Christian Kalvenes interview - the story of Norway's most unlikely Premiership player

Three years ago Christian Kalvenes was a 29-year old reserve left-back with Brann Bergen in the Norwegian league, having played only 11 games in his last four seasons, never managing to dislodge his team-mate Erland Hanstveit from the left-back position. Hanstveit had been on the fringes of the national squad for several years, gaining five caps, and had always been the preferred first choice at Brann. During his playing career Kalvenes had obtain a master in Business Management and the end of his football career was, if not imminent, than certainly on the horizon.

There was no indication that a chain of events were about to be set in motion that only three season later would end with Kalvenes playing Premier League football in England. First Hanstveit sustained an injury with Kalvenes taking his place, and putting together a good run of performances, especially in Brann's games in the qualifying rounds of the UEFA Cup. At the same time his Scottish team-mate Charlie Miller learnt that one of his former clubs, Dundee United, were looking to fill a gap on the left-side of their defence. Miller recommended Kalvenes and suitable impressed by his performances the then manager Craig Brewster brought the Norwegian over for only £50.000.

For Kalvenes, it was a very happy choice. He settled down well in Dundee with his pregnant wife Janicke and thrived in the club, especially after Brewster was replaced by former Scotland defender Craig Levein. It became the realisation of a boyhood dream of playing professional football abroad, a taste of the British football culture so loved and supported in Norway.

Visiting Kalvenes in Dundee it was clear he enjoyed every minute of his own football adventure in Scotland, grateful for what he had experienced and that he had been given the opportunity to fulfil a life-long ambition. He was the opposite of the stereotypical professional footballer and was universally liked by players, management and fans alike in Dundee. He also developed immensely as a player under Levein, offering United both offensive and defensive qualities with his attacking runs and presence at dead ball situations. He was an integral part of a United team that improved immensely under Levein, finishing 9th and then 5th in his two seasons there. With his contract running out at the end of the 07/08 season the then 31-year old was all set to move back to Norway and contemplating full retirement from football.

Kalvenes admits that when the offer came from Burnley it was irresistible. 'I had to run it by the family but it was the one opportunity I just couldn't turn down '. With hindsight, it must have been a very simple decision. A year later Kalvenes walked out in front of 75 00 people at Wembley to face Sheffield United in the play-off final. It was dubbed the £60 million game, but it was also his last chance to fulfil the most far-fetch of boyhood dreams; playing at the top level of English football. 'It was by far the greatest thing I've ever experience as a football player. I had scored at Ibrox in my debut and played a cup-final in Scotland but nothing will ever match that game'. Wade Elliott's goal brought Burnley to the Premier League and Kalvenes from the subs bench at Brann Bergen to the most famous league in the world in only three seasons - a remarkable turnaround made all the more special for a player coming close to the end of his career.

As a life-long Liverpool supporter Kalvenes is in no doubt over which game he's most looking forward to this season. However, life in the Premier League might provide a very rude awakening from the start for Burnley. Playing Manu U, Everton, Chelsea and Liverpool in four of their first five matches, the opening match against Stoke will be viewed by observers as Burnley's only realistic chance of getting a Premier League point any time soon. 'We're focusing on the Stoke game of course, but this is the hardest league in the world. We'll think about Man United and the other top teams when they are standing on the other side of the pitch, but not before'.

While Kalvenes is saying the right things, the game against Stoke could turn out to be more important than a normal opening fixture. A point or even a win can be a catalyst for the team to go on and give strong and assured performances against the big teams, while a loss could easily lead to a return of zero points from the first five games.

Kalvenes is also aware of the similarities being made between Burnley and West Bromwich Albion, the team who finished bottom of the Premiership last season. They are both known for keeping the ball down and their willingness to attack, and while West Brom got plaudits for sticking to their principles in the Premier League they were not able to turn their style of football into goals, their defensive frailties exposed by the quality of the opposition. Kalvenes insist that what will keep Burnley up this season has just as much to do with what the team does off the ball. 'We will work tireless when we're not in possession, harassing the opponent constantly. While we like to keep the ball on the ground we will always go forward quickly and with intent - it is that way of playing that brought us both league and cup success last season and if we can replicate it this year we'll have a good season '

Stoke was by far the best promoted team in the Premier League last season, a very respectable 12th place achieved partly by the record-signing of James Beattie in the January transfer window. Burnley are hoping their own record signing, Steven Fletcher, will help score the goals required to survive this year. While Kalvenes is complimentary about the £3 million striker brought from Hibernian, he's adamant that it's not up to one player this season. 'It's all about the collective this season; everyone needs to perform to stand a chance in this league'.

Kalvenes played 21 games last season at left-back, ending the season as Owen Coyle's first-choice. The competition has heated up this season, with both Steven Jordan and Brian Easton challenging him for a place in the starting line-up, Jordan playing more minutes than him in the last two pre-season friendlies. Kalvenes know the competition will be though, but he's well adverse in taking his chance when he gets it, as he proved in his days at Brann.

He's insisting that he has never considered the possibility of a national team call-up. 'The national team has a very strong left-back in John Arne Riise and at my age it will always be more unlikely that you are given a first call-up'. He must know however that Egil Olsen, in his second stint as Norway manager, is not adverse to bringing experience into the squad; in the recent World cup qualifier against Holland he gave a debut to the 34-year centre half Morten Fevang.

While arguing that his main focus is solely on getting into the Burley team, he's honest enough to admit that he's probably closer than ever to the national team: 'I suppose any Norwegian player that performs well in the Premier League will be considered by the national team'. That's as far as the humble left-back from Bergen will be drawn on the subject. With one year left of his contract with Burnley, he is more than contempt with finally reaching the pinnacle of his career and playing in the most famous league in the world. While it might well be his last season, Christian Kalvenes can't wait to make it another chapter to remember in his amazing journey from Brann's reserves to the Premier League.

