Kjetil Knutsen declared he is “incredibly proud” to be with Bodø/Glimt in the final four of the Europa League. The team has never reached this stage of the tournament and admires the approach of Tottenhambut he now hopes that his players perform in a manner befitting their evolution.
-
‘We need to play a perfect defence’
Bodø/Glimt might not have graced such a stage before, but they have faced Ange postcoglou in the past. When the Australian was at Celtiche lost to the Norwegians 3-1 at home and 2-0 away in the playoffs for the knockout stage of the first Conference League in 2022. Knutsen is familiar with the work of the Spurs manager but expects a different challenge to the clash with the Scottish side.
“I know the coach, but it is a totally different game. We need to play a perfect defence on Thursday.”
Postecoglou has dipped his toe into the riches of the Premier League and now has a squad with more talent than he had in Glasgow. Though he has turned into something of a divisive figure, there is no doubt that his forward-thinking approach can catch clubs cold on a good day. The mix of greater individual quality at his disposal and identity with clear principles is a great concern for Knutsen.
“They have a lot of rotations and really good individuals. [They will create] a lot of situations in our box. We have played good games against them, but I think Tottenham is a better team than Celtic.”
It is his job as the manager to ensure that the team focuses on what they can control. He knows that this is a big occasion for the whole club but wants the players to perform to the best of their ability.
“I hope the players aren’t thinking about the occasion and can play the game, but it’s not easy. We’re on a journey and want to find our identity every game, home and away – even against good teams.
-
‘I don’t think we’re favourites’
At the point that teams reach the semi-final of a cup competition, they can really start to think about getting their hands on silverware and lifting the trophy. The media quizzed Knutsen about a possibility that would have seemed to be a pipe dream at the start of the season. Indeed, he is not allowing himself to think too far down the line and accepts that the odds are still against the Norwegians.
“It’s not where we are. This is not how we think. We think about what it takes to produce a good performance. We have enough courage to say that when we are this far, then you can say that it is possible, but there are four sides left. I don’t think we’re the favourites to win the Europa League.”
But belief should be present in their camp. They only narrowly lost 3-2 to Man Unitedthe other English semi-finalist, at Old Trafford earlier this campaign in the league phase of the tournament. The Red Devils are in a similarly dismal spot to Spurs this season in the Premier League, and that clash could give them hope that they can compete across at least 180 more minutes of football.
“We’ve shown we can be competitive, and we are going to a new level. We’ve never been to this level before. Can we compete with Tottenham over two games? I don’t have the answer. Yes, I believe so.”
On their way to the final four, Bodø/Glimt have only failed to beat Traitor in their home fixtures, so a chance at getting into the final could be on the cards if things go well in north London. But even if this stage marks the end of the road for the club, it has been a remarkable run. Knutsen commented on how much he has enjoyed a journey that has lasted nearly seven and a half years as the manager.
“I’m incredibly proud to represent Glimt and what Glimt represents, and all of those have supported Glimt over time. Of course, to be able to do what you love the most in life with people you love a lot and then test yourself against better opponents all the time, it’s an incredible experience. I’ll reflect more on it in a few years, but I’m incredibly happy to have been part of this journey with Glimt.”
