ROSENBORG have won the Norwegian league a record 25 times, once qualified eight years in a row for the champions League and boast a win over Real Madrid on the honours board.
But last week, Norway's biggest, most successful and until recently hugely respected football club, who fly to Glasgow on Tuesday ahead of their Champions League qualifying match with Celtic, became a laughing stock.
Football rarely gets better than a dramatic win courtesy of a 94th-minute penalty, which is what happened last Wednesday night in Trondheim. It meant Rosenborg edged past Iceland's FK Valur.
But head coach Kare Ingebrigtsen and his assistant Erik Hoftun were sacked within 24 hours despite winning through to face a rematch with Celtic in the second qualifying round of the Champions League a year on from the last encounter, a decision which stunned everyone in Norwegian football.
That immediately led to a players' revolt against the decision, which has been rejected by the club's board.
Rosenborg appear to be in disarray ahead of their trip to Scotland and Dutch coach Rini Coolen - who has been sacked from his last five jobs, including Caribbean minnows Aruba - will be in charge for the game.
This tale is so bizarre, it is worthy of taking place within Scottish football.
The club has been heavily criticised by the own country’s coaches association which has added their voice to the debate and demanded Rosenborg reinstate Ingebrigtsen.
Chief executive Teddy Moen said: “This is not the way you dismiss a coach. The board’s decision came as a complete surprise to the coaches – they were completely shocked. They didn’t see it coming. No one did.
“Coaches must be part of the process if they are to be dismissed – they must be informed because they are the most important people at the club.
“The process was fundamentally wrong and we call on Rosenborg to reverse the decision.
“They were sacked without any degree of humility or respect. There has to be honesty and there hasn’t been in this case.”
Coolen, the new manager, has been sacked from FC Twente, AGOVV Appeldoorm, RBC Rosendaal, Adelaide United and Aruba, an Island Dutch colony off the coast of Venezuela, population 104,000.
His few months stay was far from a success. Aruba lose to St Vincent and Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda,
"It was surprising to get the question of taking over at Rosenborg, but I did not have to think about it until I said yes. I'm part of this club and had to take that responsibility," said Collen who appeared as bemused as everyone else. "I am proud to have the opportunity to lead as big a club as Rosenborg.
"I'll put the players first. I'm going to start my presentation this evening [Saturday]. I meet the players for the first time on Sunday, so let's get it from there. But it is clear that it will be a tough job to take over from Kare. He did a good job in Rosenborg, but now I have got the responsibility and together with Trond Henriksen [his assistant] we will do our very best for Rosenborg."
Rosenborg have done their best to make life that bit simpler for Celtic.
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