Odd started the season with a small squad lacking in options and talent and Dag-Eliev Fagermo was facing a challenge in the task of keeping one of the most consistent teams in the league competitive at the top end of the table for another season. Indeed, the early signs were mixed and not exactly optimistic as they won one of the opening five games.
Yet the additions of Birk Risa and Vebjorn Hoff after the start of the season proved to be an inspired transfer move by the club from Skien as they managed to integrate both players quickly and began a more exciting attacking outfit that found a better balance.
There were some good performances here and there, with wins against good sides like Molde and Sarpsborg moving them up the table and giving a young squad the belief to keep on doing what they were doing. They also managed to overcome squad issues like the lack of a reliable scorer, with Torgeir Bjorven scoring just five goals all season, and the loss of defensive lynchpin Fredrik Semb Berge to a season-ending injury early on.
The highest point of their season came in August and September, when they went on a long run of ten games without a loss, winning five, and even dared to dream for a European challenge. But the squad got hit by a few injuries and loss of momentum late in the season and eventually finished at ninth place.
The team developed well after a stuttering start and overall Fagermo deserves credit for the job he has done with a squad in which they key players are ageing and it vey much handicapped in some areas.
