Bodo/Glimt Q&A: This is a bonus for them!

Bodo/Glimt have been Norway’s strongest team for half a decade and could win their fourth Eliteserien title in five seasons at the weekend - victory over Lillestrom will be enough to see off the challenge of Brann, who have closed a significant gap at the top of the table in recent weeks.

Before that though, there’s an inaugural trip to Old Trafford to look forward to, in a match which marks Ruben Amorim’s first game in our home dugout.

We spoke to TV2 journalist Lars Magnus Igland Roys to learn more about the Norwegians and their remarkable recent ascent under Kjetil Knutsen…

Just tell us a little bit more about Bodo/Glimt as a team. They’ve won three of the last four Norwegian titles, but traditionally they’re quite a small team, aren’t they?
“Yeah, so historically they haven’t been a massive club at all. However, in the last few years they've dominated Norwegian football. They’ve played in the Conference League and the Europa League, and famously beat Jose Mourinho's Roma 6-1 in the latter. They are a very attacking team, they play an aggressive 4-3-3 formation. They want to keep the ball. United will probably look to hit them on the counter whenever they can, but Bodo/Glimt are very good at covering counter-attacks. They’re very aggressive in the press and they like winning the ball back.”

Where has the success come from, over the last few years?
“They really dominated Norwegian football the last few years and with their achievements in Europe, they obviously earned a lot of money. That means they've been able to sell their best players and, if they haven't worked out at their new club, bring them back. For example, Patrick Berg, who went to Ligue Un and played for Lens for not very many months, and then he was brought back. There’s Hakon Evjen, who played for Alkmaar and Philip Zinckernagel, who they brought back from Club Brugge, plus Jens Petter Hauge. He won the Europa League with Frankfurt, he's back on an initial loan, but they can buy him for €5 million. Norwegian clubs buying players for €5 million… it’s only Bodo/Glimt who can do that. It’s a different level and they should win the league every year now.”

It’s not gone all their own way this season though, has it?
“No, it’s been very interesting. They led the league by 10 points when they visited Brann in Bergen [in September], however, in recent weeks Bodo/Glimt’s form has massively dipped. They’ve had a few draws and they lost to Rosenborg, which is their only home defeat of the season. It’s been a very chaotic last few weeks and they find themselves in a battle for the league title, which should never really have taken place. So now they're coming into the final game of the season, only one point ahead of Brann. They have a very important match against Lillestrom on Sunday for the league title, which also earns them a play-off spot for the Champions League, and a lot of money. So that game on Sunday, they really have to win. The Man United game is a bonus.”

We know how big United are in Norway though, so is this still seen as a big game?
“Of course, it's a massive game. I think the tickets sold out in a few minutes with the Scandinavian Supporters Club and I think over 6,000 Bodo/Glimt fans are travelling to Manchester. When I arrived on Sunday in Manchester, there were people on my flight with kits on. So yeah, there are going to be lots of yellow shirts in the city centre come Thursday. They won’t cause any trouble, but they’ll make themselves known. It’s a massive occasion for Bodo/Glimt and it's a big credit to them for what they've done in the last few years. They’ve also upset a few teams in Europe before, so I wouldn’t rule it out them having a good performance at Old Trafford. However, I do think and the manager has also said that he probably will rest players, considering they have that massively important game on the Sunday.”

If you look at their European results so far, they’ve had a decent season, beating Porto and Braga already…
“Yeah, so I think if they are to qualify amongst the top eight, I think they would have to get a result at Old Trafford. However, they have really performed well in Europe and it's no surprise that they were able to beat a team as good as Porto at home - some actually called that one of the strongest results of Bodo/Glimt in recent history. They’ve been very unfortunate not to make the Champions League in the last few years – they’ve been in the play-offs twice and lost to Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade. Thursday though is a massive occasion for Norwegian football and if they can beat Manchester United, it will be one of the most famous wins in Norwegian football history.”

Manager Kjetil Knutsen is the mastermind behind the recent success and he’s been linked with bigger clubs…
“I think he actually turned down Ajax. He's a talent and the genius that has made it all happen. Bodo/Glimt were a team that went back and forth between divisions, but since he’s come in he’s almost built a football dynasty in Norway. They were the first team in Norway to score over 100 goals – that was in 2020, in only 30 games, if I'm not mistaken. I think he really wants to take them to the Champions League. I think that's the only reason why he hasn't left. He’s very loyal to the project. He doesn't want to speak to any clubs… I think it would have to be an off-season or a really humongous club would have to come in for him. I think you could say he is definitely one of the best coaches in Europe, considering what he’s achieved.”

And that’s benefited Norwegian football, hasn’t it?
“Yes, Norway now gets two Champions League play-off qualifying spots in the league instead of one. That's because Bodo/Glimt has been so successful in Europe. We have teams doing well in the Conference League and Norwegian football is only getting better and he's doing a tremendous job.”

Assuming he doesn’t rotate too heavily, who are the players for United fans to look out for on Thursday?
“The best player is Patrick Berg. He's the defensive midfielder and the one who keeps them ticking. He plays for Norway and he’s from the famous Berg family. All his family played for Norway and the biggest club legend is his grandfather. He has a good shot on him and dictates the play. I reckon Ruben Amorim will know that and possibly put a man on Patrick Berg. I wouldn't be surprised to see Ugarte or Casemiro or Bruno maybe trying to press him as much as possible. Nikita Haikin, the goalkeeper, is very strong. He’s made some outrageous, match-saving saves in injury-time this season, penalties and all sorts. He’s a quality goalkeeper and United will do well to beat him. Then there’s Jens Petter Hauge. He’s found form in recent weeks and has returned to the national team after a few years out. I’d say those are the three to look out for, should they play.”

It’s Ruben Amorim’s first home game in charge. United’s popularity in Norway is huge, so what has the reaction been to his appointment?
“Everyone speaks so highly of Ruben Amorim and we’re very excited to see what he's about. I think you get smitten by his charisma. Obviously we know how well he's done with Sporting, with the help of his own Scandinavian superstar, in [Viktor] Gyokeres. He’s done really well and I think the Norwegian fans are very positive about Amorim. That's the overall take on it and I think it's fun for Norwegian fans that this first home game will be against a Norwegian team. Yeah, so it's massive, but I do think he has to win that one!”