Bodo/Glimt v Celtic: “All the work they have done paid off against Celtic,” Stefan Johansen

Last week Celtic suffered a rather humbling defeat at the hands of Norwegian side Bodø/Glimt at Celtic Park. Having failed to reproduce our famous style of football that we had done during the Europa League group stage, the side from the Arctic Circle were more than a match for us and punished our poor defending and general slackness on the night.

What was most apparent to all was the incissiveness and stealth like movement of the opposition team’s passing and movement throughout the game, causing chaos – particularly down the left hand side for Celtic. For a team coming back from pre-season it was quite a shock to the system for Ange Postecoglou’s charges, catching us off guard in the process.

Now the second leg of the tie awaits in Bodø, with a 3-1 deficit to overturn if the Hoops are to progress to the round of 16 in this new Europa Conference League tournament. Previewing the game ahead of the return leg in his native Norway, former Celtic midfielder, Stefan Johansen has been speaking to Scottish Sun. Looking forward to the fixture, he said: “Bodo/Glimt is a very different club to the past. They were runners-up in the Norwegian league in 2003, but it’s hard to compare them to this team.”

Johansen was keen to point to the manager Kjetil Knutsen as the inspiration and catalyst for change at the club four years ago. Now he says everything in terms of structure and sustainability is in place to match their ambitions on the field of play.

He said: “They were up and down from the top league to the second league. They didn’t always get the results they wanted. But Kjetil Knutsen took over four years ago and everything changed. He has a way of playing, they stick to it and it has worked. It’s been unbelievable. The club is so well driven. The recruitment has been fantastic — but it’s also about the values and the system they have. It’s been an incredible period. Kjetil has done an amazing job, and all the work they have done paid off against Celtic.”

The cultured midfielder also thought leading up to the game at Celtic Park that Bodø might struggle, given the circumstances of the preparation and the white hot atmosphere of a rocking Paradise. Johansen said: Before the first tie in Glasgow, I thought it would be a really hard task for Bodo. Celtic are on a roll. They are a good team, and they got a real buzz from beating Rangers. The fans were on their side, they have dangerous players, and they had better match sharpness.

“Bodo hadn’t played for months, but then they somehow delivered that kind of performance. It was just incredible. To do that when you are still on your off-season, and you have just lost some of your best players in January, was unbelievable. For me it just shows how well-drilled the team is and how good a job the coach has done.”

Despite Celtic’s somewhat daunting and arduous task lying in wait in the treacherous conditions of Bodø, our former midfield lynchpin reckons Celtic can do it and qualify for the next round, he added: “I still think it’s an open game. I really do. It won’t be easy for Celtic coming to Norway. It will be below freezing, there will be some snow, and it’s an artificial pitch. It’s a tough task to overturn a 3-1 deficit, but they will be better prepared for what’s coming from Bodo now. I really enjoyed the game last week. It was two very good teams having a go.”

“Bodo did very well and they are now favourites, but Celtic also carry a lot of danger. The stadium is small but it’s nice and I am sure the Celtic players will adapt to it. For them, it’s all about having the right mindset. They need to score at least two, so I am excited about the second leg.”

One things for sure, the game on Thursday promises to be entertaining. Johansen is right on the money when he says the tie is far from over, but Celtic will have to be firing on all cylinders, executing Angeball to it’s most pure and devastating potential. With the plastic pitch and weather conditions also a central factor to the performance from the Hoops, we could be in for a bumpy night where anything could happen. So best strap yourselves in folks for another wild ride on the Angeball rollercoaster this season.

Paul Gillespie