Football Season Review

№14: Stabæk

Toni Ordinas looked to build on an encouraging previous seaosn but could not really strengthen the squad and main striker Ohi Omoijuanfo did not look to be at the level from last season. Defensive problems and injuries hampered the team from Bærum early on and they went six games without a win to kick things off. Even if they soon ended the win drought, the team still looked short of ideas and drive and was often being outplayed by some mediocre sides. A streak of five games without scoring in a seven-game stretch raised concerns about the ability of the team to score but around that time Frank Boli emerged as the key player up front, leading by example and showing remarkably versatility along Omoijuanfo in the final third. It was still not enough to save Ordinas from the sack as the Spaniard just seemed spent and unable to bring anything new to the club as the season went on. Henning Berg was lured in to take over as a new boss and he soon shook the squad up, allowing a few regulars like Tony Brochmann and Sayouba Mande to depart and bringing in Aboubakar Keita and Marcus Sandberg into the team. The team did not immediately improve in terms of results but played with a bit more urgency and dynamism. Indeed, they claimed a big scalp in defeating in-form Molde in August. Yet these encouraging signs failed to develop into a longer trend and Stabæk never really managed to get their heads above the water, as they were expected to. A few disastrous results at home in the closing weeks, including late losses and draws from winning positions, seemed to have spelled the end of the club's time in the top-flight. Yet a brilliant win at Odd in the penultimate game of the season raised hopes ahead of a six-pointer against Strømsgodset at home. Berg's side were heading for a win that would keep them up but then conceded a gut-wrenching equaliser in added time, encapsulating what has been a frustrating and trying season, and meant that they faced Aalesund in a play-off clash. A 1:0 home win proved enough as a battling showing in the second leg, earning a 1:1 draw after initially going behind, meant that Stabæk cling on and squeeze to safety after a season in which almost everything went wrong for them.


Player of the Season: Franck Boli