New kids on the block
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Article summary
Norway Under-19s have a host of exciting talents heading to Northern Ireland next week.
Article body
By Eivind Aarre
Following in the footsteps of John Carew, John Arne Riise, Eirik Bakke and Morten Gamst Pedersen, among many others who have progressed through the Norwegian youth set-up over the past decade, Norway's side for the finals of the 2004/05 UEFA European Under-19 Championship is full of promising talents who are expected to break into the senior team in a few years.
2003 disappointment
Despite producing a number of players who have gone on to wider success, however, Norway have struggled somewhat at youth level. The Scandinavian side last appeared in these finals two years ago when a 1-0 defeat against eventual winners Italy in their first game proved costly. Egil Olsen's side still had the chance to progress to the knockout stages, however, but were held to a 2-2 draw against Portugal in their final Group A game, a match they needed to win, allowing the Portuguese to reach the semi-finals at their expense.
Finals disappointment
That still marked a substantial improvement on their displays of the previous year when, as final hosts, they lost all three group games - conceding nine goals and scoring only one - to bow out. In 2003/04 they progessed with Poland from their qualifying round section, but then failed to score in the Elite round and bowed out after three defeats. A year later, however, it was a different story.
Key players
Among this year's players tipped to make the grade is Rosenborg BK midfield player Per Ciljan Skjelbred who has broken into the Norwegian champions' first-team squad in recent months and was on the substitutes' bench for four of their games in the UEFA Champions League last season. Rosenborg club-mate and fellow midfield player Alexander Tettey is another with a bright future although, despite being a year older than Skjelbred, he is a little further down the pecking order in Trondheim.The defence will be marshalled by Viking FK's Johan Bjørdal and Magnus Ueland, who made 19 first division appearances for Bryne FK in 2004. Another Bryne player to have made his mark for the U19 side this year is Vidar Nisja, who scored twice in the Elite round to help his side to Northern Ireland. Eighteen-year-old IK Start striker Jesper Mathisen, the son of former Norwegian international Svein Mathisen, is also regarded as a big name for the future, and can also operate in central defence.
UEFA European Under-19 Championship best:
Group stage 2002, 2003
Honours in UEFA youth competitions
UEFA European Under-21 Championship
Third 1998
UEFA European Under-18 Championship
Third 1992
For Norway's Under-19 team page, click here.