Stavanger's unlikely rise to the top table of European football is being steered by an unusual leadership structure: two head coaches, working side by side, who insist their small Norwegian club now carries the ambition of a giant. Morten Jensen and Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim, appointed joint head coaches of Viking in November 2020, will lead the team into their first home Champions League fixture on Tuesday against Bayern Munich, a landmark moment in a partnership built on years of friendship and shared conviction.
The two men first discussed managing a club together during a phone call around 2012 or 2013, long before either held a senior coaching post. At the time, Jensen worked in the oil and gas industry while Aarsheim was employed at a bank, both coaching part-time at local clubs. Aarsheim, a Viking legend with nearly 300 appearances as a midfielder and former captain, had already moved into coaching at Randaberg. Jensen, whose playing career was disrupted by injury after a stint in American college soccer, had managed the small club Havørn.
Their paths crossed again as assistants under previous Viking boss Bjarne Berntsen. When the head coaching job opened up, both were initially set to interview separately before proposing a joint appointment. According to club CEO Eirik Bjørnø, the pair arrived with an elaborate 120-page strategy document and a memorable presentation featuring an image of sheep representing Viking's rivals, followed by a slide showing two wolves meant to represent themselves. The pitch, along with backing from sporting director Erik Nevland, convinced the club's leadership to take the gamble.
"We were at a place in history where we needed to do something different to become better," Nevland said, adding that joint head coaches remain a rarity in top-level football. "It's something different but it's a dynamic thing... it's special, but why change something that works?"
The results have been dramatic. After a difficult start that included an 11th-place finish in 2022, Viking won the Eliteserien title last year, ending a wait for a league championship stretching back to 1991. The club, once relegated in 2017, has reinvested in developing local talent, mirroring the homegrown ethos shared by Jensen, Aarsheim, Bjørnø and Nevland.
Jensen and Aarsheim split tactical responsibilities, with Aarsheim typically overseeing defensive work and Jensen focusing on attacking structure. Their coaching staff reviews short video clips each morning before translating ideas into training sessions lasting no longer than necessary to hold players' attention. Captain Zlatko Tripic praised the dynamic, saying the coaches give players responsibility and foster open discussion, generating what he described as strong mutual respect within the squad.
The pair acknowledge occasional disagreements over selection but say these are resolved collectively with input from the wider coaching staff. "I can read Morten in one second," Aarsheim said. "If he really wants something from his stomach then I sense it: 'OK, let's go with that.' It's never been a problem."
Beyond results on the pitch, both coaches point to a broader cultural shift in Stavanger, a city transformed by North Sea oil discoveries in 1969. Jensen noted that local children are now more likely to wear Viking shirts than those of English giants like Manchester United or Liverpool, calling it one of his proudest achievements.
Ahead of facing Bayern, Viking first traveled to rivals SK Brann and won 2-0, having been warned by their coaches about the intensity of the fixture. With belief running high, Jensen and Aarsheim see no reason to temper expectations. "For us, Viking is Barcelona," Aarsheim said. "In our heads, it's the best team in the world."
Based on reporting from The Guardian.