Tottenham Hotspur conquered Bodo/Glimt on their way to being crowned the Europa League winners last season, but chief executive Frode Thomassen has exclusively told GIVEMESPORT that the Norwegian outfit are relishing the opportunity to learn from their mistakes when the two sides lock horns again on Tuesday.
Having seen Spurs bag a late point against Wolverhampton Wanderers last weekend, thanks to Joao Palhinha scoring a stoppage time equaliser for Thomas Frank's north Londoners, the Eliteserien title-chasers are aiming to overcome the odds and seal a memorable victory at the Aspmyra Stadion.
It will be a historic occasion for Bodo/Glimt as they have never previously had a home fixture in the league phase of the Champions League and, after being seen off by Tottenham in the semi-finals of the Europa League a matter of months ago, they are eager to secure a better result this time around.
Thomassen Excited to Face Spurs in a Historic Clash
Bodo/Glimt are in unchartered territory as, despite having a decent recent record in European competitions, this is the first time that they have gone past the qualifying phase of the Champions League. But their performance in the 2-2 draw with Slavia Prague earlier this month highlighted that they are not fazed by the challenge of competing in the continent's leading tournament.
Even though they were facing an uphill battle when Youssoupha Mbodji gave the home side a two-goal advantage in the Czech Republic, Bodo/Glimt fought back to grab a share of the spoils thanks to Daniel Bassi getting his name on the scoresheet and Sondre Fet claiming a last-gasp leveller.
Thomassen, has played a key role in making Bodo/Glimt's Champions League dream a reality, is adamant that Tottenham will be coming up against a tougher side than the one they faced when Ange Postecoglou was still at the helm in April as they prepare to go head-to-head once again.
"It was a game over two legs last season," he exclusively told GMS. "Tottenham won quite comfortably, I think, 3-1 in London. We scored a goal at the end of the match there, but they were pretty confident and are a strong, physical team. I think they had done their homework, reading how we like to play. We played a better team than ours, but I think this match will be different.
"It's only one game and Tottenham are away. It's early in the league phase as well. Hopefully, we learned a lot from the matches in the spring and we can take that into the match on Tuesday. I'm hoping we will be able to compete and it will be a tight match. We are well prepared and Tottenham only played a match against Wolves on Saturday.
"For the players, it's an opportunity to show our supporters what they can do. We are really obsessed with learning. Now, we have the opportunity to show people and ourselves that we have learned something from our matches against Tottenham in the spring. Many of the players are looking forward to playing Tottenham and also a team in the Premier League.
"That's special because the Premier League is pretty popular among Norwegian people. Many people in Norway are supporters of Tottenham because a lot of supporters here have one English team and one Norwegian team."
Thomassen is also looking forward to welcoming Frank to the Aspmyra Stadion, having previously met at Brentford's Gtech Community Stadium, and insists that there is still a friendly rivalry between Denmark - the homeland of Tottenham's head coach - and Norway.
"Denmark have been at the World Cup and the European Championships," he added. "Their coaches have also had great success abroad. I think Danish footballers have changed their view on football in our region. We have four or five Danish players in our squad and we've had great success getting some of the biggest talents from Denmark.
"I met Thomas at the stadium when we were visiting Brentford. I think he is a really good coach. Tottenham have changed their manager since we last played them, so this will be the first time that we meet Thomas in a competitive game. He follows Scandinavian football, so he knows Bodo/Glimt's story and will be well prepared."
Knutsen Loving Role Despite Premier League Interest
Sitting in the opposite dugout to Frank will be Bodo/Glimt chief Kjetil Knutsen, who has been in the hot-seat since January 2018 and reportedly fended off interest from Premier League sides over the course of his tenure. Thomassen has insisted the 56-year-old is loving life in the Arctic Circle and has given no indications of ever wanting to leave.
He admitted: "If Kjetil would like to go, he will go. As long as Kjetil thinks that you can achieve even more and there is more to develop here, I think he will stay with us. If not, that's the case. There have probably been many clubs who have asked for him, but he has stayed here. He lives 100 metres from the arena.
