Joe Bell (Viking FK | Norway)

he signed a 4.5yr deal when he went back to Viking right? So a Championship club would need to throw a bit if cash about to get him yeah?

smart money says he stays at Viking another year at least, he's only 26. Does well at the World cup, move then to a bigger league and maybe look to do well there. Viking get the transfer funds and he gets an improved contract on the back of performances - win win!

Sunday
Viking (1st) travel to Rosenborg (3rd).
Viking with a healthy 9 pt gap now to Brann (2nd) though Brann a game in hand.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/06/28/norway/eliteserien/rosenborg/viking/4581402/

Full game Bell in a 1-1 draw

Sunday

Viking (1st) host Strømsgodset (15th/2nd last)
https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/07/05/norway/eliteserien/viking/str-msgodset/4581410/

What a season Joe Bell is having in Norway 🇳🇴👨‍🍳

🙌 18 games unbeaten
🎯 4 assists, 1 goal
⚽️ 7.54 average match rating
🏆 Viking FK are 7 points clear at the top of the Eliteserien
💯 Joe’s played every minute (excluding the first cup round)
🫡 Worn the captain’s armband… pic.twitter.com/5O07AwrrsY

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) July 3, 2025

Bell a full game in a 1-0 win. Viking (1st) keep trucking on. 
9 pts clear of Brann (2nd), though Brann have a game in hand.

Viking have a Cup semi away at Sarpsborg (9th in the league) midweek.
League & Cup double is definitely on.

Viking a Cup (NM Cupen) semi away at Sarpsborg (9th in the league).

League & Cup double is very much on. It will likely take a big money offer for Viking to consider selling Bell before the season finishes.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/07/09/norway/nm-cupen/sarpsborg/viking/4656972/

Niche Cache
That’s now 19 games undefeated for the Vikes across all competitions, surging them way out in front on the Eliteserien table and into the Norwegian Cup semis. There’s no stopping them at the moment. They’re halfway towards what could be an absolutely legendary campaign and Joe Bell is right there at the heart of it.

Sadly no chance of the double now for Viking. Lose their semi 1-0, despite having over 60% of possession playing away. Full game Bell. Still no Daggers or Stensness.

Real bugger as Lillestrom from the Norwegian 2nd tier won the other semi, so a real opportunity missed you feel by Viking not to clinch some silverware. They would have been big favourites for the final in Oslo. Here's hoping they can maintain their lead in the Eliteserien 2nd half of the season.

Big game. Viking (1st, 15 games, 36 pts) travel to Brann (2nd, 14 games, 27 pts).
Viking win would be a big psychological victory with season at the half way point.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/07/13/norway/eliteserien/brann/viking/4581413/

They are getting smashed. Down 3-0 with time still to play. 

Elemenop

They are getting smashed. Down 3-0 with time still to play. 

Sounds like he's playing for PSG!

Scored their only goal 90+2
Fans still love him…… if Facebook translate works properly

IMG_8470.jpeg 558.34 KB

Yipe bad few days on the road for Viking. Losing Cup semi, and now their unbeaten league streak over. 3-1 final score. Brann (2nd) with a game in hand, close the gap to 6 pts. Effectively a six pointer that loss.

Another big match coming up hosting defending champs Bodø/Glimt (5th). 
BG 13 pts behind Viking, but they have a sizeable 4 games in hand, after their heavy European commitments to start the season.

Disappointing loss for Viking FK as their 15-game Eliteserien unbeaten streak came to an end, but on the plus side Joe Bell did this…#FlyingKiwis 🥝 pic.twitter.com/aM1gnRBZsK

— The Niche Cache (@thenichecache) July 13, 2025

I think he'd go well in the scottish prem. He'd have a shot with one of the top 4 teams easy.

Big game. Viking (1st) host Bodo Glimt (4th).
Bodo Glimt (BG) having won the league 4 of the last 5 seasons.

Viking need a result to turn around their bad last 7 days

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/07/18/norway/eliteserien/viking/bod-glimt/4581426/

Oh and with UEFA league coefficients the Eliteserien is 12th. The SPL 17th.

This year BG made the Europa League semis, losing to Spurs.
In 2022 BG beat Celtic H&A (5-1 on agg) enroute to the quarters of the UEFA Europa Conference League. The Eliteserien is a decent league. 

Viking in a proper little rut now

Lose 2-4, and unfortunately Bell with an oggie for Bodø/Glimt's 4th.

Both Bodø/Glimt (3rd, 14 games, 29 pts) & Tromsø (4th, 13 games, 28 pts) could overtake Viking (17 games, 36 pts) by winning most/all of their games in hand.

And Viking now have to juggle 2 legged UEFA Conference League qualifier tie vs Koper from Slovenia.

Bell's oggie from the weekend.
Got their Conference League qualifier Friday morning

coochiee

Viking in a proper little rut now

Lose 2-4, and unfortunately Bell with an oggie for Bodø/Glimt's 4th.

Both Bodø/Glimt (3rd, 14 games, 29 pts) & Tromsø (4th, 13 games, 28 pts) could overtake Viking (17 games, 36 pts) by winning most/all of their games in hand.

And Viking now have to juggle 2 legged UEFA Conference League qualifier tie vs Koper from Slovenia.

