Also the way this was done is pretty weird. Hege Riise gets promoted to some sort of administrative position at he NFF with a nebulous set of responsibilities and there is no mention at all yet of even an interim replacement which might mean that assistant coach Knudsen will run things temporarily but there have been some rumors going around that some players don't like her either. No clarity at all going forward with the next matches right around the corner. We don't know if some players will retire or step away from the national team even with Riise gone.
Drama behind the scenes before Riise's exit Has a few specific examples of what was going on, with anonymous sources/players of course. I think it was the combo of too-silent Riise and maybe a too brash Knudsen that the players didn't like. I can't imagine they'd let Knudsen coach, or even keep her around. I don't know if they'd keep around any of the original coaching staff. Maybe Stensland? I still feel like they're working on the WC report. Surely the report wouldn't just be, 'Coach bad, she gone.'? I wouldn't be surprised if they did a all-in-one press conference (release?) about the report's findings, Riise's departure and also announcing the interim coach.
Leif Gunnar Smerud was announced as the interim coach for the Nations League games, he previously coached the U-21s from 2014 to 2023.
This is Smerud's second spell as emergency solution. He was in charge of Norway’s WNT in two matches (NOR 0-0 SWE // GER 1-1 NOR) in the autumn of 2016 before Martin Sjögren took over.
VG: Smerud takes over the women's national football team temporarily NRK: Smerud takes over the WNT for the rest of the year - receives a salary of 850,000 TV2: Smerud takes over the women's national team And here is a commentary piece done Friday, before the Smerud announcement, but still holds true for a long-term coach. I agree with about 97% of it, give or take a point. Now the NFF must hit the mark
Looks like Sophie Román Haug was signed by Liverpool: especially after the World Cup, I was quite sure Roma didn't have much chances to keep her, because she wasn't going to accept to once again live a season as a Valentina Giacinti's super-sub.
Both Brann and Vålerenga safely through to the last hurdle in the UWCL qualifiers before the promised land. Champions Path (Katowice, Poland): Brann 3 – 0 Anderlecht Haugland 21, Crummer 27, Eikeland 84 Full game: League Path (Oslo) Vålerenga 2 – 2 Celtic Tvedten 4, Thorsnes 120+1 --- Loferski 8, Smith 115 11-10 on pens for Vålerenga. VG bought the rights to this game and sadly covered it behind a paywall, but the full shoot-out was filmed by a supporter here: The draw for the next round is on Friday, 15 September. Brann will play against one of these clubs: Slavia Prague, Rosengård, St. Pölten, Glasgow City, Benfica, Zürich or Roma. Vålerenga will play against one of these clubs: Wolfsburg, PSG, Real Madrid, Sparta Prague or Häcken.
Interim head coach Leif Gunnar Smerud announced his first Norway squad today for the Nations League matches against Austria (22 Sep, Oslo) and Portugal (26 Sep, away): GOALKEEPERS Guro Pettersen (Vålerenga), Aurora Mikalsen (SK Brann), Cecilie Fiskerstrand (LSK Kvinner) DEFENDERS Maren Mjelde (Chelsea), Tuva Hansen (Bayern Munich), Guro Bergsvand (Brighton & HA), Mathilde Harviken (Rosenborg), Marit Bratberg Lund (SK Brann), Anja Sønstevold (Inter Milan) MIDFIELDERS Frida Maanum (Arsenal), Thea Bjelde (Vålerenga), Vilde Bøe Risa (Atletico Madrid), Ingrid Engen (Barcelona), Lisa Naalsund (Manchester United), Cesilie Andreassen (Rosenborg) WINGERS / FORWARDS Guro Reiten (Chelsea), Julie Blakstad (Manchester City), Amalie Eikeland (SK Brann), Karina Sævik (Vålerenga), Caroline G. Hansen (Barcelona), Emilie Nautnes (Rosenborg), Sophie Roman Haug (Liverpool), Elisabeth Terland (Brighton & HA) Ada Hegerberg is left out due to fitness problem. Other players missing since the World Cup: Emilie Haavi, Anna Jøsendal and Sara Hørte. Ingvild Stensland and goalkeeper coach Jon Knudsen both remain on the staff. Monica Knudsen is out along with Hege Riise. Both are fired upward in the NFF-system to new office jobs.
