Haugesund had a fresh start in 2016 as Mark Dempsey was given the task of stabilising the team, having served as an assistant to Ole Gunnar Solskær at Molde a few years back. The Englishman stamped his mark with a new-look 3-5-2 formation and it soon became clear that he is a meticulous tactician and a clever reader of the game. The Arabs turned into one of the major surprise packages early in the season as some effective and well-drilled showings earned them good wins. They were pretty prolific going forward and managed to go on a run of scoring at least twice in a game for six outings in a row in the spring. The dynamic midfield ensured that Haugesund were not being outrun, with Filip Kiss emerging as a real force there, while striker Torbjørn Agdestein had a breakout season. He showed great movement and clinical finishing over the course of the season, bringing an outlet in attack that was crucial to the success of the whole system. But the most impressive player in the team was at the back as William Troost-Ekong blossomed into a leader, exuding class and assurance with his play. The Arabs were proving hard to beat and had a run of one loss in seven in April and May, finding themselves in a position near the top. It was all looking good until the shocking news came that Dempsey was stepping down midway through the season, citing irreconcilable differences with the director of football. It was a major blow for the club to lose probably the most impressive manager in the league but the team coped well after Andrea Loberto took caretaker charge. Results never really went into a downfall and the new man in charge initially sought to change very little from what has been working so far. A run of six games without a loss kept the team very much in the battle for Europe as the business end of the season drew near. Then came a few setbacks and it seemed like a costly loss to Odd in a six-pointer in October would put paid to their hopes of appearing in the Europa League. Yet they claimed five points from their final three games and these results proved enough for the Arabs to secure the fourth place under the nose of Sarpsborg and Molde in a dramatic conclusion. Their European spot is not yet certain, hanging on Rosenborg winning the Cup, but that is thought to be just a formality. Dempsey laid the foundations for that success with his clever system but Loberto has been impressive in navigating the ship after his departure, with the players showing real commitment to get the job done too. The aim will be to build on the sound foundations and there is no reason for Haugesund not to be among the frontrunners next season too.
