– I didn’t enjoy football and didn’t have any fun. I was very close to just throwing in the towel, putting my shoes on the shelf and thinking about something else. Because I had no joy in everyday life, says Dragsnes to news. He takes time for a long chat before Saturday’s spectacular cup final against Brann, where he himself gets an important role as a wing-back on LSK’s left side. Dragsnes is not the one who gets the most attention, but actually it is a small adventure story that means that he is considered one of the most important pieces on one of Norway’s best teams right now. Vetle Dragsnes has gained momentum in his career in LSK. Photo: NTB Dragsnes was a junior player in precisely LSK, but was never offered a professional contract. – He was bad Today he describes the period after the 2013 season, his last as a junior player in LSK, as “a dark period”. He had struggled with his body over a long period, felt he was not developing and was not successful in basically everything he tried out on the pitch. – It just got darker and darker and heavier and heavier, he recalls today. But worst of all: He had no idea why it was like that. – I played with Vetle on the junior team. He was badass. So that I would see him here again, I really didn’t believe them, says Lillestrøm’s Ruben Gabrielsen today. Vetle Dragsnes (number two from left behind) had a tough time as a junior player in LSK. Photo: Privat Was abandoned by the father A jogging trip with dad Odd Dragsnes was to be both a slap in the face and a real wake-up call for both father and the 19-year-old son. – My father was over 50 years old, and we were supposed to have a quiet session together. Ten minutes into the jog I felt I couldn’t hang on to him. And I knew that I would actually be able to do that. Then I realized that something was really wrong, says Dragsnes himself. – We had probably run a couple of kilometres, and then he couldn’t do any more. The body simply could not stand the pace. I was very surprised at how bad it was. Something was terribly wrong, says father Odd Dragsnes to news. It was after that jog that they decided to find out once and for all what the problem was. Vetle Dragsnes has become a fan favorite at Åråsen. Photo: NTB Pappa Odd, who himself won gold with LSK in the cup final for juniors in 1981, remembers the period very well. Together they went to both a naprapath and a chiropractor, but it would take time before they became any wiser. It took almost a year before they found out that the answer lay in overtraining. – Can say more about the person Vetle Later, when he was on loan in Egersund from Strømmen two years later, Dragsnes was to be reinstated once again when it turned out that he had trained with the kissing bug. The father says his son is biologically 29 years old, but that he “should have 3.5 years to go after all the hardships”. – I can say many good things about the footballer Vetle, but even more about the person Vetle, who has stood through all that. It has simply been impressive, says dad Odd. – Sticking with it and working hard over time, it pays off. There are many examples of that. I have experienced that the hard way, but it is definitely worth it, says Vetle Dragsnes himself. In recent years, he has really gained momentum in his football career and established himself on LSK’s left side. But really it was by chance that he ended up as a left-back, it happened when one of his best friends at Ull/Kisa damaged his cruciate ligament and the coach decided to try him in that position. It was in Ull/Kisa Vetle Dragsnes, who actually played on the wing, that he was tried at left back for the first time. It was a stroke of luck. Photo: Ull/Kisa – Absolutely extraordinary Since then, he hasn’t looked back. LSK coach Geir Bakke has a great sense of the “stay ability” the 29-year-old from Rælingen has demonstrated throughout his career. – Many people give up as soon as the red carpet is not rolled out. But sometimes you have to work a bit against the wind, and he has done that. Then you become stronger when you succeed too, because then you have experienced that feeling of not succeeding, and know you have to do the work yourself. He has been absolutely extraordinary there, says Bakke to news. The LSK coach points out that Dragsnes is “never” injured, that he can probably play 90 minutes three days a week if needed, is an extremely well-trained player and is constantly developing. – I feel he becomes a new version of himself every season, and he has even more to go on, says Bakke, and emphasizes: – He is definitely on the block for Ståle (Solbakken). Ruben Gabrielsen and Vetle Dragsnes played together on LSK’s junior team. The former was not particularly impressed. Photo: NTB – Almost pissed in his panties Ruben Gabrielsen is speechless with admiration for the journey Dragsnes has had since he remembers him as “bad ass” when they played together on the junior team. – He has done a lot of things right, and now he is a fantastic footballer. He works hard every day. Steinhardt every day. He has become a leader, too. He was very scared before. If you screamed “boo”, he pretty much pissed his panties. Now he is the one standing and screaming on the training field. It’s great fun to see such a character unfold, says Gabrielsen. He believes that there is much that can be learned from the history of Vetle Dragsnes. – Football and life are the same. It goes up and down. You don’t fly in the clouds all the time. You can’t give up when the odds are against you, says the LSK stopper. Vetle Dragsnes has had some great moments as an LSK player this season. On Saturday, he hopes for one more. Photo: BILDBYRÅN Dragsnes is probably one of the first names to be written up when Geir Bakke is to field an eleven for the cup final. Backen is looking forward to the biggest single match of his career so far. – It will be a great experience with a packed Ullevaal and a cup final. It’s something I’m really looking forward to. There is something about being allowed to play a cup final with the club in my heart. It will be very big. The cup final kicks off on Saturday at 16.00 and is broadcast on news 1.
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Was overtaken by his father on a jogging trip – then the LSK profile realized that something was seriously wrong – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
