Bjørn Otto Bragstad has decided to go back home to Trondheim, but it is not an issue for Rosenborg to use the middle defender's skills.


1995: Bjørn Otto Bragstad and Blackburn's Mike Newell in the very first Champions League match at Lerkendal.

During the period 1989-2000, "Otto" participated in seven championships, three cup golds and 162 league matches for RBK. The defender also scored the highly respectable number of 26 goals for Rosenborg (and some in the wrong goal).

After having impressed on the National side during the EC 2000, as a substitute for an injured Erik Hoftun, Bjørn Otto Bragstad was sold to then-Premier League club Derby for EUR 2.8 million. The stay in England was not a success, and he moved on to Austrian Bregenz, where he has played together with ex-Brann Bergen player Jan Ove Pedersen.

This contract ends now as the season finishes in the Austrian Bundesliga, and probably Bragstad will decide that his carreer is over.

"Yes, it seems that it's over now. This summer, I and the rest of the family will move home to Trondheim," the 33-year old says to Stavanger Aftenblad.

It is not an issue for Rosenborg coach Ola By Rise to take up contact with his former back lines team mate.

But couldn't Bragstad have been good to have when autumn comes, should there be any crisis? There is little backup in the middle defence...

"This issue is similar to that with Steffen (Iversen); the motivation is central. Old RBK players that wants to play for us again are welcome," Ola By Rise says to rbkweb.com.

"But we do not beg anyone - it is their initiative. Bjørn Otto has earlier said that he is not motivated for new rounds at the Lerkendal training facilities, so I doubt that there will be any agreement," the RBK boss thinks.