Norwegian link

[theonlywayisup]

What are your thoughts on the Norwegian link?

In the Scotsman article regarding the possible signing of Runar Hauge they state "it is understood that Hibs were made aware of his availability over the weekend, thanks to chief executive Ben Kensell’s long-standing relationship with the Norwegian club’s academy manager Gregg Broughton, who formerly fulfilled the same role at Norwich and the club have wasted little time in making their move."

Whilst the signings of Runar Hauge and Elias Melkersen have generally been viewed as positives, they are only 20 and 19 respectively with only Hauge having played in the Norwegian top division and both been on loan last season to 2nd division teams. However, they have both played for the Norwegian teams below the full international team. They are obviously ones for the future, but as we know some players don't progress to the next level. Think about players like Ollie Shaw and Alex Harris, plus many others.

I am slightly nervous about this being the product of a long-standing relationship. Is there a chance that this can cloud Hibs judgement when deciding whether to recruit or not. What does this say about our conveyor belt of younger players for our own Scottish players.

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Let's hope it all works out well.

[Big_Franck]

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What are your thoughts on the Norwegian link?

In the Scotsman article regarding the possible signing of Runar Hauge they state "it is understood that Hibs were made aware of his availability over the weekend, thanks to chief executive Ben Kensell’s long-standing relationship with the Norwegian club’s academy manager Gregg Broughton, who formerly fulfilled the same role at Norwich and the club have wasted little time in making their move."

Whilst the signings of Runar Hauge and Elias Melkersen have generally been viewed as positives, they are only 20 and 19 respectively with only Hauge having played in the Norwegian top division and both been on loan last season to 2nd division teams. However, they have both played for the Norwegian teams below the full international team. They are obviously ones for the future, but as we know some players don't progress to the next level. Think about players like Ollie Shaw and Alex Harris, plus many others.

I am slightly nervous about this being the product of a long-standing relationship. Is there a chance that this can cloud Hibs judgement when deciding whether to recruit or not. What does this say about our conveyor belt of younger players for our own Scottish players.

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Let's hope it all works out well.

I'd be surprised if it was Ben making the decisions on players. That's maybe where the original link came from but I'd imagine these players will be assessed by our recruitment team before then being presented to Maloney.

[ancient hibee]

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I'd be surprised if it was Ben making the decisions on players. That's maybe where the original link came from but I'd imagine these players will be assessed by our recruitment team before then being presented to Maloney.

Who are the members of our recruitment team?

[SlickShoes]

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Who are the members of our recruitment team?

Ian Gordon, Head of Recruitment
Calvin Charlton, Head of Performance and Recruitment Analysis
Euan Fotheringham, First Team Performance Analyst
Luke Griffin, Recruitment Analyst

and probably also other staff involved too.

[worcesterhibby]

We need to be picking from as big a pool as possible when we are recruiting, If Ben's links mean we get the inside track on good players who are available on affordable deals ahead of our rivals then that's a good thing. Of course we should be looking at young scottish and English players too, and of course we are, as this window has proved.

Scandinavia has long been someone I wish we looked more often when recruiting. They have similar weather and conditions, high rates of fluency in English amongst the young and their teams produce excellent technical footballers. Yet the Top teams in Norway struggle to get crowds anything like we get at Hibs and although their TV money is better than ours (because almost all matches are on telly) it means we can compete with them financially and the prospect of playing in front of up to 20,000 fans at home and 60,000 away must also be a draw. That coupled with the route into English football, and riches, means that we are an attractive proposition to young Scandinavian talent.

Let's look to recruit the best talent at the best price wherever we can find it !

[Jonnyboy]

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We need to be picking from as big a pool as possible when we are recruiting, If Ben's links mean we get the inside track on good players who are available on affordable deals ahead of our rivals then that's a good thing. Of course we should be looking at young scottish and English players too, and of course we are, as this window has proved.

