Joe Bell (Viking FK | Norway)

Norwegian top flight to kick off Tuesday 16th June.

Viking to host Bodø / Glimt.

This week's Flying Kiwis.

"Over in Norway they’ve been going through all the sneaky procedures (cleaning footballs between training sessions, etc.) and if everything stays on track, the relevant restrictions should all be lifted by 15 June... with the football to resume the following day. No time to waste. Teams are already back in training and fixtures have been set. 

That season, like Sweden’s, runs through the European summer so they haven’t started yet. Joe Bell is there having signed with Viking. No word on the women’s top division yet – which last year featured Rebekah Stott and Victoria Essen (at Avaldsnes) while CJ Bott has signed with Vålerenga."

This week's Flying Kiwis.

"The Norwegian season begins, finally, next week on Wednesday for us Aotearoa viewers. And it looks like Joe Bell will be going straight into the Viking first team as hoped. They’ve played a few friendly matches recently and he was a half-time sub in the latest, a 3-1 win over a second div opposition... getting a yellow card within two minutes of coming and playing the whole of that 45-min stanza. He was one of four scheduled HT changes, setting up as a defensive midfielder. It was 1-1 at the break and it was 3-1 to VFK at full time. He set up a goal in another friendly a week ago as well. Decent signs.

From this week's Flying Kiwis. Viking kick off their season tomorrow.

Shot Joe. Got himself a goal in a 5-0 win over Sandnes Ulf last week in their final friendly match before the belated season finally kicks off. It was a bit of a reserve team in fairness, giving the fringe dudes one last chance to push their case, and Bell started in the middle of a 4-3-3. His goal came in the 68th minute, slipped through in behind the defence and he did the rest himself for his first (albeit non-competitive) goal for the club. It was also the opponents’ first match since the pandemic started as the first division clubs have taken longer than the Eliteserien to get back into the swing so that’s a bit of extra perspective. 

But a good performance, especially in the second half (it was 1-0 at HT, 5-0 by 70 mins... that lack of fitness for Sandnes Ulf really showing). Now we wait a day to see what role Joe Bell gets to play in the real stuff. All indications seem to be that he’ll be a bench player as he seeks to work his way into the mix in his first season as a pro.

Viking are in an interesting place. They were only promoted back to the top flight after being relegated in 2018 (following 29 consecutive season in the top flight, and they bounced immediately back up). But they did so bloody well upon return to the topskees that they won the Norwegian Cup and finished fifth, good enough to get some deep Europa League qualifying entry for whatever that’ll eventually look like. 

They’ve lost a couple key midfielders with young gun Kristian Thorstvedt (who was the club’s top scorer in 2019) having moved to Genk while Samúel Friðjónsson’s was only there on loan but Joe Bell isn’t the only midfielder they’ve bought to replace them. He is a bit of an odd transfer though. They fell in love with him at the U20 World Cup and kept a line on him throughout his final college season, even after he rebuffed their initial attempt to sign him prior to that, and he’s the only non-European in a squad build predominantly from local players with a couple Kosovans and an Icelander in there too. 

The feeling around Norway is that they’re batting for mid-table, probably not having made the improvements needed to push for the top few places and instead hoping to consolidate what they did last time.

As expected on the bench as season in Norway starts. 

Viking (5th last season) hosting Bodø / Glimt (2nd last season).

And comes on for professional debut as one of 3 subs made at 72 min, just after Viking concede a 3rd goal.

Finishes as a 2-4 home loss.

On the bench as Viking travel to Brann (9th in the league last season).

Brann are based in Bergen, really pretty if rainy city.

Finishes 3-0 to Brann. Bell came on in the 81st minute.

Vikings missed a pen in the 56th when they were 2-0 down

Nice goal. Unfortunately scored against Bell's Viking.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1273250795866087424

Looks like limited crowds allowed in Norway.

Gets his first start as Viking host Mjøndalen.

Full game in a 1-1 draw.

Viking made 5 subs, but kept Bell on for the duration, so that must be a good sign.

Viking's scorer was Veton Berisha. Norweigian born but Kosovo parentage.

That's a cracker!

Man of the match too <3

Starting again as Viking (13th) travel to Vålerenga (10th).

Here's the match report from the last game, when he was MOM, on starting debut. As per usual a fair bit is lost in translation. Sounds & looks like Viking's home ground is an artificial turf??

https://www.viking-fk.no/nyheter/debutantene-leverte-da-arets-forste-poeng-kom#cookie-line-accept

"Another who got his first start was Joe Bell. he was also voted the best of the court by a local jury, without even bringing it to himself.

"Not sure who decided, but nice of them," Bell said in the press zone after the match.

Coach Bjarne Berntsen was also pleased with what he saw.

- Joe showed the quality that was one of the reasons we picked him up, Berntsen boasted.

The 21-year-old was good in the role we have become accustomed to seeing Kristoffer Løkberg in. He ran a lot, was good with the ball in his legs and stepped up in the duels, as there were many in the match.

- I'm still new to the league, but heard that this was going to be a physical match. It was, but it was fair, he points out."

Full game in a 2-1 loss at Vålerenga.