Looking at the VK squad they don't have a lot of experienced heads or imports. They rely a lot on young guys. It makes it tough to stay top for long..

First leg UEFA Conference League qualifier tie, Viking host Koper from Slovenia.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/07/24/europe/uefa-europa-conference-league/viking/koper/4673296/

Two assists and off at 63 mins (3-0) in a 7-0 romp

Some confidence back for Viking 

See that 25 yr old American midfielder Christian Cappis, who played with Bell first at Brøndby in Denmark, plus this season at Viking, has just left to sign for FC Dallas in the MLS.
https://www.vikingfotball.no/nyheter/cappis-forlater-viking

Cappis was mostly a bench player this season at Viking.

And who knows it may not be say a Championship club that is 26 yr old Joe's next move, but also the MLS. He had a few years at College stateside, after all.

Viking (1st) travel to Bryne (12th)

Bell starts

Viking win extending the gap to 7pts with Bodo still having 3 games in hand.

Yipe Bell a full game in a 3-1 win. Bodo (2nd) & Tromso (3rd) could both overtake Viking if they won all 3 of their games in hand.

Next for Viking midweek trip to Slovenia for UEFA Conference League.

Niche Cache's (probably correct) opinion.

There’s about a month left in the transfer window and the performances of Joe Bell have no doubt caught the eye of a few scouts... but once upon a time Bell rejected Viking’s original approach so that he could complete his last university season in the USA with a team that had a chance to win the national championship (they lost on penalties in the final). There’s no chance he skips out on a title challenge with VFK unless something undeniable comes along, and even then he’s already had one cautionary experience from his time at Brøndby in Denmark. Wait until January before even thinking about it.

Viking travel to play Koper from Slovenia, 2nd leg, Conference League playoff. 
Viking up 7-0

You know what at 7-0 up after the first leg I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest they'll wrap up the tie.

You are a wise sage. 

Viking (1st) have a tricky away league game to Sandefjord (6th) in a few days, so Bell & a few others likely to get a rest in Slovenia tomorrow.

Bodo/Glimt (2nd) have now closed the gap to Viking to 4 points, BG with 2 games in hand. You sense the title will come down to the wire. BG haven't won the last 4 of the last 5 Eliteseriens for nothing. And runnersup that season they didn't win. That will all be playing on the minds of those at Viking.

Avoiding an 8 goal turnaround against Koper tomorrow they play either Cherno More (Bulgaria) or İstanbul Başakşehir (Turkey), in the next round of Conference League qualifiers. The Turkish side winning 1-0 away in their first leg. 

No Bell as Viking win 5-3 (12-3 on agg)

34 yr old Tomi Juric off the bench for Koper.
His younger brother Deni Juric with 2 goals for the Slovenians. 

Viking to play İstanbul Başakşehir (Turkey) in the next round.

Conference League qualifiers 1st leg.
Viking host İstanbul Başakşehir (Turkey).

Eliteserien - Bodo/Glimt have closed within 1 point of Viking, and BG still a game in hand.

Not good for either AW in Euro football this morning. Bell full game in a 1-3 loss

Daggers finally made an injury return on at 80 mins (1-2)

Viking (1st) travel to Sandefjord (6th)

It’s getting tense now. Viking benefit from a late 92min oggie to win 2-1

In the battle of the north Bodo/Glimt can only draw 1-1 at Tromso. So Viking 3 pts ahead of BG, who still have a game in hand. Tight.

Full game Bell but he got a yellow and is suspended for the next league match.
No Daggers.

Thursday
Conference League 2nd leg Viking (down 1-3) travel to Istanbul Başakşehir in Turkey.

Must be some uncertainity about the game given the big quake in Turkey.

https://us.soccerway.com/matches/2025/08/13/europe/uefa-europa-conference-league/ba-ak-ehir/viking/I2170018/

1-1 draw so Viking’s European adventure is over. 4-2 loss on aggregate 

Full game Bell, Daggers came on late. Cool city to visit Istanbul, so Joe B can tick that off his bucket list.

Looks like a 14 day break for Viking now, so a chance to rest and reset before the title battle resumes with Bodo/Glimt. 11 league games left.

Viking in the midst of a 2 week break, as other teams play their catch up league games.

Bodo/Glimt have now caught (both teams having played 19 games, 42 pts) and now edge Viking (2nd) on GD to sit first. 11 league games left.

Brann (18 games, 36 pts, 3rd) play this weekend, and are still well in the title race as well.

Bodo/Glimt will likely have to juggle UCL games before the Norwegian season finishes. They are 5-0 up after 1st leg in UCL playoffs against Sturm Graz. Winner over the 2 legs into UCL proper.

UCL draw next week and to start September. Viking will be hoping UCL is a big distraction for BG.

This maybe Bell's last season in Norway, and I'm sure he would love a Eliteserien title.

Viking (2nd) host Rosenborg (5th)

Viking win but no Bell, guess he’s already on his way for the AW

YellowAndBlack

Viking win but no Bell, guess he’s already on his way for the AW

Bell missed this game through suspension for yellow card accumulation. He'll be back and in the starting XI after the international break.

YoungHeartHM

YellowAndBlack

Viking win but no Bell, guess he’s already on his way for the AW

Bell missed this game through suspension for yellow card accumulation. He'll be back and in the starting XI after the international break.

Pretty good timing on Bell's part really.