Pressure? It's all on George.

Steven Pressley's assertion that Norway will be under pressure to get a result in their World Cup qualifying game against Scotland was only a standard pre-match statement designed to deflect attention from his own team. But not only was it the usual formulaic answer during another uninteresting press-conference, it also had no relation to the actual state of affairs three days before Scotland's assistant manager and his team face the Norwegians in Oslo.

The truth is that the pressure on Norway is minimal. Even a win against Scotland would still mean they are dependant on other results going their way in order to finish second behind Holland in Group Nine. And that is nothing compared to the plenitude of results in the other qualifying groups that also needs to go in Norway's favour if they are to become one of the eight best runner-ups to go on to the play-off stage. With three points after five games and not a home win in a competitive match for two years, the mood in Norway before Wednesday’s game is more in anticipation of seeing the final nail being hammered into the proverbial coffin for the team's World Cup hope, than even a glimmer of hope that it may be the start of a miraculous recovery.

Compare that situation with Scotland's predicament; a draw will almost guarantee them second place in the group but the team require at least seven, and preferably nine points, from their three last games. Due to face a superb Holland team in their last group game, nothing less than a win in Oslo would be a major blow to their World Cup hopes

The stark contrast also extends to the two coaches. Egil Olsen has nothing to prove to the Norwegian football public, having lead the team from international obscurity to consecutive World Cup's in the 1990s, his status as a football legend already cemented in the national conscience.

He's done reasonably well in his second stint at the helm since taking over as caretaker manager from Åge Hareide in January, but friendly wins over Germany and Finland was followed by a disappointing draw in Macedonia and a loss to Holland in the pre-summer qualifying matches. He might be handed a two-year extension until the Norwegian FA's preferred choice, Ståle Solbakken of FC Copenhagen, is available, but there will be no media speculation around his job leading up to the match, and no need for the experienced 67-year old to prove his capacity to fulfil the role.

George Burley is certainly not in such a comfortable position. He's been much criticised on several fronts after taking the Scotland job last year; for the mediocre results and performances of his team, his man-management of players such as Kris Boyd and the way he handled of the controversy around Barry Ferguson and Alan McGregor this spring.

Burley has yet to prove that he is capable of being a successful international manager and the Tartan Army reservations about him being the right man for the job have only become greater. Add to this the string of injury problems depleting his squad against Norway, and he finds himself in a very pressurised situation before the Wednesday's showdown in Oslo.

So while a draw will leave Scotland as the only with any chance of still qualifying for the World Cup, the result will arguably provide more disappointment among the Scots. The Norwegian fans, having become accustomed to disappointments over last few years, are only in danger of being positively surprised on Wednesday.

Norway bring in hat-trick hero Hoseth against Scotland

After this weekend's matches, Egil Olsen has decided to bring in the round's star performer into the Norway squad to face Scotland in the world cup qualifying game on the 12th August.

Magne Hoseth scored a hat-trick in only seven minutes as his Molde side demolished Start 8-1 at home. His first two goals were both cool finishes from the edge of the area, while a well executed penalty gave him his third and his team's fifth goal just before half-time. Watching from the stand, Olsen was so impressed with Hoseth that he added him to the squad he had already announced earlier last week.

Early in his career Hoseth was regarded as one of the greatest talents in Norwegian football but he never achieved an international breakthrough, his only spell abroad being a year with FC Copenhagen in 2004-05. Now 28, he's had a great season with a resurgent Molde side. His six goals in 12 starts have been an integral part in propelling the team to second place, their highest league position since they regularly threaten Rosenborg's league hegemony in the late 1990s.

Molde did gain two points on league leaders Rosenborg, who could only draw 1-1 away to Odd Grenland. The veteran midfielder Roar Stand's equaliser salvaged a point for Rosenborg, continuing their unbeaten run. With 2/3 of the season played they are edging closer to their first ever undefeated season, something they didn’t even manage during their 13 successive league championships between 1992 and 2004. Rosenborg are still four points ahead of Molde with a game in hand and look likely to clinch their first league title since 2006.

At the other end of the table, bottom placed Lyn could only draw at home to Brann in their first game after firing their head coach Kent Bergersen, the former Stockport County midfielder. Nigerian international Paul Obiefule gave the home side a 2-1 lead with a superb strike, but young Lyn defender Magne Simonsen scored an own goal which denied his side victory. With their 10th draw in 20 games, Lyn are now seven points from safety and are odds on for relegation.


Magne Hoseth has been called up to the Norway squad to face Scotland after scoring a hat-trick during Molde's 8-1 demolition of Start this weekend.

Full results for match day 20:

Moss – Start 8-1 (5-0)
Bodø/Glimt – Sandefjord 1-0 (0-0)
Fredrikstad – Viking 1-0 (1-0)
Lillestrøm – Tromsø 2-2 (0-2)
Stabæk – Aalesund 3-0 (2-0)
Strømsgodset – Vålerenga 3-0 (1-0)
Odd Grenland – Rosenborg 1-1 (1-0)
Lyn – Brann 2-2 (1-1)

Free (and legal) highlights are available from the website of Norwegian broadcaster TV2 for a few days after each match day. Go to www.tv2sporten.no/fotball/ and on the right side there will be a scrolling menu of videos that includes match incidents, goals and highlights. Search for the video called 'høydepunkter' for each match for the full highlights (registration is required the first time you play a video)