Biggest week for irish football in years

**southside bohs** · 27/07/2003, 5:43 PM

Bohs and eircom league soccer will find out where they stand in european football this week.bohs i reckon can beat rosenborg and why not,they play in a league thats no better than our one,they don't get that much support either.on the otherhand they have proven that they are a team worth respect and not to be taken lightly.
bohs i feel need to win this match,not just for themselves but the league in general,what a better way to start summer football than a irish team reaching the third quilify'ing round.if support is needed for any irish team it's now when we finally have a chance to move forward and if bohs win it will give derry and shels the belief also to do well.com'on bohsssssssssssssssss.

how many have bought tickets for the match?

**MariborKev** · 27/07/2003, 10:38 PM

I was for coming down to the game

Instead I am going to Cobh for a feckin Cup replay

**tiktok** · 28/07/2003, 2:50 AM

i'd have preferred to play away first, that's the only thing. I do think they are capable of turning them over. Rosenborg are great and were held up by many as the great example of what summer soccer could do for the EL but as was said, the rest of their league is not so strong.

in what is a huge day for irish soccer i think it's a disgrace that a national broadcaster isn't carrying it.

Best of luck for both games, we'll all be cheering you on!

**joe** · 28/07/2003, 10:38 AM

i can see bohs winning at home, maybe 2-1, but losing over there so in true footballing cliche speak keeping a clean sheet at dayler could be vital

**eoinh** · 28/07/2003, 11:16 AM

Originally posted by southside bohs

bohs i reckon can beat rosenborg and why not,they play in a league thats no better than our one,they don't get that much support either

im afraid i wouldnt agree with either of those statements. Bohs might do it but its a big if.
Was in Norway last year and visited three grounds. Facilities way ahead of here.

Their support is way ahead of anything here. Although Norway being a small country population wise shows you what could be accomplished here. Trondheim itself is about the same size of Cork.

**De Town** · 28/07/2003, 11:35 AM

I tink Bohs will lose home and away. Rosonberg have played in the group stages of the Champs League in recent years, never mind 2nd qualifying rounds. I hope i'm proved wrong.

**dortie** · 28/07/2003, 12:25 PM

Would be a major success if Bohs can go on to the next round....................Serious money to be made too considering their potential opponents

**eoinh** · 28/07/2003, 12:29 PM

also even if they failed against Deportivo they would get another chance in the uefa cup.

**Schumi** · 29/07/2003, 12:08 PM

Originally posted by tiktok
in what is a huge day for irish soccer i think it's a disgrace that a national broadcaster isn't carrying it.

Apparently they are: http://www.rte.ie/sport/2003/0728/soccer/bohemians.html.

I'll be there, got my tickets for the Connacht St. side on Saturday. Everywhere else was sold out so if anyone wants to go they should probably get their tickets today.

Tom Peppers · 29/07/2003, 3:11 PM

Well i m inclined to disagree with most of ye. Bohs in my opinion are streets ahead of everyone else in the league and while they did start very poorly in the league this season the waterford win kicked them bang back into form. Bohs are the complete package. Strong in all areas and have a strong squad. Rosenborg are the best side in Norway and have a great reputation in europe s top competition but there not as good as they used to be. The conveyor belt of great players in Norway has slowed down and while they still continue to be dominant in Europe that is mainly due to the general poor standard that exists over there. John Carew was the last of Rosenborg s elite i believe and he s gone so theres plenty of optimism or so there should be. One player who will be a danger is former Celtic misfit Harald Bratbakk if he is playing. I read about him recently and he should start unless of course he has since joined another european club. My prediction is a 3-1 overall result in favour of Bohs. Shels a few years ago put it up to them and the eircom league has progressed vastly since then so i believe another famous night is on the cards for irish football. Good luck Bohs. The league is with you. Well maybe not Rovers but who likes them anyway

**eoinh** · 29/07/2003, 3:24 PM

To every Bohs fans, who think we Rosenborg fans are too cocky:

If Bohemians - Rosenborg had been a single leg cup final etc., I would have been nervous. But this is a two legs "battle", and even though RBK might lose in Dublin, they will go through.

10-15 years ago Rosenborg had problems with two legs games in Europe. They often won home at Lerkendal, but lost heavily away. The games against Besiktas in 1995 (4-3 agg.) was the turning point. Then we qualified for the Champions League for the first time, and since then we have managed it 8 times in a row, which no one else has managed - not even Bayern M�nchen or Real Madrid has participated 8 times in a row!

Rosenborg's last really good team was the 1999 team, which did go through to the second group phase after just five of six matches - in a group with giants like Feyenoord and Borussia Dortmund (and Boavista).

The last three Champions League seasons (2000/01, 2001/02 and 2002/03) Rosenborg has struggled to impress in the group stages. Last year we didn't actually win a single match (4 draws and 2 loses). Nevertheless we have beaten clubs like Celtic and Ajax on aggregates; 2-1 and 1-1 (more away goals).

This year Rosenborg has the best team since the 1999 season. While our old coach, the legend Nils Arne Eggen - the most winning in Norwegian football, maybe was a bit on his way down from the top the last seasons, our new coach, �ge Hareide, now has improved our game. Especially is our defensive play much better now.

Rosenborg's "central line" is one of the best ever: Espen Johnsen (goalkeeper), Erik Hoftun (central defender), �rjan Berg (central midfielder) and Frode Johnsen (striker).

Espen Johnsen

Goalkeeper Espen Johnsen has for many years been selected as one of Norway's biggest talents. This season is actually Johnsen's first as first choice in Rosenborg. That's because Arni Gautur Arason (keeper the last three seasons) has rejected to sign a new contract, and was put on the bench. Even though Espen Johnsen is just 23 years old, he has plenty of experience: senior and U21 national games for Norway, premier division play for Start Kristiansand.

Erik Hoftun

Our captain, Erik Hoftun, is like a teenager again. The 34-year-old is almost better than ever before, and he rules the central defence. His best skill is his "reading of the game". He is Norway's best central defender, but because of family matters, he won't play anymore for the national team.

�rjan Berg

�rjan Berg, 35 years old, has played on left midfield in Rosenborg's 4-3-3-formation the last seasons, but when legendary Bent Skammelsrud (11 league championship in a row as hounors) retired last season, Berg was putted on the central midfield. This was a very good move, and Berg has been excellent this season. In May football experts in Norway even said that �rjan Berg is good enough for Real Madrid's starting line-up together with Zidane and Figo!

The playmaker is excellent "to make his teammates doing well", and he can do the most with the ball and score goals. The 35-year-old seems 10-15 years younger!

Here in Norway, the Berg-family is famous. �rjan's father, Harald "Dutte" Berg, is/was one of the best footballers in Norway ever. He played for Bod�/Glimt and Lyn in Norway. He did also play in Holland, for FC Den Haag. He made one big mistake in his career: He said no when Feyenoord wanted to sign him from Lyn. Right after Feyenoord won the European cup...

But it isn't only �rjan and his father who is famous in the Berg-family. �rjan's two younger brothers are pro footballers too. Runar Berg plays now for Bod�/Glimt, but has earlier played for Venezia in Serie A (has met Inter in other words) and ... Rosenborg The youngest of the brother, Arild, plays now for Lyn (his father's former club) and is one of the big talents in Norway.

Frode Johnsen

On top we got Frode Johnsen, which together with Harald Brattbakk (ex Celtic) are goal scoring machines! The last years they have both fought for being the topscorer in the league. Right now Johnsen (10 goals so far) leads on Brattbakk (9 goals).

Frode Johnsen replaced John Carew, which was sold to Valencia, in the summer of 2000. Just weeks later Johnsen was the over-all topscorer in the Champions League! He scored 5 goals in 6 group phase matches, but since Rosenborg was knocked out, he was a bit behind on the list when the Champions League season ended in May the following year.

Tom Peppers · 29/07/2003, 3:33 PM

well we ll just wait and see. Orjan Berg is well overated there and a player like Oyvind Svenning who is bergs substitute is someone who bohs really have to worry about. But i suppose they know a bit more than i do dont they

**Real ale Madrid** · 29/07/2003, 8:57 PM

If Bohs get through do they get into the UEFA cup if they lose rd 3? If yes it makes this game even more importent. Come on Bohs.

**gspain** · 30/07/2003, 7:41 AM

Originally posted by Real ale Madrid
If Bohs get through do they get into the UEFA cup if they lose rd 3? If yes it makes this game even more importent. Come on Bohs.

Yes Deportivo will get a UEFA Cup spot.

**The Sheliban** · 30/07/2003, 8:01 AM

You'd think Bohs were the only team who ever got past the first round of the CL. Why is tonight's game bigger than say Shels playing Rosenberg in the second round two years ago?

Don't get me wrong, I'd love for Bohs to win [though I don't think they will] Shels lost 3-1 at home, and drew 1-1 away. They deserved to beat us all right, but we had our chances, and one tie out of five, we might have got through.

But I think its very arrogant of Bohs fans calling it "the biggest game in years"

**noby** · 30/07/2003, 8:44 AM

ok so. "biggest game in TWO years"

**Schumi** · 30/07/2003, 9:41 AM

I think that there is a feeling that Bohs have a better chance of progressing now than Shels did when they lpayed Rosenborg. It's also the first time that a club is playing in Europe since the summer season started.

**tiktok** · 30/07/2003, 4:49 PM

have to agree with schumi.

i think it is the biggest game in years, look at the attention it's getting in the media (for a change). look at the fact that rovers did well in europe. i think there's a buzz about it, partly because bohs have a chance, and partly because of the spanish light at the end of the tunnel.

Sheliban, i hope Bohs are still in europe when you start your euro campaign and the same buzz builds then. let's wallow in the interest in our league for once though and enjoy it.

**The Sheliban** · 31/07/2003, 7:39 AM

Yes, fair enough. I don't want to sound like I'm begrudging them their success, because I'm genuinely not. Perhaps a bit miffed that the hype wasn't there in other years, but you're right, the present hype can only be good for the league.

**gspain** · 31/07/2003, 7:49 AM

It was the 3rd time in 4 years our champions reached the 2nd qualifying round stage.

We need the hype - we need live television. It can only be good for the game.

Shame about the result but Bohs have done Irish football proud. Rosenborg are what we can aspire to although I'd hope we'd play better football.