– He has had a brilliant start to the season, says Tomas Taecke, football journalist in Belgian Het Laatste Nieuws, to news. Taecke has followed Club Brugge closely for a number of years and is full of praise for what Vetlesen has delivered since he bought the club free from Bodø/Glimt for a total of around NOK 65 million. Norway meets Jordan in a private international match on Thursday at 19.00 at the Ullevaal stadium. You can listen to the match on news Sport, the broadcast starts at 18.45. Club Brugge is fighting at the top of the Belgian elite series after five rounds. In five league games, and six games in qualifying for the Serie Liga, Vetlesen has started nine out of eleven. – He has really done well. Everyone knows that he was a good player in Norway, and Vetlesen joined the club together with two other signings from Poland and Bulgaria. Three good players in their own league, but with all due respect, there are three leagues that are at a lower level than the Belgian one. We therefore had some question marks. But Hugo has really delivered, says Taecke on the phone from Belgium. FAVORITE: Hugo Vetlesen has already gained a good reputation among Belgian football fans. Photo: BRUNO FAHY / AFP – Very intelligent guy The seasoned football reporter believes the Norwegian 23-year-old has caused both club and supporters to turn a blind eye. – People are surprised by Vetlesen, especially since it has happened so quickly. We could see early on that he has qualities, but also internally at the club they thought he would need more time. But he plays as if he has been in the Belgian league for several years. – I spoke to his parents when we were in Aarhus and Club Brugge played a qualifying match, and it was easy to see that these were down-to-earth and intelligent people. The same with Hugo, we understood early on that this is a very intelligent guy. He helps, adds Taecke. Hugo Vetlesen himself is delighted with the way he has started in Belgium. – I thought maybe it would take a little longer when I went to a new club, but I have settled in well, both in the club and in the group. I have nice people around me, while at the same time I have taken the space needed to be able to play and perform at the same time. It has been good, says the 23-year-old. FIRM: Hugo Vetlesen has played his way to a permanent place in the Club Brugge team. Photo: BRUNO FAHY / AFP Skeptical Solbakken National team manager Ståle Solbakken is keeping a close eye on what Vetlesen is doing in Belgium. In contrast to Taecke, Solbakken has somewhat mixed feelings about what he has seen of the former Glimt and Stabæk player so far. – He has played in a slightly different role as one of two defensive players. Some of it has been good, and some not so good. But he has played a lot for a good team, has a good coach (Ronny Deila) and has all the prerequisites to develop, says Solbakken to news. – What has not been so good? – What we see as his greatest strength is actually his running into the field and the player he is in the final third. There, he has been tied down by the fact that he has four players in front of him all the time and then has to wait for the race that he is perhaps best at. He has probably spent a lot of effort on being sure to do the defensive job, and that he fulfills the role that is new to him, tactically speaking, believes Solbakken. THE CHIEF: Erling Braut Haaland and national team manager Ståle Solbakken during training for the national football team in Lillestrøm on Wednesday ahead of the private international match against Jordan. Photo: Frederik Ringnes / NTB – Everything is a step up Vetlesen himself takes on the new role with great composure. – I’ve played there before, both in Stabæk and when I was younger, so it’s not completely unknown. It has been a new experience, but I know I have handled it well and delivered good matches, he says to news. – What is the biggest difference between Club Brugge and Glimt? – Everything is a step up. One thing is the facilities and everything around, it’s a much, much bigger club, without a doubt. The level is higher in the league, there are tighter and more even matches, all the players are a notch better. It has been a good learning experience, I feel I have picked up the pace and level very well, he says. It also doesn’t hurt that Club Brugge is coached by Norwegian Ronny Deila. – Ronny has been very good, we have got results after last year which was not too good. We have had a good start, both the coaching team and the club are on the right track.
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– People are surprised by Vetlesen – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