"I have never met a man who is so dedicated and passionate about his work. He is quite demanding and is a special guy. He didn't have any success before he came to Bodo, so I think it's also about some people coming together, having the energy, going in the same direction and having trust in each other.
"In 2018, we didn't do well. We were 11th in the league and nearly got relegated again. That was the first year with Kjetil as our head coach and some people would like to sack him at that moment, but we stuck together. When things are rough and you stick together, I think you make bonds with people. There is love, trust and respect, but we speak from our heart. There is no hidden agenda or people seeking power. We have grown stronger every year."
Knutsen has written his name firmly into the Bodo/Glimt history books after guiding the side to Eliteserien glory on four occasions since he was handed the managerial reins, having previously been an assistant coach, along with leading them into the Champions League. The latter is seen as a mammoth achievement.
"This is the first time since 2007 that a Norwegian team has been in the Champions League," confirmed Thomassen. "As a club, we have been in European tournaments for the last five or six years, but this is the first time that we are participating in the league phase of the Champions League. We have been in the play-offs twice, but we finally succeeded this year.
"I think this will be the first time a Champions League proper match will be played north of the Arctic Circle as well. It is special to be in the tournament because we come from a very little city. There are approximately 50,000 people living here and, in the region, there are 200,000 people. It's 10 hours by car to a bigger city in the south and it's the same in the north, so we're in the middle of nowhere. It's a big occasion for Norwegian football and, especially, for the club, along with the city and the region."
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Kjetil Knutsen has tasted victory 229 times over the course of his 414 matches in management
Stadium Move is Among Ambitious Plans in Norway
Although Bodo/Glimt have reached the pinnacle by competing in the Champions League, they are refusing to stand still and are continuing to make improvements for the future. Among the club's ambitious plans is building a new stadium, which will allow them to have an increased capacity.
Thomassen has also revealed that Bodo/Glimt have taken inspiration from British Rowing when adopting a philosophy which has resulted in them focusing more on performances and getting the best out of their squad instead of solely seeking victories and pieces of silverware.
"We say that we have no boundaries but, in one way or another, the infrastructure is holding us back," he conceded. "Our stadium is so small and is very old, with small rooms. The gym is under the stand and is pretty cold in the winter. The tunnel is really narrow as well. I don't think there has ever been a smaller stadium than ours in the Champions League.
"We need to have a new stadium. The plan is that, hopefully, we will start digging in 14 days or three weeks from now. We have worked hard to get to this stage and the plan is that it will be finished in the spring of 2027, so we will then play our first match there in the autumn.
"We are based on values and culture. We really believe in the human factor. It's not only about what kind of players come here. It's also about what kind of people they are and if they can connect together. Having the same mindset is probably the most important thing. We have stolen a quote from the British rowing federation - 'will it make the boat go faster?'. If you enter our club, everything you do will come with the question, 'will it make Bodo/Glimt better?'.
"It's about being present, bringing energy and positive thinking into the group. We never talk about winning or the result. We always talk about the performance and how that can improve."
Among Bodo/Glimt's biggest quirks is being known for giant yellow toothbrushes, thanks to fans brandishing them for a number of decades to show their support, but Tottenham captain Cristian Romero will not be receiving one ahead of going to battle at the Aspmyra Stadion.
"You will not see the toothbrush when you come here now, but the toothbrush is very famous in Bodo/Glimt's history," laughed Thomassen. "The supporter culture in Norway grew through Bodo/Glimt in 1975, when we won the cup final. They were travelling and didn't carry much luggage, so they had the toothbrush in their blazer pocket.
"The leader of the supporters was singing and using his small yellow toothbrush when, a few weeks later, they got a big yellow toothbrush from one of the dentists in Bodo. Ever since, supporters have carried their toothbrush with them. When the away teams came to Bodo, a small kid would always deliver a toothbrush to the captain. That has faded away but, when you talk about the giant yellow toothbrush, I think all the people in Bodo will know what you're talking about."