In September, Ole Gustav Gekstad said he would step down as coach of the Vipers after five seasons at Kristiansand.
There have been several rumors that the coach is successful may be related To take over as coach of Győr, but now the 55-year-old has signed a three-year contract with Danish club Odense.
Odense is the reigning Danish league champion.
– First of all, it’s a very exciting group of players, who I think have great potential in the short and long term. It is important, then, that there is good organization and management, and that the environment be suitable. It is important for me to work in a clean environment.
Gjekstad continues:
– Those two things were very important. So I think it’s a club that can fight for the top in Denmark and Europe in the coming years, says the new coach.
Three years: Ole Gustav Gjekstad has signed a three-year contract with Odense. Photo: Attila Kispendic
Gjekstad says there’s one thing in particular he’s looking forward to working on at Odense.
– There are many teams that can win the Champions League. There are a lot of details that define important matches, and it has to do with mentality. You can’t tell just by looking at the players. There I am interested to delve deeper into Odense and see what I find, says the coach.
– Great potential
Thus, he became the coach of the Norwegian girls Maren Ardal, Toni Loseth and Malin On. Aune will join the Danish club in the summer.
– I’m really looking forward to it and it’s just right to do something new. I’m glad it was Odense, which has great potential in the years to come. I think we can get many good results,” he told Danish TV 2.
Photo: Bernadette Szabo
Gjekstad has led his former club Vipers Kristiansand to NM Series and playoff gold, as well as two Champions League gold medals.
– I want to do something else. There is nothing more. We’ll see what to do next. I haven’t decided anything. No new job made me quit Vipers, Gikstad told TV2 on Sept. 15.
He says there are no Vipers players on their way to Odense.
the right choice
TV 2 handball expert Bent Svele thinks this is a good choice of club by Gjekstad.
TV 2 handball expert Bent Svele believes Ole Gustav Gjekstad has made the right decision. Photo: Erik Edland/TV 2
– This club has financial strength and the declared goal of fighting for the Champions League Cup. Then I think it’s only natural that they bring in the guy who won this trophy in the last two years, says Svele.
– For Gjekstad to now go to Odense, I think it’s a good match, both for Gjekstad and for Odense as a club, the expert assures.
Svele is proud of Gjekstad’s accomplishments as a coach.
– Gjekstad is a coach who has a good relationship with the teams he has. He showed during those years at the Vipers by winning the Champions League, and he may be in a position to win this season as well.
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