Also worth noting that Maria Thorisdottir is once again not called up after being also left out of the World Cup squad. I'm a bit baffled about Haavi not being called up, is she injured?
Still injured. I don't think she is back before Christmas. Smerud just talked about it on the press conference. Haavi was one of the players he made call to before announcing the squad. She was left out because Smerud prefers other types of wingers.
Haavi was left out by Martin Sjögren at the Euros and struggled in the beginning to convince Hege Riise, but later won a starting spot. Smerud didn't go into details, but I presume they don't consider her good enough in the defensive part of the game. We'll see... she might be back in the October selections instead.
I’ve been sloppy with updates from domestic club ball after the World Cup. Tonight the two UWCL clubs completed the weekend’s matchday with the last couple of matches. Vålerenga have wobbled lately and Rosenborg have caught up. LSK are looking stronger and came back from two goals down at Vålerenga tonight and handed Rosenborg the top spot on the table. Brann have four straight wins now. We have an interesting season run-in coming up. 27 rounds, remember (three meetings). TOPPSERIEN 2023 – Matchday 20 Arna Bjørnar 3 – 0 Røa Aas 10, Vedeler 90+3, Sælen 90+4 Avaldsnes 1 – 2 Åsane Hovmark 9 --- Vistnes 45+3, Sunde 71 Lyn 0 – 2 Rosenborg Magnusdottir 48, Olsvik 78 Brann 4 – 0 Stabæk Engesvik 39, Renmark 70, 90, Kvamme 73, Vålerenga 2 – 2 LSK Kvinner Tvedten 15, Löfwenius 36 --- Godø 52, Kyvåg 90+4 TOP SCORERS 12 goals – Anna Aahjem (Lyn), Karina Sævik (Vålerenga) 10 goals – Olaug Tvedten (Vålerenga) 9 goals – Julie Klæboe (Røa) 7 goals – Mimmi Löfwenius (LSK/Vålerenga), Anna Jøsendal (Rosenborg), Melissa Bjånesøy (Stabæk), Marit Bratberg Lund (Brann) 6 goals – Miljana Ivanovic (Arna Bjørnar), Maria Hovmark (Avaldsnes), Emma Godø (LSK), Emilie Nautnes (Rosenborg), Elin Sørum (Rosenborg), Tuva Espås (Røa), Andrine Mo (Åsane), Thea Bjelde (Vålerenga) NEXT MATCHDAY – 16 September Avaldsnes – Brann LSK Kvinner – Lyn Stabæk – Arna Bjørnar Åsane – Vålerenga Røa – Rosenborg
The UWCL draw was held today. The last hurdle before the group stage: Vålerenga – Real Madrid First match in Madrid (10/11 Oct), the second in Oslo (18/19 Oct). Vålerenga need their top players to return from injury in order to make this at least remotely competitive. Can’t afford to have Thorsnes as centre-back anymore at this level. Brann – Glasgow City First match in Scotland (10/11 Oct), the second in Bergen (18/19 Oct). Looking at the options, this was a pretty good draw for Brann. New coach Martin Ho has given the club a lift after just a few weeks in charge with his high pressing football. Brann suddenly look like contenders again after playing like a mid-table team for long stretches of the season. Can't miss this opportunity to reach the promised land.
