Singh When You’re Winning

Vålerenga – Start 8-1: It should be a no-brainer, really: would you rather belong to the world’s largest democracy, an emerging superpower in the fields of technology, finance, and politics, or do you prefer a cold and remote Northern European kingdom with an ageing population of less than five million people, and whose only natural source of wealth, namely its oil and gas reserves, is rapidly disappearing?

In reality, however, it’s not that simple, for Harmeet Singh (19) is no aspiring bankier, politician or computer wizard, but a box-to-box midfielder whose talent is such that his manager, former national team captain Martin Andresen, decided to retire at the end of last season because he no longer felt he could justify selecting himself ahead of the youngster.

Although he himself is Oslo-born-and-bred, Singh’s family hails from Punjab, and though it sounds remarkable it may well be no exaggeration to claim he’s the most talented player ever to come out of India. Unlike so many other talented young Europeans of a stereo-cultural background, however, the Vålerenga man is under next to no pressure to represent the land of his forebears. So far, he’s played for Norway at every age-level up to U-19, and if he can maintain his current form it’s surely only a matter of time before he’s fast-tracked into the senior side.

Two-footed, fast, intelligent, blessed with great vision and lungs the size of tractor tyres, Singh really does seem to have it all. During last night’s demolition of Start at Ullevål, he was at the heart of everything Vålerenga did well and, although striker Mohammed ”Moa” Abdellaoue – a rumoured transfer target for Fulham – scored a hat-trick and carried off the official Man of the Match award, the midfielder would arguably have been an even more deserving choice.

One couldn’t accuse Start of not trying: in fact, they took the lead through a cracking long-range shot from former Manchester United triallist Solomon Owello – the Nigerian’s first league goal for the club. However, Vålerenga were then hit by a curiously lucky piece of misfortune: midfield terrier Kristoffer Hæstad had to withdraw through an injury, which caused a reshuffle from passionate bridge player Andresen, bringing on striker Bengt Sæternes – a highly experienced battering-ram who equalised almost immediately. Start goalkeeper Kenneth Høie didn’t cover himself in glory on that occasion, and neither did he shortly before half-time when he failed to collect a cross from the right, providing Serb midfielder Bojan Sajic with a perfect opportunity to give the home side a half-time lead.

Coincidentally, Vålerenga are also Norway’s most successful ice hockey club, and for most of the second half the game resembled what’s in that sport known as power play, with Singh directing operations from midfield and Sæternes and Moa combining up front to devastating effect. Vålerenga’s fans – known to friends and enemies alike as Klanen (the Clan) – are renowned for craving entertaining football, and on this occasion they certainly got everything they could possibly ask for and more.

Defender André Muri got 3-1 from a corner, then Moa struck twice with his weaker right foot, before it was Sæternes’ turn again: soon after that the latter set up the former for a left-footed completion of his hat-trick, and then, finally, in injury-time, Jamaican speed merchant Luton Shelton was brought down in the area. Singh, who scored a penalty in the recent friendly with Barcelona, stepped up and made no mistake, a fitting finale to one of the best performances of the season. Vålerenga are now second, six points off the pace.

*

Elsewhere, the Curse of the Mole nearly struck again, as Rosenborg were 3-2 down at half-time to a spirited Haugesund. (Those with elephantine memories – or the ability to scroll – will know that a few days ago I made a point of the Trondheim side being undefeated.) The Tippeliga leaders prevailed in the end, courtesy of two second-half goals from veteran striker Steffen Iversen (somewhat controversially left out of Egil Olsen’s squad for the upcoming friendly with France): they’ll have to be significantly more focused, however, are they to beat AIK in Wednesday’s Champions League qualifier.

Molde coach Kjell Jonevret gained himself quite a few enemies by questioning Brann’s right to play the song Nystemten (known as ”Bergen’s national anthem”) as a warm-up before games. According to the Swede, it’s a hostile tradition, and a distraction for visiting sides. He can brace himself for hate-mail in the coming days and weeks. Poor man.

Stabæk like Swedes: they have announced that current Sweden U-21 coach Jörgen Lennartsson will replace outgoing (and equally Swedish) boss Jan Jönsson, who’s joining Rosenborg in January.

Would you like your club to sign a goalkeeper? Strømsgodset’s Adam Larsen Kwarasey (22) is a rather good one, and could be available on a free in the next transfer window.

Finally, let’s hear it for a true oldtimer: twelve years ago, former Wolves and Werder Bremen forward Håvard Flo equalised for Norway v Scotland in Nantes. This weekend, the 41-year-old was on the score-sheet again, netting for first club Sogndal v Strømmen as the club maintained its position at the summit of the Adeccoliga table. Flo made his top-flight debut in 1990 and was voted sexiest member of Norway’s 1998 World Cup squad.

That’s it from me this week. Comments are (as always) extremely welcome.

Results: Lillestrøm – Kongsvinger 2-2. Tromsø – Stabæk 3-0. Hønefoss – Odd Grenland 2-1. Rosenborg – Haugesund 4-3. Viking – Sandefjord 0-0 (When asked if he could draw any positives from an excruciatingly dull first half, Viking’s assistant coach Svein Fjælberg replied: ”The fans have been great. None of them are asleep yet.” The second half wasn’t much better.) Strømsgodset – Aalesund 3-1. Brann – Molde 1-1. Vålerenga – Start 8-1.