NORWEGIAN LEGEND Nils Arne Eggen dead at 80

R.I.P. 

Even though I was not exactly the biggest fan of Rosenborg back in the day (more of a Vålerenga fan), you always had a huge amount of respect and admiration for what they achieved for so long, under Nils Arne Eggen.
 
Yet, when they played outside of Norway, in Europe, then they became almost like the second version of the National Team (which is also how I think many other rival fans would see it), also probably way more enjoyable football to behold as well. At times, completely opposite to the "classic" Drillo style of the 90s, and where one of the trademarks for Eggen, specially later on, seemed to be able of bring home certain Norwegian players, or ex-RBK players, who did not always deliver or live up to what they had done earlier in Tippeligaen, but would often find some of their best and most flourishing seasons and form, when returning back home to Lerkendal.

Some of the best or most memorable football matches during the mid and up to late 90s, outside of the Norwegian national team, were surely some of the great "giant slayings" that Nils Arne Eggen and Rosenborg delivered, where big teams at that time, like AC Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid suffered some heavy defeats, and where others had to put in some very hard work, to be able of get one over RBK, as I think by that time, a lot of the big clubs, rarely saw clubs from Scandinavia as much of a threat, and well, that would often come back give their arrogance a bit of a hiding. Specially sweet, to behold these huge star players, at the cold Lerkendal, freezing and getting outplayed, then when the whistle blew the match off, and the interviewers would ask Eggen if he was surprised, he would often joke, that the opponent (Real Madrid) at least tried, but yeah, lovely stuff. 

It was not quite the same, withouth him, having this colorful fella, always wearing the classic "grilldress suit", smoking heavily on the sideline, and always cracking some jokes before and after the matches.

Anyway, I guess the biggest or most famous football memory (for most people back then) was the 2-1 victory at San Siro, against AC Milan, and where Rosenborg would go onto the quarterfinals against Juventus. 

This documentary, was made not long ago, (but without any subtitles) and features a 25th anniversay look at the "Miracle at San Siro", with Nils Arne Eggen being interviewed last fall. 

I guess there are probably tons of great videos uploaded, but I thought this rather short but sweet tribute, to the big man, was a nice way of paying respect to Nils Arne and his football legacy.