UPDATED: Troubled Oslo football club Vålerenga has received another NOK 5 million from one of its “rich uncles,” investor and businessman Tor Olav Trøim, but it may be the last time he’s willing to bail the club out. State broadcaster NRK reported Trøim has grown weary of covering economic losses at the club, which got off to a bad start in Sunday’s match against rival Rosenborg of Trondheim but ended better.
Vålerenga officials, long faced with dwindling ticket sales and rising costs, gathered for an emergency meeting over the weekend to discuss how to tackle their latest financial crisis. It was brought on by an order issued last month that they must pay rival club Stabæk, also financially troubled, NOK 6.2 million in connection with a disputed player transfer.
Vålerenga fans raised NOK 2.5 million in an emergency fundraising drive and Trøim promised to match their contribution. NRK reported that he doubled that, but the club remains financially troubled with a budget shortfall of NOK 10 million plus the money owed to Stabæk.
“We think we’ll manage somehow, but it’s very serious,” club chairman Åge Petter Christiansen told NRK. “We’re talking with Trøim about the possibility of continuing our cooperation, and we’re talking with other investors. We’re talking to everyone who wants to help.”
Vålerenga coach Kjetil Rekdal keeps trying to concentrate on football itself, but attended Saturday’s emergency meeting and appealed to fans to keep supporting the club. Quite a few turned out for Sunday’s match against rival club Rosenborg of Trondheim at Ullevaal Stadium in Oslo.
The match didn’t get off to a good start for Vålerenga, with the Trondheim club scoring two goals before the break and Vålerenga none. Vålerenga kicked back in the second half, though, and the match ended in a tie of 2-2.
newsinenglish.no staff
