Solbakken rejects Viking FK’s co-manager model for national team
Norway Boss Solbakken Rejects Viking’s Shared Leadership
Viking FK co-managers Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen head into their club’s UEFA Champions League match against Sabah with a shared leadership structure that Norway national team manager Ståle Solbakken says he could never use. While foreign media outlets like The Guardian have traveled to Norway to examine the rare setup, Solbakken stated that dividing the head coaching role forces too many compromises on core tactical beliefs, according to an interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
Origins of the Dual-Coach Experiment at Viking
The duo took charge of the Eliteserien club after previously working as assistant coaches under Bjarne Berntsen. When the club management decided one of them should step up to the primary role, Aarsheim and Jensen successfully proposed splitting the duties equally. Prior to implementing the system, the pair spent several days away from the training ground formulating their shared pedagogical approach, player involvement strategy, and tactical philosophy.
Coaches Compare Joint Management Model to Marriage
Under the division of responsibilities, Aarsheim oversees defensive methodology and training ground organization, while Jensen manages the team’s offensive structure and goal-scoring strategies. Behind the scenes, the two coaches debate decisions continuously before presenting a unified front to the playing squad. Jensen compared the working relationship to a marriage where two parents must agree on child-rearing strategies. Both managers emphasize that the model requires absolute suppression of personal ego and extensive pre-match discussion to prevent disagreements on the touchline.
Why Traditional Hierarchy Still Wins for Solbakken
Solbakken, who observed the coaching staff during a club visit, noted that the managers actively invite input from others in an exceptionally prestudy-free environment. Despite observing the success of the model—which helped Viking close the gap on Bodø/Glimt, win a league title, and reach the Champions League—Solbakken maintains that the traditional single-manager hierarchy remains essential for international management where decisive, singular authority is required.
The Strict Chemistry Required to Replicate the Model
Other clubs have reached out to Jensen to inquire about replicating the co-manager framework. Jensen responds to inquiries by asking whether the prospective candidates share a long-standing personal history and mutual chemistry, noting that without pre-existing trust, the collaborative structure fails due to competing individual ambitions.
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