League Prediction: 5th place

Vålerenga (Last year: 7th place in Tippeligaen)
+ Playing manager Martin Andresen has finally decided to focus on just managing the team from Oslo East.
+ Has bought Lars Hirschfeld (Goalkeeper) and Andreas Nordvik (Central Defender). Not great players, but Hirschfeld was good when he played for Rosenborg, and Nordvik is still young and learning.
+ Lots of routine in the defence, but they might lack a bit of pace and other attributes needed to support the attacks. Will probably have less free kicks against them, as Erik "Panser" Hagen has left for Hønefoss.
+ Fellah, Singh, Dawda Leigh og Fuenmayor are all very promising, and Vålerenga is probably the club with the best young talents.

- Has lots of players with potensial who are capable of being great, however, the question is whether Andresen will be able to make the most of this potensial.
- Vålerenga has lost many profiles, without replacing any of them, Perkins, Andresen, Storbæk, Fredheim Holm and Wæhler.

Player to watch:
"Moa" Abdellaoue has signed a new contract and will hopefully play like he did in 2008.

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

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

Vålerenga signs Lars Hirschfeld

Transfer talk

Vålerenga's goal keeper Troy Perkins has left the club. He will go back to DC United, the club he played for from 2004 to 2007.
Vålerenga is now trying to find a new first keeper, and Espen Bugge Pettersen(Sandefjord) and Rune Jarstein(Rosenborg) are among the candidates, however the former Tromsø and Rosenborg player Lars Hirschfeld seems to be the hottest tip, the Canadian is currently second choice in the German club Energie Cottbus


SlySports' Transfer Clockwatch this morning reported this:
07:40 Reports in Norway are suggesting Fulham's £4.7million bid for Rosenborg's Norway international Per Ciljan Skjelbred has been accepted. Something to look out for Cottagers fans.

but Skjelbred agent Andreas Ekker says he has not heard anything, neither from Fulham nor Rosenborg.



Former CSKA Moskva player Erik "Panzer" Hagen says he would be interested in finishing his career in Hønefoss, the 34-year-old Vålerenga defender is currently recovering from a hip surgery.