Football Season Review

Champions: Bodø/Glimt

Bodø/Glimt looked to be on the upward trajectory from the word go after a superb last season where they challenged for the title until the end. Kjetil Knutsen has clearly prepared his side really well from the start and performances in the first two games, scoring ten goals against good sides like Viking and Haugesund, immediately showed that this team meant business and was there to stay in the race at the top. They had multiple attacking weapons, with the double wing threat of Philip Zinckernagel and the young Jens Petter Hauge tearing defences, while the proactive midfield duo of Ulrik Saltnes and Patrick Berg was difficult to stop too. The team never really lost their focus and let themselves get carried away, winning game after game in simply sensational attacking style, dominating all kinds of opponents, including champions Molde in a 3;1 win. That was the result that really set them apart at the top and they made the most of Molde's stumble in the halfway point of the campaign to build a double-digit point at the summit. The tempo was maintained all the way until the autumn and even after young star Hauge sealed a move to AC Milan, with the team dropping just four points in the opening 20 games. Even their only loss of the season, away at Molde, did not deter them and they still kept on scoring goals for fun until the end of season, celebrating the title with a brilliant dismantling of Rosenborg for a 5:1 win. By the end, they basically capped the best single season by any team in the division ever, breaking almost every conceivable record. What made their success all the more cherished is that it came via smart scouting and homegrown players, with the team growing together for the past 24 months. This is surely their high point as bigger clubs will come calling for Zinckernagel and co. in the months to come but the fans of this small club will always have that magical season where everything worked perfectly in sync.


Player of the Season: Philip Zinckernagel