– The first time the delegates from UEFA came here, they just laughed. “This city will never host a Champions League match”. That’s what commercial manager at the club, Ørjan Heldal, says in the book “Let the right people come in”, a book about Bodø/Glimt published earlier this year. – Then I think most of us thought “We’ll be more about that”. It was more than enough free motivation, says Heldal to news. The delegates in Uefa (the European football confederation) check that the club has facilities that make it ready to play in Europe. During last week’s match against Raude Stjerne, one of the association’s representatives ran around the stadium and photographed the various areas around the pitch both before, during and after the match. At Aspmyra in Bodø there has been a lot to deal with. Do you think Bodø/Glimt will make it to the Champions League? Yes No I don’t care Show result Claim millions At the same time that Glimt receives huge sums from Uefa, the European football confederation comes with a number of demands. Daily manager Frode Thomassen has previously stated that the club spent 20-25 million to equip the club for its first two seasons in Europe. – If there is a championship, then there is something that needs to be addressed, the chairman of Bodø/Glimt, Inge Henning Andersen, told news. CHAIRMAN: Inge Henning Andersen is in place in Belgrade. Photo: Ola Helness / news It is about satisfying requirements for goal line technology, video refereeing and a number of other facilities for the stands and press. – Do they have control over the collar? – Yes, replies the chairman. Ink on 104 pages Back in 2020 it looked completely different. – Uefa send a 104-page long report with “action points”. about everything that was missing, says Heldal in the book “Let the right people come in”. – It was a completely crazy span. Everything from stand-alone sockets to major structural changes, says Heldal to news. At the time, Heldal was event manager in Bodø/Glimt. The 104 points were systematically worked through, Aspmyra got two new stands and in 2021 the club and the home ground were so improved that they can now host semi-finals in the Champions League. – The day we stood there with the proof in hand, the tears came, Heldal says in the book. On Wednesday, the tears may come to many with the heart in Bodø/Glimt if the club makes it to the Champions League. – We are a club in perpetual development. We want to develop in all areas. It is part of our nature. It’s fun to work that way and see possibilities rather than limitations, says Ørjan Heldal, Bodø/Glimt’s commercial manager, to news. Published 28.08.2024, at 17.36
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