Viking conceded the 2nd goal late at 86 mins.

From this week's Flying Kiwis.

https://twitter.com/i/status/1277488174395080711

"Pretty disappointing result, combined with a second ripper performance from Joe Bell who is already making a name for himself in Norway. Getting rave reviews for how he’s played in these two starts, tell ya what."

Full game and credited with an assist, in a 2-0 win over Sandefjord.

Win takes Viking away from the bottom of the table.

Sounds like Bell is off to a great start, in his pro football career. Which is probably not that unexpected. 

Good stuff.

I have a sneaky suspicion this lad is going to have a very good pro football career.

Starting as Viking (12th) travel to Start (14th). Puns galore.

Soccerway's graphic shows sideways rain.

Goal highlights from last game a 2-0 win over Sandefjord.  Bell's assist is the free kick for 2nd goal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDxTXzDfnIM

Full game in a 1-1 draw.

Subbed off at 59 mins in a 1-2 home loss to Odd (up to 7th). Viking drop to 13th.

Odd scored their 2nd goal late at 92 mins.

Viking were down 0-1 when Bell came off. 

From Viking's website sounds like was just a straight substitution, not an injury.

Subbed off at 62 mins in a 5-0 thumping from 2nd placed Molde.

Viking were 2-0 down after 13 minutes, and that was also the score when Bell came off.

2nd game in a row he's been subbed off relatively early, with Viking struggling now down in 14th spot. 

Viking halt the rot with a 2-0 win at Haugesund (12th).

Full game for Bell.

Viking up to 11th.

Starting against Sarpsborg 08 (10th)

Full game in a 3-0 win.

Viking up to 10th, Sarpsborg 08 down to 11th.

Starting as Viking (12th) travel to Rosenborg (7th)

Full game & a yellow in a 3-0 loss.

Full game in a 1-2 home loss to Kristiansund.

Viking were 1-0 up, and now slip to 13th (one above the relegation spots).

Full game & 85th minute yellow, in a 2-2 draw away at bottom team Aalesund.

Viking 13th of 16 teams, one spot above the relegation zone. Season nearly at half way point.

Full game in a 3-3 home draw verus Stabæk (7th).

Viking 14th (relegation playoff spot)

Bell makes it 3 Kiwi goals on a European Saturday. Bring on Belgium!

Scores Viking's 2nd goal (92 mins) in a 2-0 win over Strømsgodset (9th) after coming off the bench at late at 87 mins.

Goal highlights here. Takes his chance well. Helps that he would have had very fresh legs to make his run.

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/game-highlights/stromsgodset-vs-viking-fk_game_16099572_sv.html

Viking still 14th. 

Comes off the bench at 79 mins in a 3-2 win over 2nd placed Molde.

Viking up 3-1 when he came on.

They go to 10th.

From this week's Flying Kiwis.

"Also, that Europa League second round of qualifying draw has come through and Viking have drawn Aberdeen. That’ll be on 17 September local time with a single legged tie this season because of all the fixture complications. Decent early opportunity for Bell to get amongst some continental footy."

Subbed on at 62 mins in a 5-3 win at Kristiansund (5th).

Viking up 2-1 when Bell introduced, so plenty of action after he came on. Viking up to 8th. 

They have a Europa League tie against Aberdeen this week, in Norway.

Full game as Viking lost 0-2 to Aberdeen in Europa League.

FYI - Aberdeen currently 5th in SPL.

interesting and maybe an indication of the standard of this league 

Full game in a 5-2 win over bottom of the table Aalesund

Credited with an assist for the 4th goal, and scores the 5th himself in stoppage time.

Viking up to 7th.

Goal highlights here as a series of individual goal videos. Bell's goal being a lovely free kick in 2nd to last video. I think his 'assist' is corner he takes in the last vid, where team mate scores with a header.

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/game-highlig...

This is quite a cool 7 min video posted by Aberdeen summarising their mid week Europa League game against Viking in Norway. Looks a nice city Stavanger. Aberdeen's 2nd goal direct from a corner. Bell looked busy, plenty of touches in the highlights.

Pity Viking lost. Aberdeen go on to get a juicy tie against Sporting Lisbon in the next round, this week.

[/quoteinteresting and maybe an indication of the standard of this league][/quote]

A slight indication but I wouldn't scoff to much at this result. Aberdeen are a reasonably strong side and they simply put their chances and though Viking are one of the biggest clubs in Norway the last few years have been plagued by severely tight finances and have just recently sold of 3 mvp's to big teams in Greece, Turkey and Belgium. They are relying on mostly local talent but with the wave of norwegian talent coming through these days this isn't a bad thing as the team will only get better and have been showing huge steps these last games. Bell was instrumental in their win today and I believe they have been easing him in to things and he is about to cement his starting spot in the team. Though the Norwegian Eliteserien isn't among the top european leagues it has proven to be a great first step for many a professional football player that has gone on to much bigger things.

Thanks for posting the video coochiee. Great to see him in action

5 wins on the trot for Viking in the Eliteserien

This time 2-1 away at Mjøndalen (15th).

Full game for Bell. 

Viking stay 7th, and 6 points off Euro spots. 11 games left.