Norwegian Champions Bodo/Glimt Arrive in Manchester for Europa League Match Against Manchester United

Norwegian football club Bodo/Glimt arrived in Manchester on Wednesday, ahead of their Europa League fixture against Manchester United at Old Trafford. While Glimt is currently recognized as Norway’s leading team, this status has not been constant throughout its history. Havard Sakariassen, the club’s sporting director and a former player, recalled a time when the team’s players were responsible for washing their own equipment. “If you go back to the year in 2009-2011, the club was struggling really hard financially,” he said. “I had my last season in 2011 as a player. In mid-season that year I quit. I was old and not any good. I left the changing room and went upstairs.” He continued, “At that time the club was in such bad conditions that we didn’t have a kit manager. We washed our training gear at home and came to training already dressed. That was the situation at Bodo/Glimt in 2011.” Sakariassen further elaborated, “We had one person working for the A team that autumn. That was me. I was the kit man.” Despite acknowledging that they cannot rival the financial strength of Premier League clubs, the Norwegian champions have arrived in Manchester with confidence in their ability to achieve an unexpected result. “We don’t have the resources you see at top clubs in England,” Sakariassen added. “We will never, ever be able to compete with that.” He continued, “But we truly believe in development and that we can get the potential out of the players we have here. If we can do that, as individuals and as a team, it is huge. Then you can make a great team and it goes a long way.” Sakariassen concluded, “Maybe I am naive. But in a single match like on Thursday, I think we will be able to compete against Manchester United and have a great performance at Old Trafford.”