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December 2000

Kåre B from Norway wrote last month and I asked for any info. about 70-71 Norwegian players. Kåre replied :

Two of the best and most famous Norwegian players from that period were Odd Iversen (father of Spurs' Steffen) and ex-Wimbledon boss Egil Olsen.

Iversen senior was a great goalscorer and brave and tough player (but not a skillful as his son), while Olsen the footballer was the opposite as Olsen the manager.....He was a quick and tricky winger who probably should have passed the ball more often. By the way, he has just published a book about his brief spell as a Wimbledon manager. I haven't read it yet, but according to the press he admits the "cultural differences" between Norway and 'the Crazy Gang' where greater than expected.....

Eager to find out more I asked Kåre which teams these players playe dfor in the 70-71 season.

I'm quite certain that Odd Iversen played for Racing Mechelen in Belgium in
1970/71. He won 45 full caps and scored 19 goals for Norway. He was top
league scorer in Norway several seasons, including 1968 when he scored 30
goals in just 18 games(!!!). His total of 158 goals in the top division is
still a record. I know the name 'Odd' sounds funny in English, but it is
actually a quite common name in Norway.... Egil Olsen (16 caps)played for 3
or 4 different Norw. clubs, I have to do some 'research' to find out where
he played in 70/71.

There were no Norwegian players in the English league in 70/71 (I believe
Einar Aas (Nottm Forest)was the first in 1981). However, one Norwegian in
the Scottish league deserves a mention; Roald Jensen (31 caps, the first
when he was 17) was even more quick and tricky than Egil Olsen  ;) , and
played for
Hearts in 70/71. Maybe one of your "visitors" from Scotland
remember him? Jensen tragically died of an heart attack while playing
football 1987, aged 44.

Ready for more 'sons and daughters'? In 1976, Harald Berg (43 caps) was
voted 'best Norwegian player ever'(played for
ADO in Holland in 70/71). 3 of
his sons  - Ørjan, Runar and Arild - are all top players, at least by
Norwegian standards. Ørjan (32) and Runar(30) have both won full caps, but
Arild (25) is held by many as the most talented of the three. Ørjan (plays
for champions Rosenborg) is Norway's Player of the Year this year - even if
he doesn't want to play for the national team anymore -, while Runar plays
for Venezia in 'Primera Liga'.

Well that was all pretty hot stuff thanks
Kåre, and I can safely say, there is no way I would have been able to have found it out without your help, so thanks very much indeed

See more December 2000 news at the following ...


 
Bob Dunning
22 October 2002

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