As reported on the official club website, Leeds United head coach Uwe Rösler is fired up for a return to Norway in which Leeds will play Bundesliga side Hoffenheim, who finished 8th in the German top league last season. Leeds will take on the German side at Lillestrom SK’s Arasen Stadium on July 25. Leeds’ connections with Norway have always been strong with the Leeds United Supporters Club of Scandinavia being the largest branch of Leeds supporters in the world, boasting over 4,000 members. It is these supporters, plus any that make the preseason trip alongside the club, that Rösler is keen to engage with.
“For me, doing it in the past with Brentford or Wigan, we also made things public. We always invited the fans, especially at Brentford. We went to Germany and it was great to bring the fans together with the players. These days in football, that is not normal. Obviously, Leeds United is a different kind of fish. We will be very happy to get as many Leeds supporters down as we can.”
Obviously with a tipped wink to the possibility of the club being ‘swamped’ by Leeds fans with his “[o]bviously, Leeds United is a different kind of fish” comment, it is nonetheless encouraging that the fans who do make the trip will see it as a more inclusive atmosphere. However, despite being wary of the sudden influx of Leeds fans and the problems it would cause, Rösler does say,
“They are a very tough team to play against and are also in Oslo for 10 days.They will provide good opposition to play against.”
For once, Leeds fans will be genuinely enthused at how the club will measure up against top-rated opposition with the game against Hoffenheim and the earlier game against Spanish giants Athletic Bilbao.
