On your marks, get set, dough!
Friday, 4 February 2005
A Norwegian football player has been teased out of footballing retirement by a unique 'play-for-pizza' scheme. At 32, former Moss FK striker Bård Erik Olsen decided that, after eight years playing for second division side Sprint-Jeløy, the time had come to hang up his boots and spend more time with his daughter. However, fifth division side Tronvik have exploited Olsen's lust for pepperoni and, after a week of negotiations, persuaded him to carry on his playing career for the princely salary of one pizza a week. Tronvik club member Kjetil Jensen was left to celebrate his side's famous transfer coup, which will bring back memories of another Norwegian lower league striker, Kenneth Kristensen, who moved from Vindbjart to rivals Flekkerøy for a transfer fee of his body-weight in prawns. "For a few years we've tempted Bård Erik to Tronvik and said he could eat as much pizza as he wanted," said Jensen. "Now that we have a chance we'll keep our word." Olsen added: "I can't just completely cut out football all of a sudden, so I am glad that Tronvik want me." Unconfirmed reports suggest Olsen will receive a can of soft drink or a jam doughnut as a win bonus.
