A strong bronze in the debut season, a disappointing 7th place last year – and this year the status is currently a sixth place for Vålerenga after seven games played.
Dag-Eilev Fagermo’s hopes of making Vålerenga a stable top club in Norway seem to be a long way from becoming a reality.
– It’s early yet, but we have to get up. If we do not steer towards a seventh place this year as well, the verdict from Vålerenga’s star shot Odin Thiago Holm after it was 1-1 at home against HamKam on Monday night.
It happened only four days after Vålerenga lost in Tromsø. TV 2’s football expert Jesper Mathisen has no doubt that what is delivered in Oslo East at the moment is far from what fans expect.
– With only three victories in seven matches, it goes without saying that “Project-Fagermo” is in a completely different place than Vålerenga thought and hoped it would be. Therefore, it is natural that more and more people become critical of what is delivered on Intility, says TV 2’s football expert.
Up to league leader Viking – who has one game more played – there are already nine points. The gap up to Lillestrøm in second place is seven points.
At the same time, it is worth noting that Molde is only three points ahead. Bodø / Glimt, on the other hand, is one point behind. These were the gold favorites ahead of this year’s season.
Dag-Eilev Fagermo does not seem significantly stressed over the start of the season.
– It is a long time left of the season. We can definitely be at the top still, he says.
Summary: Vålerenga – HamKam 1-1
TV 2 expert Mathisen is in any case confident that Fagermo will have more time.
– I have zero faith that Vålerenga will replace Dag-Eilev Fagermo, but if this is to be life-changing, they must perform at a completely different level than what has been done so far. Now they could gain momentum and build on an almost full stadium against HamKam, but then they abuse that opportunity, he says.
This is what Fagermo says
If Fagermo appeared stressed after the HamKam settlement, then it was time to get home from the stadium. TV 2’s broadcaster was the system in the queue after Fagermo had done a number of interviews and the 55-year-old was not over-excited when he wanted another interview.
The answers were short – but far from as ruthless as, for example, from Odin Thiago Holm.
– I am a little disappointed that we do not win, but I feel that the result is good. I’m not as dissatisfied with the performance as a number of others probably are, says Fagermo.
Responding to the celebration: – Everyone under 18 must close their eyes
He believes the opponents have made it more difficult for teams like Vålerenga lately.
– There have been many teams in Norway now that play with five behind and four in the middle. It makes it narrower and harder for us. You see it on Glimt today as well, who are struggling at home against Tromsø, says Fagermo.
– What are you going to do to break through that system earlier in the matches?
– We work with it all the time, and must continue to work with it. We must have continuity, more creativity and more people in the box, says Fagermo.
He was disappointed that Vålerenga failed to take advantage of the fact that the stadium was decorated for a party on 16 May. but has no faith that Odin Thiago Holm’s horror scenario in a year as a Mediterranean danger will become a reality.
– No, I do not think so. Everyone takes points from everyone. We just have to keep working and getting better and better. There, for example, Odin will be an important man for us, says Fagermo, knowing that the 19-year-old got his first minutes of the season against HamKam after being sidelined with a meniscus injury so far this year.
– What is the verdict on the start of the season?
– The start is as deserved, we have neither been overpaid nor underpaid, says Dag-Eilev Fagermo.
Think details can cause it to loosen
Like most of the Vålerenga boys, Osame Sahraoui points out that only seven matches of the Elite Series have been played this year.
– How many matches are there left? Why not just win the rest then, then we are far above them, he answers when TV 2 points out that there are seven points up to Lillestrøm and nine points up to Viking.
Too worried about the start of the season, the technician refuses to be.
– I’m never worried about the morale of this group. In addition, we have the fans behind us as today. It’s a long season, Sahraoui points out.
– APOLOGIZED: Osame Sahraoui apologized after the match that the VIF supporters did not get more entertainment than they did against HamKam. Photo: Beate Oma Dahle
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– What does it take for it to loosen up for Vålerenga?
– We have to go within ourselves, and then we have to be more cynical in front of goal, says the Vålerenga profile.
Goal scorer against HamKam, Leonard Zuta, has a simple explanation of how it will loosen up for the Oslo club.
– We must continue to train finishes and get better in front of goal, he says.
The VIF guys believe that there are small details that can tip Vålerenga from being a Mediterranean danger to getting involved in the test battle.
In any case, Aron Dønnum sees no point in starting to talk about the coach’s position. In social media, you can easily find VIF supporters who criticize Dag-Eilev Fagermo.
– It is probably normal that you want to point to something when things do not go quite as you hope. I’ve been abroad now, and you might be looking for scapegoats even earlier. But for me, it’s wrong to look at it that way. We must rather do something with things we can do something with. We do not quite make it in the last third, but there may be small details that make it loosen, says VIF’s mercenary.
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