Scandinavia has long been someone I wish we looked more often when recruiting. They have similar weather and conditions, high rates of fluency in English amongst the young and their teams produce excellent technical footballers. Yet the Top teams in Norway struggle to get crowds anything like we get at Hibs and although their TV money is better than ours (because almost all matches are on telly) it means we can compete with them financially and the prospect of playing in front of up to 20,000 fans at home and 60,000 away must also be a draw. That coupled with the route into English football, and riches, means that we are an attractive proposition to young Scandinavian talent.

Let's look to recruit the best talent at the best price wherever we can find it !

Top post.

[007]

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We need to be picking from as big a pool as possible when we are recruiting, If Ben's links mean we get the inside track on good players who are available on affordable deals ahead of our rivals then that's a good thing. Of course we should be looking at young scottish and English players too, and of course we are, as this window has proved.

Scandinavia has long been someone I wish we looked more often when recruiting. They have similar weather and conditions, high rates of fluency in English amongst the young and their teams produce excellent technical footballers. Yet the Top teams in Norway struggle to get crowds anything like we get at Hibs and although their TV money is better than ours (because almost all matches are on telly) it means we can compete with them financially and the prospect of playing in front of up to 20,000 fans at home and 60,000 away must also be a draw. That coupled with the route into English football, and riches, means that we are an attractive proposition to young Scandinavian talent.

Let's look to recruit the best talent at the best price wherever we can find it !

Great post.👍

[J-C]

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What are your thoughts on the Norwegian link?

In the Scotsman article regarding the possible signing of Runar Hauge they state "it is understood that Hibs were made aware of his availability over the weekend, thanks to chief executive Ben Kensell’s long-standing relationship with the Norwegian club’s academy manager Gregg Broughton, who formerly fulfilled the same role at Norwich and the club have wasted little time in making their move."

Whilst the signings of Runar Hauge and Elias Melkersen have generally been viewed as positives, they are only 20 and 19 respectively with only Hauge having played in the Norwegian top division and both been on loan last season to 2nd division teams. However, they have both played for the Norwegian teams below the full international team. They are obviously ones for the future, but as we know some players don't progress to the next level. Think about players like Ollie Shaw and Alex Harris, plus many others.

I am slightly nervous about this being the product of a long-standing relationship. Is there a chance that this can cloud Hibs judgement when deciding whether to recruit or not. What does this say about our conveyor belt of younger players for our own Scottish players.

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Let's hope it all works out well.

Surely it's a positive that Kensall has this link in Norway, it means we can cherry pick some of the better talent before bigger clubs down south, develop and sell on.

[Vault Boy]

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Surely it's a positive that Kensall has this link in Norway, it means we can cherry pick some of the better talent before bigger clubs down south, develop and sell on.

His link to Middlesbrough that led us to Nathan Wood wasn't ideal.

But I do agree in this case. Bodø/Glimt's academy seems to be incredibly, almost disproportionately good, so it's a potentially fruitful connection to have.

[Viva_Palmeiras]

What Does the reindeersBollocks Twitter dude make of it?

[Anthony Soprano]

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What Does the reindeersBollocks Twitter dude make of it?

https://twitter.com/reindeerhotdog/status/1486759826705334272?s=21

[Springbank]

A good way of working out if you've got a good deal is what Norwegian press, managers & rivals say about it.

Their gut reaction to Melkersen was they thought Hibs had absolutely stolen him for the fee we paid (they thought he was worth double) and it's all positive about Hauge.

That suggests smart business here, not an old pals act, but it's never a bad thing to ask the question the OP is asking

[Hibbyradge]

The more links the better, imo.

Hopefully it'll start a chain reaction.

[dchibs]

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The more links the better, imo.

Hopefully it'll start a chain reaction.

That would be supreme.

[Hibbyradge]

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That would be supreme.

Excellent.

[Jones28]

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That would be supreme.

Boooooooooo

[Hibbyradge]

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Boooooooooo

Good to see you didn't boo my first one.

[Jones28]

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Good to see you didn't boo my first one.

A pun in hindsight is not a pun

Just Stop

[Mick O'Rourke]

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That would be supreme.

