Football Season Guide

HamKam looked doomed early last season after a terrible start but improved steadily as the campaign went on and by the end managed to beat the drop with something to spare, which was a just reward for the club sticking with manager Joackim Michelsen when the going was tough. HamKam this season are unlikely to be too different from the incarnation from 2023 as they will look to pack the defence and keep it tight at the back while springing on the counter and using their height advantage from set-pieces to edge enough games. The most notable of the three new winter additions is wing-back Snorre Nielsen, who was one of Kristiansund's best players last season and has Eliteserien experience. They have not lost too many unprotect members of last season's squad but still need some depth in areas and have ageing players like Pål Kirkevold, John Olav Norheim and Frederik Sjølstad, who are unlikely to keep the same level as in recent years for too long. That said, Michelsen knows how to milk results against teams at the lower end of the table and HamKam look like they have enough in their ranks to be one of the stable mid-table sides this season.