Football Season Guide

Fredrikstad had an objectively strong and satisfying season in which they were always at least in mid-table and at times threatened to challenge for the European places. Yet it all felt a bit flat and directionless for them once they went out of European competitions, having drawn the best team in the competition in Crystal Place in play-off round. That was probably natural given that the season fell short to the exhilaration of winning the cup and finishing ever so high as newcomers the year before that and there should be a natural check for the fans to realise that Fredrikstad cannot be expected to be in Europe every year. Now they start with renewed drive and optimism that they can nudge them way among the best teams in the league again and also conviction that Andreas Hagen is the man to take them there. He has assumed the role as a full-time coach after being initially an assistant and while he has done generally all right so far, the feeling persist that he may lack a bit of the charisma and drive that defined his predecessor, Mikkjal Tomasson, who got so much out of the squad back when he got them up. The squad, beefed up for the extra games last year, does look leaner and shorter on options in some areas ahead of the new season. Star defender Maxwell Woledzi has followed Fallou Fall to the MLS while Leonard Owusu, Patrick Metraclfe, Stian Molde and Joannes Bjartalid are other notable and importance departures. There are some good additions too, with Samuel Leach Holm someone who can become a leader in midfield after a few excellent years in Sweden. But the other arrivals are very much unproven and it is not clear how quickly they can make the step up. Still, Alexander Andreasson, coming from Stabaek looks like a promising capture. Attacker Johannes Nunez has not impressed since joining last summer and has a lot to prove while a few others at the back will need to find their game and make the team more solid as a whole if they are to make a run for the top six. The ingredients are there for that to happen and Fredrikstad can certainly make some top teams quake in their boots when they face them.