They were not as good when Ross left

[WeeRussell]

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They were not as good when Ross left

Now that’s guid 👏

[Jones28]

Neither of these guys have kicked a ball for Hibs yet and we’re questioning policy? Teams from Scandinavia regularly beat us in European competition, they always like fitter, better technically and faster than we do. If we can tap in to that then I’m more than happy to do it.

[truehibernian]

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Neither of these guys have kicked a ball for Hibs yet and we’re questioning policy? Teams from Scandinavia regularly beat us in European competition, they always like fitter, better technically and faster than we do. If we can tap in to that then I’m more than happy to do it.

Totally agree, they’ve invested heavily in football in Scandinavia and it’s paid dividends with regular international qualification and some impressive club achievements in Europe given the size of their leagues. The mentality point you make is true and very important- Melkerson already sounds like a very confident lad.

Cannot fathom people questioning the signing policy with Maloney only 6 weeks in the door. We’ve not even seen all the new signings play yet. Incredible.

[theonlywayisup]

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Totally agree, they’ve invested heavily in football in Scandinavia and it’s paid dividends with regular international qualification and some impressive club achievements in Europe given the size of their leagues. The mentality point you make is true and very important- Melkerson already sounds like a very confident lad.

Cannot fathom people questioning the signing policy with Maloney only 6 weeks in the door. We’ve not even seen all the new signings play yet. Incredible.

No-one is questioning the signing policy of Maloney 6 weeks into the job. However, I was trying to gauge people's thoughts on the Norwegian link. I'm not being critical of the link, just have no informed view of whether it's a good thing or not. Hence, why I was trying to seek the views of my fellow posters on a forum where we like to discuss all things relevant to the Hibees.

[Greenbeard]

To put a positive spin on the Melkerson work permit delay, Hibs signing Hauge must mean they are very confident that the permit(s) will be issued.

[Callum_62]

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To put a positive spin on the Melkerson work permit delay, Hibs signing Hauge must mean they are very confident that the permit(s) will be issued.

Melkerson has his work permit already

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[04Sauzee]

Not sure if this has been posted elsewhere but a decent read on Melkerson.

https://enrgsport.net/2022/01/10/wha...ias-melkersen/

[NORTHERNHIBBY]

Perhaps stories like these need to be qualified as links or just discussions. There was a modicum of excitement / interest when something was supposedly in the air with Brighton, but I don't know if that lead to anything with substance or not.

[heid the baw]

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as we know some players don't progress to the next level. Think about players like Ollie Shaw and Alex Harris, plus many others.

I am slightly nervous about this being the product of a long-standing relationship. Is there a chance that this can cloud Hibs judgement when deciding whether to recruit or not. What does this say about our conveyor belt of younger players for our own Scottish players.

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. Let's hope it all works out well.

I share this concern. Another way to look at it is that Broughton is doing his job for Bodo Glimt by selling on young untried players for a good return. He is using his contact, Ben Kensell in order to do this. It could be the tail wagging the dog for all we know. I would rather Hibs stuck to recruiting from Scotland or England where you can easily scout players from a young age.

Alex Harris is a fine example and don't forget he didn't upsticks either.

I may be wrong, this is purely an opinion

[Jones28]

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I share this concern. Another way to look at it is that Broughton is doing his job for Bodo Glimt by selling on young untried players for a good return. He is using his contact, Ben Kensell in order to do this. It could be the tail wagging the dog for all we know. I would rather Hibs stuck to recruiting from Scotland or England where you can easily scout players from a young age.

Alex Harris is a fine example and don't forget he didn't upsticks either.

I may be wrong, this is purely an opinion

You're going to have to expand on that comment re Harris, AFAIK he started brilliantly, got a nasty injury and was never the same for us? Not sure where that comes in at all.

[Since452]

The link is great but i'm sceptical as to why this Broughton chap would be trying to get shot of a player instead of trying to get him into his clubs first team? If Steve Kean was trying to flog one of our top youngsters to another team there would be an uproar. Just doesn't seem right.