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The overlooked rise of another European talent factory...
FK Bodø/Glimt: A thread.
FK Bodø/Glimt: A thread.
December 3rd 2020: Jens Petter Hauge has scored yet again for AC Milan. The 21 year-old has his third goal in just eight games since his €5m move from the Eliteserien champions Bodø to ‘I Rossoneri’ - and having fit seamlessly into Stefano Piolo’s side, it’s his shirt to lose.
It has been a meteoric rise for the boy from Bodø. Signing his first professional contract at just 16 years old, the prodigy managed 24 appearances in his first full season; albeit agonisingly ending in relegation. This was to be Glimt’s 3rd stint in the second tier in 10 years.
They immediately returned to the Eliteserien under manager Aasmund Bjørkan, amassing 22 wins from 30 - with Hauge managing 13 assists along the way; not bad for a 17 year old kid.
However, the activities that followed over the off-season window would go on to change everything.
However, the activities that followed over the off-season window would go on to change everything.
Club stalwart Bjørkan stood down as boss, taking on the role of Director. He handed over the managerial reigns to his assistant, Kjetil Knutsen, which was an odd move on paper; he had been sacked at second-tier Åsane just two years before.
It turned out to be a stroke of genius.
It turned out to be a stroke of genius.
Within just three seasons, Bodø/Glimt have won the Eliteserien - and by some margin too. Having endured years of mundane footballing drudgery, the virtuoso of Knutsen has rewarded Bodø/Glimt with the biggest prize in Norwegian football for the first time ever. How has he done it?
Recruitment is key to any business, and Bodø have executed it perfectly. Not boasting the riches of other clubs such as Rosenborg or Molde, they’ve looked for value - and by signing top scorer Kasper Junker for £600k and winger Philip Zinckernagel for £180k, they’ve struck gold.
Knutsen guided Bodø/Glimt to 11th in his first season as boss - not exactly eyebrow raising with just six wins, but he was already laying the foundations.
Having raised £3m upon his arrival - with Matthias Normann’s sale to Brighton providing half of that - Knutsen spent wisely.
Having raised £3m upon his arrival - with Matthias Normann’s sale to Brighton providing half of that - Knutsen spent wisely.
Bringing in the tricky Dane Philip Zinckernagel from SönderjyskE for just £180k, whilst also allowing the youthful Håkon Evjen to flourish in midfield alongside maestro Ulrik Saltnes, Bodø/Glimt ended up finishing 2nd in the Eliteserien - their highest finish since 2003.
Knutsen’s playing style was obvious for all to see - he’d transformed the Nordland club from the Norwegian resemblance of Burnley to a Pep-inspired Manchester City in just two seasons. Picking up European qualification for the first time in 16 years along the way, fans rejoiced.
Soon enough, clubs started to take note of key players. Evjen was linked to Manchester City after grabbing 13 goals and 6 assists in 29 games, before Dutch giants AZ Alkmaar came calling and stumped up £2.5m for his services - a Bodø/Glimt record sale at the time.
They now had money in the coffers, and after selling striker Amor Layouni to Egypt for £1.5m, Bodø became renowned as a factory of talent - reminiscent of a Norwegian Salzburg. Amazingly, to this day, they’ve only paid a fee for a player eight times in their entire history.
Zinckernagel had started to click, Hauge had developed immensely both at the club and on loan at Aalesunds, and Knutsen had forged a defensive stability that bore similarities to the great Jose Mourinho sides. All he needed to do was replace Layouni.
Enter Kasper Junker.
Enter Kasper Junker.
With the high-pressing Junker as the spearhead of their attack, Bodø/Glimt were now complete all over the park - and this showed over the course of last season.
Having progressed two rounds in the Europa League, a trip to the San Siro beckened, narrowly losing 3-2 to AC Milan.
Having progressed two rounds in the Europa League, a trip to the San Siro beckened, narrowly losing 3-2 to AC Milan.
Of course, this was where AC not only spotted the potential of Hauge - who got himself on the scoresheet - but it was the game which announced Bodø/Glimt on the European scene.
However, their free-scoring exploits had been prevalent much earlier than this in the Eliteserien...
However, their free-scoring exploits had been prevalent much earlier than this in the Eliteserien...
as they embarked on the best season seen by any Norwegian team in history.
Their first ever Champions League campaign.
27 games played.
23 won.
1 loss.
91 goals for.
13 home games, 13 wins.
6-1, 5-0, 6-1, 6-0, 6-1, 7-0, 5-1.
The best team to ever grace the Eliteserien.
Their first ever Champions League campaign.
27 games played.
23 won.
1 loss.
91 goals for.
13 home games, 13 wins.
6-1, 5-0, 6-1, 6-0, 6-1, 7-0, 5-1.
The best team to ever grace the Eliteserien.
Their talent has been maximised by Knutsen. Keeping a consistent XI where everyone knows their roles is the key; and with consistency comes results. The front 3 have only missed 16/81 combined - with 8 of those alluding to Hauge’s dream AC Milan move.
This, alongside a 4-3-3 system of high pressing, a high engagement line and creativeness has turned them into Norwegian dominators. Averaging 65% possession every time they get the ball, this allows players to get forward freely, optimising chances and therefore goals scored.
And we all know, that when goals are freely scored, then clubs sit up and take notice. Take Brentford and Salzburg for example; the Bees breeding players such as Ollie Watkins, Saïd Benrahma and Neal Maupay, whereas Salzburg can claim Erling Håland, Sadio Mane and Naby Keita.
So where next for Bodø/Glimt?
Their main two assets, Zinckernagel and Junker, have been linked with some top European teams; Fenerbahce and Wolfsburg respectively. Of course, it would be a blow to lose them, but the club now has well over £8m in the bank following their sales.
Their main two assets, Zinckernagel and Junker, have been linked with some top European teams; Fenerbahce and Wolfsburg respectively. Of course, it would be a blow to lose them, but the club now has well over £8m in the bank following their sales.
They also have Champions League prize money to come in, too - so they wouldn’t need to sell any player, but if a tempting offer was to come in from a big club, the player may push for a move - it would be increasingly hard to stand in their way as opposed to keeping them in Bodø.
They’ve done incredibly well to get this far, and having adopted the strategy they’ve taken - not a single title winner had hit their thirties - has been nothing short of sensational. If they can reach the group stages of the UCL, the sky really is the limit for Bodø/Glimt.
