Improving the midfield and the attack
By Endre Bakken, 18 November 2005, 14:24
Last Tuesday the Norwegian transfer market opened and Hirschfeld was the first player to be bought. Now the hunt for players continues at Rosenborg.
ON THE LOOKOUT: Rune Bratseth is currently evaluating several players these days.
Photo: Joakim Halvorsen
RBK has already secured their first improvement before the season of 2006 commences. Rune Bratseth is very happy with Hirschfeld's transfer and thinks that he is going to be a worthy challenger to current main goalie Espen Johnsen.
"We needed two good goalkeepers. We needed someone to make sure there is always great competition for the role of goalie, to make sure they are always doing their utmost. Espen has also been struggling with various injuries, and that was another reason to get another good goalie," the director of sports told Rosenborg Web.
"Having two such good goalies will also involve some difficulties, but that's just the way it is. If a club is going to stay at the top and try to get even further, it has to risk something," Bratseth explains.
The backmost part of the team has been ameliorated. Now the attack needs to be bettered.
"The midfield and the attack will undergo a couple of changes. Something is going to happen, but if it is one, two or even three players that are going to arrive we just don't know at this moment."
"What kind of players are you looking for?"
"If we are going to buy a new striker, it must be because he has got something we are lacking. He must have a special skill we do not currently have and he must really improve the team. The same goes for a midfielder, if we decide to get one. It is important that he will be able to instantly join and improve the the starting eleven," Rune Bratseth said.
"Regarding a new midfielder: Is it first and foremost a central midfielder you want?"
"No, we are mostly looking for someone who will be able to take on several roles on the midfield, not neccesarily just one. But it might be that we first and foremost should look for someone with defensive qualities."
"How important is age when it comes to buying new players?"
"It matters greatly, but first and foremost they have to be good enough. We should be looking to improve Rosenborg in 2006. There is no point in buying a player that might become good in 2008. We might buy a fully grown up player, that will be able to do the job that needs doing instantly, but that does not have a much time left on a professional level. We feel that that is the right thing to do."
"Høgmo was very much in an offensive positon when he was hired, and said that RBK should try to get even more class players to sign. What are your thoughts on this?"
"The biggest challenge with getting really good players is that most of them do not want to play in Norway. We have to be realistic, but that doesent mean that we should not try."
"Lastly, the great question: Where will RBK find new players?"
"There are very few players in Norway that would be able improve RBK. Several could better the squad, but not do much more. At the same time we must be principled when buying non-Eu players. But I do not see any problems related to having three non-EU players in the squad, even though we will only be allowed to use two in each match," Rune Bratseth said and thereby finished the interview.
