Right man, wrong time? The Wolves story of Norway's Stale Solbakken | OneFootball

As England face Norway on Saturday, attention returns to ex-Wolves boss Stale Solbakken. According to ExpressAndStar.com, the 58-year-old leads Norway into their first World Cup quarter-final, their first major finals since 2000.

Appointed May 2012, Solbakken championed a club DNA as Wolves marked Academy Category One status, aiming for a style to outlast managers. He began 2012/13 hopeful but was dismissed within months after a bleak FA Cup loss at Luton Town.

There was an early surge, third after a late win at Blackburn, then the slide. Wolves managed only three wins in 17, four straight defeats and nine without victory, as belief ebbed.

Karl Henry, restored as captain on a four-year deal, felt Solbakken’s patient, possession game suited the Premier League more than a Championship push. Carl Ikeme shared the view that the approach did not fit the division.

Recruitment was mixed as Steven Fletcher and Matt Jarvis departed and Michael Kightly also moved on. Bakary Sako thrilled, Razak Boukari and Slawomir Peszko were hit by injuries, and Bjorn Sigurdarson showed promise.

A club policy kept most backroom staff in place. Solbakken embraced English culture and humour, yet regular trips home, which chairman Steve Morgan felt did not help him settle, added to a sense of drift.

Since leaving, he has thrived with Copenhagen and now Norway, a side built beyond Erling Haaland’s goals, with 21 of 37 in qualifying from others. With Jorgen Strand Larsen, David Moller Wolfe and analyst Andy Findlay alongside him, Solbakken now chases history.

Source: ExpressAndStar.com