League Prediction: 9th place

Tromsø (Last year: 6th in Tippeligaen)
+ Vegard Braathen is an interesting signing, played well for Alta last year, but he has got big shoes to fill.
+ Tommy Knarvik, Ruben Yttergård Jenssen and Helge Haugen on the midfield
+ Sead Ramovic is the best keeper in the league, Tom Høgli is one of the best backs, Yndestad is not bad either
- No good central defenders
- Too many new players
- Has lost keyplayers like Lars Iver Strand, Tore Reginiussen, Morten Moldskred and Joel Lindpere.
- Rushfeldt doesn't get any younger
- No good wingers

Player to watch:
Vegard Braathen, Tromsø is known as a club who finds good attackers, is Braaten going to be the next after Flo, Rushfeldt, Årst, and Moldskred?

Update

9 days to the season kicks off. The coldest winter in a long time and the earliest league start ever makes it difficult to be a greenkeeper.



Andreas Nordvik has signed for Vålerenga. The defender played for the Oslo club this fall on loan from Rosenborg, and has now been sold. Good news for Vålerenga, who have been short of central defenders.



Viking and Rosenborg have agreed about a transfer for Rune Jarstein, but Jarstein hasn't desided whether he wants to sign or not.

Rosenborg has been clear on wanting to sell any player who doesn't want to sign a new contract, and Jarstein has said that he won't sign as long as he is not the clear first keeper.

Rosenborg have tried signing Espen Johnsen again as a replacement, but the 30-year-old, has declined, and might be going to Swedish AIK instead, however Johnsen also considers retiring and starting his Doctor internship.

Another possible replacement is believed to be Tromsø's Kenny Stomatopoulus.


Tromsø has signed the Australian National Team back Jade Bronson North.



Tarik Elyounoussi has gone to Lillestrøm on loan from Heerenveen.



Hønefoss has finally scored their first goal in 2010. The newly promoted club scored against Fredrikstad in todays friendly, their 7th match in 2010. Madiou Konate scored the goal.



FC Lyn Oslo have changed their name to FK Lyn. The members finally realized they live in Norway, and will now support Fotballklubben Lyn
.

Norway beat Slovakia 0-1 in the friendly match yesterday. Morten Moldskred scored the goal.
Erik Huseklepp(to the right) was the best player. Despite only playing the last 30 minutes, he managed to create and come to several changes.

Friendly matches results

27.01: Las Palmas - Brann 1-2:
Erik Huseklepp, who has been linked with Stoke and Newcastle the last week, scored one of Brann's goals.

29.01: Start - Haugesund 2-2
Ole Martin Årst signed a new contract with Start, and celebrated by scoring two goals.


29.01: Lillestrøm - GAIS 1-0 (highlights)
The match was stopped after 5 minutes when the police has to calm down the supporters of Swedish GAIS. Olivier Occean scored the only goal.


29.01: Aalesund - Molde 1-1 (highlights)
Pape Pate Diouf scored with an overhead kick in the first minute, but Aarøy equalized in the second half.

29.01: Kongsvinger - Hønefoss 2-0
Kim Holmen scored in his debut for KIL.

29.01: Odd Grenland - Tromsø 0-0
Odd Grenland won the penalty shoot out in the La Manga cup.


29.01: Rosenborg - AIK 1-1 (highlights)
It was the young local players of Rosenborg who played best in this match against the Swedish League Champions. Kjell Rune Sellin(20yrs) scored Rosenborg's goal, and Simen Wangsberg(18yrs) was voted man of the match.

Friendly matches results

18.01: Vålerenga - Skeid 1-1
19.01: Follo - Vålerenga 0-0

Vålerenga definitely needs to work on their attacks after hardly creating any chances against these two, Follo were promoted to Adeccoligaen this fall while Skeid were relegated from it.

19.01: Tromsdalen - Tromsø 2-3

About the financial situation

We've wanted to write more about the financial crisis in many Norwegian clubs, but it's difficult because the newspapers don't write much about it anymore. The 14th of January is the date when NFF will start investigating the clubs, so we'll probably have more information soon.

What we know:

FC Lyn is now safe. Various investors have invested over 6 million NOK since the end of November. They've lost 14(!) players, cut the wages(some of the players now have to work outside football as well to make a living), they've fired one coach, and will now play their home games on Bislett Stadium rather than Ullevaal stadium (which they used to rent for a high price, especially compared to the fact that they only had about 5000 attending their home games.)

Fredrikstad has also managed to collect money, more than 5 million NOK, however they owe 400,000 NOK to Sarpsborg 08, money Fredrikstad owe after a qualifying match in November. Sarpborg has given Fredrikstad 14 days to pay them back.

The last time we heard from Tromsø was in the middle of December, they had then raised more than 10 million NOK, but were still short of more than 5 millions.

IK Start is probably safe. The city of Kristiansand's cultural foundation has agreed to give the club 6 million NOK if they managed to get the same amouth of money from another source as well, and they have. Three local investors have opened up their wallets.

Transfers

Tromsø and Rosenborg have agreed about Morten Moldskred, Rosenborg have been trying to sign the goal-getter since this summer, and Moldskred is now on his way to Trondheim to discuss a contract.

Rosenborg has also signed Norwegian Fredrik Winsnes and the Swedish goalkeeper Daniel Örlund.



Hønefoss have kept themselves busy during the transfer window, with several good signings. Maybe most interesting is the Ivorian Davy Claude Angan from FC Lyn. They are also close to signing Kristian Örn Sigurdson from Brann. Update: Sigurdson has now signed with the newly promoted club!


The best signing in Norway so far might be Patrik Ingelsten's transfer to Viking. The 27-year-old has signed a four year contract.



Rune Ertsås is ready for the French club Tours. The attacker from Molde was sold for 1 million NOK. Edit: Ertsås has not signed any contract yet and has returned to Norway.

Tore Reginiussen joins Schalke

Tromso's Tore Reginiussen is now a Schalke player. The eight-times-capped Norway international has signed a contract that will tie him to the Royal Blues until 30 June 2013.

Schalke manager Felix Magath is delighted to have signed another young talent. Reginiussen is a central defender who can also be used in defensive midfield. "Tore is a very talented young player, so it's good that he'll be linking up with us in the winter break as that will allow us to ease him into the Bundesliga gently", said head coach Felix Magath on signing the 23-year-old.

Reginiussen began his footballing career at Alta IF in his home country of Norway. At the beginning of 2006 he then switched to Tromso IL, where he made 54 first division appearances (4 goals). The 1.85 metre defensive specialist has also played 15 times for the Norway under-21 side and made his senior international debut against Montenegro on 26 March 2008. (www.schalke04.com)

Bjarte Flem

The ultimate goal keeper blooper by Tromsø player Bjarte Flem in 1988 against Sogndal.