TRONDHEIM (VG) He could have become Molde coach already in 2006, and Kjetil Rekdal (53) realizes that before December last year, the odds would have been lower that he would rather be manager at Aker Stadium than Lerkendal. He himself had secured himself in both scenarios.
In his previous HamKam contract, there were four named Norwegian clubs that were to give him an exit opportunity from Briskeby. Rosenborg and Molde were named there, as well as Brann and Vålerenga – and all possibilities from abroad. Rekdal confirms this to VG.
– That’s correct. And if you think logically: You are not breaking a deal with HamKam or using the clause of a club at the same level. It had to be something that was much bigger, the Rosenborg coach explains.
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On Sunday, he will for the first time see in black and white the rivalry between Rosenborg and his first senior club Molde. A 19-year-old Rekdal was in fact central when the enmity arose during some intense showdowns in series and cup in 1988.
He scored an own goal that helped Rosenborg closer to “The Double” at the time, but took revenge in the autumn of 1994 as a returned Molde profile. Romsdalingene won sensationally overall over Nils Arne Eggen’s “unbeatable” RBK team in the double settlement as the cup semi-final was at the time.
–– It’s really quite easy. You identify with the club you work for, and you are emotionally drawn into it with the people around you, with whom you want to succeed. It will be like a pilot going from SAS to Norwegian. It’s a job, but there’s a lot of emotion involved, and maybe more in other industries. But that’s the way it is, Rekdal’s pragmatic approach is about the “side jump”.
He guarantees that dad Sigmund Leif, a well-known football patron from Vestnes near Molde, agrees with Rosenborg now. The daughter Sofie, who is actually cohabiting with Molde defender Kristoffer Haugen, is probably hoping for a draw – according to dad Kjetil.
While the Rosenborg coach’s brother Sindre, who was described as the most intense player in Molde when it came to firing up before the Rosenborg meetings 30 years ago, is unlikely to change sides. He states with a smile to VG that even after the last coaching appointment he has a “very neutral” relationship with RBK.
Kjetil Rekdal himself thinks he did not think that the probability was greater that one day he would train Molde instead of Rosenborg.
– No, not really. Football is unpredictable. Anything can happen. But I can not say I went and expected Rosenborg to call, either, admits the coaching veteran with a past in Vålerenga (two periods), Lierse, Kaiserslautern, Aalesund, Start and HamKam.
Molde could have been on that list. When the club relegated from the Eliteserien last time – in the 2006 season – Rekdal was relevant as Arild Stavrum’s replacement.
– Then I was in conversations with them. Met Tarje Nordstrand Jacobsen (director) and was down at Aker Brygge and met Røkke (Molde investor Kjell Inge). Then it could have been. But I was quite driven after six years in Vålerenga. We never got so far that we went into the last resort. It was interesting, but I needed to get out, Rekdal says and ended up with his old employer Lierse in Belgium instead.
– It was the right choice, because then I went from Lierse to Kaiserslautern, he reminds today.
– Have you arranged a similar “exit opportunity” from the contract in Rosenborg that you had in HamKam?
– No. I do not want that, and I do not need it. I’m having a great time here. The first time I get to start in a club that is on the the level. I do not intend to let go of that. I like to stay long. But there are many factors that come into play there, says the Rosenborg coach with one win and two draws in the first three rounds.
– Both Molde and Rosenborg have changed to a kind of 3–4–3 system this season. Who has come the furthest?
– Pretty similar. It is a very exciting system, a very demanding system and when it works optimally, it is almost unbeatable. You could almost say HamKam became proof of that.
– Where Rekdals Rosenborg stands now: A dirty 1-0 victory on Sunday – or an insanely good performance, lots of goal chances, excitement at Lerkendal and 2-2?
– Hah. Terribly difficult question. Had it been the last round of the series, it would have been easy: Dirty 1-0 victory, because then we have no more to go on. The most important thing for me will be to see again what we have been working on all winter in defense and attack. The result is part of development, while development gives better results. We can not hang on to one of them.
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