"Royal League is less interesting"
By Håvard Lindheim, 7 October 2004, 10:15
In November, the new Royal League starts. Many has voiced their opinions on the new Scandinavian winter league. At Lerkendal, the opinions vary as well.
Sports Director Rune Bratseth are among the most positive to the newcommer:
"Now, we can trade the inferior friendlies with incoming matches that have some sports-related value. This last thing is important for us when it comes to the Champions League, now we get good matching during that tournament," Bratseth says to the Norwegian Telegram Bureau NTB.
He gets support from Marketing Manager Endre Storholt:
"Earlier, we have been searching for opponents, and if we were lucky, maybe teams like Aalborg put together a team to be kind to us. Once, we even had to accept a friendly against Byåsen in the middle of the Champions League season," Storholt states.
The Rosenborg players, tough, are not as positive as the dress-clad men at The Hut. Frode Johnsen is among the critics.
"Uninteresting tournament! "This maybe is interesting for number two and three in Norway, but when one already is in the Champions League, the Royal League gets redundant and little interesting," the top scorer is quoted saying to Danish daily Ekstrabladet.
"The big problem with the tournament is that nothing is at stake, except a trophy. When one plays in the Champions League at the same time, it seems redundant. It isn't very exciting, neither for the players nor the spectators," Frode Johnsen says.
The National team forward fears too much strain will be put on the players with the increased number of matches, and believes that Rosenborg chooses to use many reserves in the games against the best Norwegian, Danish and Swedish teams - as long as the club plays in the Champions League, anyway.
Reserves? "Our squad isn't very broad, and Champions League definitely has priority. So I'd guess that players that don't play regularily get their chance in the Royal League," Johnsen states.
Frode Johnsen claims that his team mates share his view.
"We are some that question the whole project ..."
This was written early October. Later, RBK has put out an article on their web pages giving some nuances to the issue. Frode Johnsen and other RBK players counter some of the content from the Danish newspaper, the header reads:
"It is extremely positive with this type of match practice in a period where we otherwise play less significant friendlues. When we in addition get to fight for honour and glory, this will do us good," captain Erik Hoftun says on behalf of the player group.
Both Skutle and Hoftun, however, see the challenge in creating an attractive format for the tournament that interests the public. "Any new concept must convince to draw spectators. Work is being done continously to make this tournament attractive." Skutle feels this is reachable: "The games are after all not supposed to be played mid-January, when temperatures are at the lowest," Skutle says.
Sports Director Rune Bratseth are among the most positive to the newcommer:
