Viking Stavanger, under the joint leadership of Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen, host Bayern Munich on Tuesday in their first home Champions League game. The Norwegian champions have excelled since the pair took over in November 2020, culminating in last year's Eliteserien title, their first since 1991.
A decade-long ambition
The partnership began with a phone call around 2012 or 2013, when both were working in other industries and coaching local teams part-time. "I worked in a bank, he was in the oil and gas industry, we both had local teams part-time. And I remember we said: 'Hey, we should take a team together one day,'" Aarsheim recalls.
Aarsheim, a former Viking midfielder with nearly 300 appearances, and Jensen, whose playing career was stalled by injury, bring contrasting styles. "He's always calm, collected, analytical," Jensen says of Aarsheim. "His personality is not to be stubborn, but find solutions." Aarsheim adds: "What's impressive with Morten is how big he thinks and that he dares to tell it out loud."
From sheep to wolves
Their appointment came after an unconventional interview. CEO Eirik Bjørnø, then 29, and sporting director Erik Nevland were presented with a 120-page dossier and a slide showing a flock of sheep, representing Viking's competitors, with two wolves—the coaches—poised to attack. "Are you going to hire these two badass wolves? We're going to eat up all the sheep," Jensen said.
Nevland, a former Manchester United and Fulham striker, was persuaded. "It was kind of: 'Let's go for it.' It just made sense. It was a bit of a gamble but we were in a position where we could do that."
Local roots and success
After finishing 11th in 2022, the pair focused on developing local players who understand the city. The approach bore fruit last year, beating Bodø/Glimt to the title. "We've done it with a lot of people that care for each other," Bjørnø says. Jensen adds: "Seeing how many kids are running around with Viking jerseys around the city and in the schools. A decade ago you would only see Manchester United and Liverpool shirts. That's the one thing I am most proud of."
On the pitch, Aarsheim oversees defensive drills while Jensen focuses on attack. They avoid shouting, preferring to develop football intelligence. "I think our strongest asset is in man-managing," Jensen says. Disagreements are rare, with both defending their choices to staff until an agreement is reached. "I can read Morten in one second," Aarsheim says.
Captain Zlatko Tripic notes the respect within the squad: "They give a lot of responsibility to the players and let us discuss things. If you ask everyone in the dressing room, there is huge respect for how they deal with things."
Looking ahead to Bayern, Jensen says: "This should be the best period of their lives." Aarsheim adds: "For us, Viking is Barcelona. The players have to understand that we see Viking as more than a club. In our heads, it's the best team in the world."
