Return of the Alchemist

Rabbie Burns, Alex Salmond, Wiliam Wallace, Alexander Graham Bell, are your boys going to take a hell of a beating? While George Burley’s fixture wishes did come true, there should be a much bigger concern among Scottish fans before this summer’s World Cup qualifier against Norway. Suddenly there is a distinct sense of purpose and self-belief starting to spread throughout Norwegian football and it’s all permeating from the coach everyone thought had slipped permanently into the history books. Egil Olsen is back in charge.

It has taken just two months and one game to turn the collective mood of Norwegian football from resignation and disillusionment to an air of invincibility and genuine hope that the glory days are back. After a disastrous 2008 in which they didn’t win a single game, head coach Åge Hareide’s resignation was expected but there were still no sign of a bright new dawn, with a noticeable lack of enthusiasm about any of his possible successors. Roy Hodgson was never going to leave the riches of the Premier League for a return to Scandinavia and Norway’s most successful foreign coach, Trond Sollied, still had unfinished business with Heerenveen in the Dutch League. Jan Jönsson, the Swede who lead Stabæk to their first Norwegian league title last year was admired for the team’s attractive football, but had also relied heavily on foreign imports. When even Hareide’s uninspiring predecessor, Nils Johan Semb, was mentioned as a possible candidate, Norwegian fans could be excused for seeing no light at the end of the tunnel.

Then in a rare moment of inspiration the Norwegian FA decided to hire the same interim manager as they had done two decades ago. When Egil Olsen was promoted from the U21 team to take temporally charge of the senior squad in 1990, it was the catalyst for the most successful years in Norwegian football. Wins in qualifying matches over Italy, Holland and England were among the highlights as he led Norway to successive World Cups in 94 and 98, their first major championships since 1938.

Having drawn with Morocco in the opening group game in France in 1998 and denied a victory against Scotland by Craig Burley, Norway and Olsen was supposed to bow out gracefully against Brazil. A win for either Scotland or Morocco in their last group encounter meant Norway would have to beat the reigning world champions to qualify for the second stage of the tournament. With Scotland again self-imploding against a rampant Moroccan side, everything was following the expected script. When Bebeto made it 1-0 to Brazil in the 78th minute, nobody could have envisaged that the twelve greatest minutes in Norwegian sporting history were about to unfold. First Tore Andre Flo equalised with a sublime goal before Norway was awarded a penalty with three minutes left. With a collective nation hiding behind the couch, Kjetil Rekdal stepped up in his yellow boots and fired Norway into the second round of the world cup and crowning Olsen’s reign with the most incredible of wins.

The next decade was not as successful for Olsen. He was fired by Wimbledon as the club headed towards relegation and a new existence as MK Dons, had mixed success with two Norwegian clubs and a bewildering spell in charge of the Iraqi national team. His fortunes were mirrored by those of the Norway team who experienced a gradual decline, reaching it’s nadir in 2008 as they face the distinct possibility of missing on qualification to the fifth major tournament in a row. After all their history together, it seems that there are still some unfinished business between Olsen and Norway. His appointment as caretaker manager at 66 years of age, though very surprising, seems to have galvanized both the football community and the coach who lead the team to its greatest triumphs. The players who had looked so disinterested and devoid of passion during Hareide’s reign, seemed re-born in Olsen’s first game in charge, away to Germany. An impressive 1-0 victory in Dusseldorf was the result, which flattered the hosts more than a Norwegian team without it’s biggest star, John Carew.

While a friendly win against a German team just back from their winter league break is not conclusive proof of the resurgence of Norwegian football, its supporters are certainty not splitting hairs. Where they once had misgiving about Olsen’s regime of defensive discipline and supposed long-ball tactics, they seem to have realised that Norway are more likely to be successful when the players apply themselves wholeheartedly to Olsen’s overarching principles of ‘effective football’: strict zonal defending, moving play up field as quickly as possible without unnecessarily delay and an immense work rate. More importantly perhaps is the instant devotion he receives from his players, founded on the belief that he has the tactical answers to beat any opponent, even world champions. The Norwegian FA, basking in their rare moment of effective decision-making, are now falling over themselves to extend Olsen’s contract to the end of the qualifying campaign. So while the bubble might yet burst for Norway and its fans, there is very real sense of hope and enthusiasm around the team as they look towards the second part of the qualifying campaign. It’s based on the expectation that the good times have returned together with the man who once made the impossible possible. George Burley must be hoping Egil Olsen’s halo has been somewhat tarnished by the time he brings his squad to Oslo in August. If not, his team might be in line for a hell of a beating.