Haugesund started the season looking for solidity and said pare of hands with the appointment of Jostein Gunnershaug, taking over from the Rosenborg-bound Eirik Horneland. The new man in charge did not change too much in the approach and the team focused on solidity and combative midfield play while trying to stay compact at the back.
They had their struggles early in the season as the team came to terms with the loss of one or two key players at the back. They won just twice in the opening seven games but things started to pick up a bit after that, with a run of five games without a loss moving them up the standings.
But then the club was dealt a major blow as in-form striker Ibrahima Wadji was handed a long 18-month ban for doping use and that left the coach with a small and thin squad, beset by injuries as well, ahead of the start of a European campaign in July. But Haugesund buckled up and upset a decent side like Sturm Graz before losing narrowly top PSV in the next round. It was a positive experience for the whole squad but it had impact on league results.
The team slowed down and found it hard to get wins during that run but maintained their team ethic and energy, staying well clear of any trouble at the bottom end of the table. Indeed, they had their most consistent run of form in the final few months of the season as they lost just once in the final 12 league games while beating Rosenborg and Odd at home and getting some solid results on the road.
On top of that, Haugesund have a chance to make it to Europe for a second season running as they have a Cup final against Viking coming up after an impressive run, pulling off a few fine wins on the way.
Overall, it has been another season of genuine progress from a limited side that continues to punch above their weight and be more than a sum of their parts. The issue for them remains how they can keep their squad core intact, most notably Sondre Tronstad, who keeps getting better and may be one of the best midfielders in the entire league.
