Semb confirmed as chief executive

Former national coach Nils Johan Semb has been appointed chief executive of the Norwegian Association. The appointment was confirmed yesterday.

Semb, 50, managed Norway from 1998 to 2003. He led Norway to our first European Championship in 2000, in which we were eliminated in the group stages. Semb had previously been the assistant of Egil Olsen, in his first stint as national coach. They basically share the same idea of how fotball should be played, and this may well be an advantage for Olsen when a full-time national coach are to be appointed in the near future.

After being replaced by Åge Hareide in 2003, Semb has worked as a football pundit. His main task as the new chief executive will be the appointment of the new permanent national coach, but he also wants to increase the focus on youth development.

The main contenders for the role as new national coach are pinned down to a few names, containing Erik Hamrén (Swedish success manager for newly-crowned champions Rosenborg), Janne Jönsson (Another Swede with great results in Stabæk, champions of 2008) and Trond Sollied, a Norwegian manager who recently was fired by Dutch outfit Heerenveen.

In other news, captain Brede Hangeland is now very doubtful for Saturday’s friendly against South Africa. The Fulham defender is struggling with a sore ankle and Tromsø’s Tore Reginiussen is likely to take his place in the central defence.