Football Season Guide

If any side in Norwegian football know their place it's Sogndal. They are a club who have always lived within their means, and a successful season for them is steering clear of relegation. Last season they actually looked set to confound critics further by breaking into the top ten, but a late autumn slump saw them end 11th, five points clear of the bottom three. That's still a hugely successful season for Erik Bakke's side, and more of the same this year with a young inexperienced team would be more than welcomed. The young goalkeeper Mathias Dyngeland epitomises the faith the club have with young hungry players, who have bags of talent but sometimes lack the cutting edge that can be the difference between success and failure in the league. But defensively Sogndal have lost quite a bit of experience that might prove costly. Hannu Patronen was an ever present in the last couple of seasons, and he leaves a gaping hole in the back four. It will be up to right back Taijo Teniste to guide younger defenders like Bjorn Inge Utvik and Victor Grodas, while the club also hopes Christopher Psyche will have as productive a season as he did in 2016. In midfield a lot rests on Henrik Furebotn and Gilbert Komsoon who had magnificent seasons last year, but will the club manage to hold onto both of them? The signing of Chidiebere Nwakali might prove to be one of the bargains of the season. Nwakali was a bright spark in a dreadful Start team last year, and his talent meant that there was no way he would be joining them in the league below. Will he still be haunted by the misery at Kristiansand last season, or will he flourish in another team that are expected to be in the lower reaches of the league? The loss of Mahatma Otoo leaves Sogndal very thin on the ground in the final third. Ole Amun Sveen had a fine season in 2016, but there's a nagging feeling that there aren't enough goals in this team to worry the opposition. Which is why it is paramount that Sogndal organise themselves defensively again. Pre-season results have not been great. 4-0 and 5-0 thrashings at the hand of Lillestrom and Stromsgodset respectively shows there's a lot of work to still be done if Sogndal are to keep their heads above water. This will be another season where hard work, organisation and team spirit are keys for Sogndal if they are to survive. They should have enough to keep at least two teams below them come the end of the season, but history shows they are never far away from falling on the wrong side of the dotted line in the table, and another nail biting season might be approaching for the club. But Bakke deserves all the credit in the world for the way he galvanised the club last season, as they were never ever in danger of taking the step down from the top flight, which is why there is optimism around the place. Sogndal believe they can surprise people again, but points on the board as quickly as possible will certainly be a priority.