TOPPSERIEN 2023 – Matchday 21 Avaldsnes 0 – 8 Brann Svandal 17(og), Lund 44(p), 70, Eikeland 45+3, 52, Brochmann 73, 86, Engesvik 84 LSK Kvinner 1 – 1 Lyn Christensen 60 --- Melgård 82 Stabæk 1 – 0 Arna Bjørnar Kruse 7 Åsane 1 – 1 Vålerenga Kroken 90+5 --- Sigurdardottir 83 Røa 0 – 3 Rosenborg Andreassen 18, Hørte 53, Nautnes 80 I can’t ever remember watching a dominant team in the first half of the Toppserien season crumble like Vålerenga are doing now in the second part. Vålerenga had a nine point lead at one stage to Rosenborg, and are now trailing by three points to them instead. Only two wins in the last eight matches and a bunch of draws, like the bitter one yesterday. Rosenborg are not in Europe this season and have less distractions in the coming weeks. That should count in their favour as they try to win the first league championship since making the transition from Trondheims-Ørn to Rosenborg. In other matches, Brann completely humiliated John Arne Riise’s Avaldsnes, who are now looking more and more like a relegation team. TOP SCORERS 12 goals – Anna Aahjem (Lyn), Karina Sævik (Vålerenga) 10 goals – Olaug Tvedten (Vålerenga) 9 goals – Marit Bratberg Lund (Brann), Julie Klæboe (Røa) 7 goals – Mimmi Löfwenius (Vålerenga/LSK), Anna Jøsendal (Rosenborg), Emilie Nautnes (Rosenborg), Melissa Bjånesøy (Stabæk) 6 goals – Miljana Ivanovic (Arna Bjørnar/LSK), Maria Hovmark (Avaldsnes), Maria Brochmann (Brann) Emma Godø (LSK), Elin Sørum (Rosenborg), Tuva Espås (Røa), Andrine Mo (Åsane), Thea Bjelde (Vålerenga) NEXT MATCHDAY – 4/7 October Brann – Røa Vålerenga – Arna Bjørnar Lyn – Avaldsnes Rosenborg – Åsane Stabæk – LSK Kvinner
Talking about Europe-distractions: this kind of form doesn't seem to bode well for Vålerenga's run in Champions' League, that's anyway so crucial for Norwegian League to keep their two Champions' League spots. What do you think, @Bauser? Do they have any chance to advance to the group stage vs Real Madrid? "Humiliated" and "John Arne Riise" should always sit together in a same sentence. I hope this season spells the end of the road for that clown.
I'm surprised Riise wasn't fire earlier, there were already talks of him getting fired at the end of last season.
I can’t see how Vålerenga can beat Real Madrid over two legs at the moment. It will take a miracle – or two. Brann will need to do the job for Norway against Glasgow City in regards of the ranking points.
U23 match today at Bryne stadium: Norway 1 – 1 England Kyvåg 79 --- Beever-Jones 76 12 Sunniva Skoglund 2 Emilie Woldvik (c) (Selma Løvås at HT) 4 Emilie Bragstad 7 Celin Bizet Ildhusøy 9 Cathinka Tandberg 11 Emma Godø 13 Sara Hørte 17 Synne Brønstad 18 Nora Håheim (Thea Kyvåg at 57 min) 19 Julie Aune Jorde 21 Sara Fornes (Silje Helgesen at 77 min) --------------------- 1 Lucy Thomas 2 Ella Morris 3 Poppy Pattinson 4 Ruby Mace 5 Mia Ross 6 Kiera Skeels 7 Jessica Naz 8 Missy Bo Kearns (c) 9 Aggie Beever-Jones 10 Laura Blindkilde Brown (Freya Gregory at 61 min) 11 Grace Clinton
Nations League, Matchday 1 (Olympic qualifiers) Norway 1 – 1 Austria Sævik 26 --- Campbell 72 This was a night of near misses and a bitter draw. Norway looked strong in the first half of Leif Gunnar Smerud’s first game in charge, and should have buried the game by half time, but big chances were squandered. Guro Reiten missed a penalty in the opening stages. Karina Sævik opened the score when she knocked in a rebound after Caro Hansen created chaos outside the box. I think Norway had four or five efforts against the crossbar in this game, a Maanum goal dubiously disallowed for offside (no VAR) and another penalty appeal turned down. Austria started better in the second half, and created a few minor chances before they equalized with a wonderful shot into the top corner. -------------------- Sævik ------ Haug Maanum --------- Reiten ----- Engen ------- CG Hansen Bratberg Lund ---- Bergsvand ---- Mjelde ------ Bjelde --------------------------- Mikalsen Substitutions: 46 min – Tuva Hansen for Thea Bjelde 73 min – Lisa Naalsund for Karina Sævik 88 min – Elisabeth Terland for Caroline G. Hansen