Gjekstad took Vipers Kristiansand to the top of Europe and is open for a new coaching job. – Five years is quite a long time. There is no drama in this, says the 54-year-old, who adds that he is enjoying himself in Vipers. But the finish line has been set. Next summer, Gjekstad packs the Vipers medals into banana boxes and sets off on the course. – When the season is over, it is time to do something else, says the successful coach to news. He promises to go all out for the rest of the season. Thus, it is clear that the country’s most successful handball club in recent years must have a new coach within less than a year. TO THE TOP: Gjekstad took Vipers to international success and is open to a further coaching job – somewhere else. Photo: BERNADETT SZABO / Reuters – Never easy to win Gjekstad should not have invited to negotiations of any kind. – There has been no dialogue, in that sense. I have given notice of my decision, says Gjekstad. – Will you join in the process of finding a replacement? – I will be careful about saying anything about the next coach. It is natural to have a certain dialogue, but I will not influence. – What will be the main challenge for your replacement? – There are plenty of challenges. Winning titles will never be easy. It’s a continuous battle to be strong enough, but I can’t give advice at the moment, he says. To the top of Europe Ole Gustav Gjekstad joined Vipers before the 2018/2019 season. He took over from Kenneth Gabrielsen, who managed to put Vipers on the throne in Norwegian handball with the club’s first victory in the elite series. With Gjekstad in the driver’s seat from 2018, Kristiansandsklubben has continued its journey towards international dominance. The man from Sandefjord has led the club to league gold in the last four seasons and just as many National Championship golds. In the last two seasons, the Vipers have won the Champions League. – It has been very good. But there is still a long time left in my contract. Now the focus is on what will happen in the next few months. I am very motivated now until the end of the season, he says. NEW EMPLOYEE: Vipers had just taken the Norwegian handball throne when Gjekstad got the coaching job in 2018. Since then, the club made a clean sweep in the elite series and NM – and won two championship golds. Photo: Sander Heggheim / news Will continue as coach For Gjekstad, it is obviously many months too early to talk about the Vipers era in the rearview mirror. But some thoughts have been made for the future. – Nothing is settled. But I still have big ambitions as a coach. It is not inconceivable that something in that direction will happen. – A national team job must be tempting then? – I haven’t thought much about it. We’ll see what happens. In any case, it is exciting to enter a new process. Gjekstad is himself a former handball player and played 149 matches and scored 548 goals for the national team in the years 1986 to 1995. He has previously been a coach for Larvik Handball Club and Drammen Handball Club.
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Vipers coach finished after the season – news Sørlandet – Local news, TV and radio
