Arne Larsen Økland: “It’s unique, really fantastic”

Arne, how are you?

Økland: “Very well, thank you. We've had midsummer temperatures in Norway over the past few weeks. I almost felt like I was in Spain.”

Where and how will you celebrate your 70th birthday on Friday?

Økland: “There won't be a big party. I’ll celebrate my birthday in a small family gathering with my wife, children and grandchildren in a nice restaurant here near Stavanger.”

So not on your island of Hillesøy?

Økland: “No, Hillesøy is a three-hour drive from our house. We often go there at the weekend, and in summer we usually spend a few weeks there. But this Friday we're staying at home.”

Are you still working?

Økland: “Well, I don't work as much as I used to, but I still do a bit. I've been vice-president of the Norwegian Football Association for six years and I'll be doing that for another year. But then that's over. I've also been a board member of various companies near Stavanger for many years. However, I have now arranged it so that I can also work from Spain, for example. We have a flat near Marbella and are there a few times a year. So we’re travelling quite a lot.”

Last December you were in Leverkusen again, when the Werkself beat Norwegian club Molde 5-1.

Økland: “Yes, that visit was a lot of fun. I was really happy to meet up with some old friends and teammates from the past. The evening before the game against Molde, I went out for dinner with Peter Hermann, Jürgen Gelsdorf, Gerd Kentschke and Harry Gniech. Harry was my roommate in hotels during my first year in Leverkusen. It was also nice to meet the people in charge at Bayer 04. I was a member of the Molde delegation and got to meet Fernando Carro and Simon Rolfes over dinner. Very interesting, likeable people. I hope I'll be able to come to another game next season. Then I'd like to go to a Champions League game.”

At the time of the Molde game, did you think Bayer 04 would have such a great season?

Økland: “Obviously, you could see a big difference in the quality of both teams in that game. I was also very impressed by Bayer in the first half of the season. I've seen a lot of the team's games because Bundesliga games are broadcast live in Norway. But I honestly didn't expect the season to do this well. It’s unique, really fantastic.”

What did you make of the atmosphere at the BayArena?

Økland: “[laughs] You can't compare it to the old days. I was absolutely thrilled by the atmosphere at the BayArena, but also by the stadium itself. I would’ve loved to have travelled to Dublin for the final, but unfortunately it didn't work out in terms of timings. But obviously I watched the game on TV. It's a shame that Bayer lost, but that's football. The season was still outstanding. The people in charge at Bayer have put together a great team and found the right guys. It's almost unbelievable how perfectly the team worked as a team. During my visit to Leverkusen, I sensed for myself that there is a very good atmosphere at the club. And that is incredibly important for success.”

How did you follow winning the Bundesliga and, most recently, the DFB Pokal final against Kaiserslautern?

Økland: “Unfortunately, I wasn't able to watch the cup final, but I spoke to my son Stale about it, who of course watched it. Stale is probably the biggest Bayer fan in Norway [laughs]. He was four years old when I moved to Leverkusen, and Bayer 04 has been his club ever since. I was delighted that the club won the double. I watched the decisive league match against Werder Bremen live on TV. When I saw how many thousands of fans stormed onto the pitch after Florian Wirtz made it 5-0, I was a bit worried at first whether it would go well. But then it was such a wonderful atmosphere. The fans, the team, the club - everyone so deserved this title. And I was so happy for everyone! Do you know when I first thought it might be possible to win the trophy?”

Tell us…

Økland: “After the 3-0 win against Bayern. Bayern played well in the early stages, and I thought it might be difficult. But then only Bayer played. And how. Like Barcelona in their prime. So confident. So dominant. Bayern hardly got the ball at all. It was fantastic. I think Bayer will be right up there again next season. Xabi Alonso is staying, most of the team is staying. There's so much quality there. It will be another exciting season.”