Viking came back stronger than ever after the doldrums of relegation two years ago, and their fifth place finish was one of the feel good stories of the Norwegian football season. There's no doubt that the top flight is better with the Stavanger side being competitive and they certainly were for most of the season, with Bjarne Berntsen putting together a wonderfully exciting side with a spot on blend of youth and experience.
They started the season particularly well and laid down the marker for the other teams in the division. Having just gone up again many thought they would need time to acclimatize to the top fight again, but Berntsen's side would have none of it. Sure they came unstuck on a few occasions, shipping five against Ranheim and Molde and four against Bodo/Glimt all in the first half of the season, but they were mostly competitive and finished the season off in some style beating a beleaguered Brann side 5-1 in Bergen.
The only thing that fans will be wary of ahead of next season is whether their side have peaked with this fifth place. Will the club really be able to stave off any tempting offers for young players like Kristian Thorstvedt? Can they find a replacement for veteran Zlatko Tripic who rolled back the years leading the line on so many occasions this season? There is plenty to ponder for Viking in the off-season, but if the club's finances allow it they should aim to keep this group of players together for the foreseeable future. They were a breath of fresh air in 2019.
