Everyone was aware that it would be tough for Aalesund back in the Eliteserien, so it is not the table situation just above the relegation line that makes there uncertainty about the future of head coach Kjetil Rekdal.
It is the aftermath of cancer and missing a family that makes the Norwegian football legend unsure whether it is appropriate to extend his contract that will soon expire.
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Rekdal’s AaFK future is uncertain
Kjetil Rekdal’s contract with Aalesund expires in the summer, and the experienced coach now admits that he has no idea what the future holds. In a candid interview with Sunnmørsposten, he puts his cards on the table.
Rekdal underwent surgery for cancer in 2025, and he has been surprisingly honest about how tough the time since has been. “For my part, I haven’t thought about 2027 for a single second,” he says to the newspaper – explaining that the illness has put everything in a new perspective.
“For the first three months of this winter, I was 50 percent on sick leave, and since then I have had a strong need to prioritize myself and let my future plans wait. I’ve simply taken it one day at a time,” he continues.
But it is not only health that weighs on you. The coach also opens up about a demanding family situation:
“It’s hard when you’ve been away from home for so many years in a row. My boys grow up almost before I have time to see them, and suddenly they move out – time just flies by. Things like that mean a lot when I have to make choices about the future.”
Now Rekdal really has to think about it – even if he wants to continue as a coach at all:
“I have to find out for myself: Is this something I want to do for many more years, or should I do something else for a while and come back later? Right now, I have no idea,” he says honestly.
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Sports director in Aalesund, Oddbjørn Lie, stands by Rekdal’s side:
“Considering what Kjetil has been through over the past nine months, it has not felt natural to discuss the future too much. Our focus has always been to take care of him and be there for him in a very demanding time,” says Lie.
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