, so there are many synergies here that hopefully more than Bodø will benefit from, believes Bjørnø. Viking leader Eirik Bjørnø. Photo: Jan Kåre Ness / NTB – We have to stop with the naivety He does not get support from his own supporters. Roar Åkerlund, leader of the Viking hordes, certainly does not support Glimt on Wednesday evening. – We must stop with the naivety that collective success benefits Norwegian football. Norwegian football needs people in the stands, to be talked about during the lunch break and to have kits from Norwegian teams worn by the children in the school yard. You get this by creating belonging, loyalty and interest. Not by cheering each other on, Åkerlund begins. – Does anyone in Norway think that Brighton fans cheer for Manchester City in Europe because it is positive for English football that City succeeds? Norwegian football does not get better by cheering each other on, it becomes less interesting and it creates less rivalry, he believes. The Viking supporters are not alone in hoping Glimt breaks in Wednesday’s fateful match. Kanari-Fansen, Klanen, Godsetunionen and Kjernen also answer the same (see fact box). This is what the supporters of Glimt rivals Erling Rostvåg, spokesperson for the VIF supporters Klanen, think: – We do not want that (for Glimt to qualify for the Champions League). The sums they then receive are so astronomical that it will make it more difficult for Vålerenga to secure the right players for years to come. From a purely tactical point of view, it may have something to do in the long term, but it requires that everything goes right for Enga for a given period as well. Tony Johansen, Kanari-Fansen spokesperson: – No, we are not hoping for advancement. It is because they will receive several hundred million in their account if they manage to do this. Truls W. Schøne, spokesperson Godsetunionen. – The only team I hope qualifies for the Champions League is Strømsgodset. If another team were to qualify, they would get enormous resources that no one in Norway comes close to, which in turn means an economic advantage we have not seen since the 90s/00s (if not greater). This again means that it is difficult to close the gap for the rest of us. They can once again bring in players from the top shelf, be the best in everything from training facilities, breadth of players, stadium and staff. Yes, it “drips” a few kroner on the clubs they get players from, but we would like to keep them ourselves. The only advantage for the other clubs is any UEFA points for several teams in Europe. If they qualify, it is well deserved, but whether I want them to do so is something else. Espen Viken, spokesperson for the RBK supporters Kjernen: – Rosenborg must focus on itself. It is less bad that teams other than Molde do well. It raises the level of Norwegian football. The board of Kjernen does not support Glimt. But we have 2000 opinions in the supporters club. Roar Åkerlund, leader of VikingHordene: – For Norwegian football, those who cheer for Bodø/Glimt should hope that they qualify, and no one else. We must stop with the naivety that collective success benefits Norwegian football. Norwegian football needs people in the stands, to be talked about during the lunch break and to have kits from Norwegian teams worn by the children in the school yard. You get this by creating belonging, loyalty and interest. Not by cheering each other on. – Does anyone in Norway think that Brigthon fans cheer for Man. City in Europe because it is positive for English football that City succeeds? Norwegian football does not improve by cheering each other on, it becomes less interesting and it creates less rivalry. This is not an opinion based on envy, a card many people often use, especially in Bodø. When you ask supporter managers, you get answers from people who are loyal to their own club, we are not club whores. Mats Mathiassen, board member for the Molde supporters Tornekrattet: – Tornekrattet does not want to take a position on this matter, we concentrate on our own team. But Eirik Bjørnø in Viking gets support from the club managers in the other elite series clubs. – It is important that Norwegian clubs perform well Erik Espeseth, general manager of Vålerenga, agrees with his colleague from Stavanger that it will be good for Norwegian football if Glimt qualifies for the Champions League’s group stage. – For Norwegian club football, it is important that the national teams perform well and participate in championships, including the very positive fact that the U-21 national team has again qualified for next year’s European Championship play-offs. Furthermore, it is important that Norwegian clubs perform well in Europe, as it will make future qualifications easier – where Vålerenga has a goal to be part of. It will also open up the possibility for more teams to participate in qualification, says the VIF boss. Erik Espeseth in Vålerenga. Photo: Vegard Wivestad Grøtt / NTB Ole Erik Stavrum, Molde’s general manager, and Lillestrøm’s general manager Robert Lauritsen, answer practically the same thing: – We hope all teams qualify for the group stage in Europe. This is important and positive for Norwegian football, writes Stavrum in an e-mail to news. – I hope that more teams in Norway qualify for various UEFA play-offs, this is good for Norwegian football, agrees LSK-Lauritsen. – Exemplary club management Magne Jordan Nilsen, general manager of Strømsgodset, believes Glimt’s success will create added value and help make the Eliteserien more attractive. – It also generates increased income for the clubs through solidarity funds from UEFA, Jordan Nilsen points out to news. He says Godset is inspired by what Glimt does. – It shows what is possible to achieve with hard and targeted work, as well as the ability and knowledge to make good choices and stick to a clear strategy over time. Exemplary club management for which they are now being rewarded, says the Godset manager. RBK with a diffuse answer Tore Bjørseth Berdal, acting general manager in Rosenborg, will not answer whether he is rooting for Glimt in Wednesday’s match. But he praises Aspmyra’s competitors if they succeed: – Glimt has done a fantastic job in getting to the position they are in now. And they have done it with sporting achievements – on their own – without significant contributions from wealthy investors. If they manage to qualify, we can only congratulate them on a fantastic achievement. Then we in Rosenborg have to make sure that we perform well enough to get the same opportunity before long, says Berdal to news. The match between Dinamo Zagreb and Bodø/Glimt kicks off at 21:00 Wednesday match. It is broadcast on TV 2 or can be followed on the radio on news Sport.
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