Hometown Sporting Director Behind Lillestrøm SK’s Historic 2024/25 Unbeaten Season
Simon Mesfin, born 1980, is a Norwegian sporting executive with Eritrean roots who spent 15 years at Lillestrøm Sportsklubb, serving as Sporting Director from 2017. His responsibilities included sporting strategy, player recruitment, contract management, staff appointments, and alignment between the first team and academy. Throughout this period, Lillestrøm SK experienced domestic success, European qualification, relegations, promotions, and rebuilding phases, while maintaining a clear long-term sporting vision.
The 2024/25 season stands as one of the greatest in Lillestrøm SK’s history, with an unbeaten league campaign and Norwegian Cup triumph marking the culmination of long-term sporting leadership. Built on stability, clarity, and identity, the team under head coaches Hans Erik Ødegaard and Eirik Mæland successfully combined LSK’s traditional DNA: work rate, physicality, and intensity, with a possession-based playing style. Aligned leadership and targeted recruitment enabled consistent execution, resulting in an unbeaten league season and a historic domestic double.
Built on stability, clarity, and identity, the team under head coaches Hans Erik Ødegaard and Eirik Mæland successfully combined LSK’s traditional DNA: work rate, physicality, and intensity, with a possession-based playing style.
Additional career achievements include Norwegian Cup titles in 2017 and 2025, qualification for the UEFA Europa League in 2018 and the UEFA Conference League in 2023, as well as two promotions to Eliteserien. Mesfin also served as interim head coach during the 2023 Eliteserien season, leading the team for six matches with an average of 1.5 points per game.
As part of his broader contribution to the LSK football ecosystem, Mesfin previously served as Sporting Director of LSK Women FK (2014–2015), overseeing consecutive league and cup doubles in both seasons.
Concluding a 15-year tenure at his hometown club, Simon Mesfin leaves Lillestrøm SK in a strong sporting and structural position. The unbeaten 2024/25 campaign stands as a defining achievement of this work.
Now taking a step back, he remains open to senior leadership roles in sporting management within long-term, values-driven football projects.
Concluding a 15-year tenure at his hometown club, Simon Mesfin leaves Lillestrøm SK in a strong sporting and structural position.
Here’s Our Exclusive Interview with Simon Mesfin
You have been at Lillestrøm SK since 2011. Can you walk us through your time at the club and what has been your different roles throughout the years?
I have dedicated a significant part of my career to Lillestrøm Sportsklubb (LSK), holding senior sporting and leadership roles for over a decade. My work has been focused on the responsibility for sporting strategy, squad development, recruitment, and long-term club planning. Both for the First team and the Academy. During my tenure, I have experienced a full spectrum of elite football, including trophy wins, European competition, two relegations with subsequent promotions, interim coaching, and top-four league finishes.
Lillestrøm Sportsklubb: Director of Sports (2017–2025)
From July 2017, I served as Director of Sports for LSK’s men’s team. My responsibilities included:
- Sporting strategy and long-term planning
- Player recruitment and contract management
- Staff appointments and performance follow-up
- Coordination between first team and academy structures
During my tenure, the men’s team has experienced a wide range of competitive outcomes, from domestic cup victories to relegation and successful promotion campaigns.
Key Achievements: Lillestrøm Sportsklubb
Norwegian Cup (NM Cupen):
- Winners: 2017, 2025
- Cup Finals Reached: 2017 – Winners/ 2022 – Runners-up/ 2025 – Winners
European Competitions:
- UEFA Europa League: 2018 (qualified via Norwegian Cup)
- UEFA Europa Conference League: 2023 (qualified through league performance)
League Achievements:
- Experienced two relegations from Eliteserien and two promotions back to the top division
- Achieved two top-4 finishes in Eliteserien, demonstrating consistent competitiveness at the highest level
Interim Head Coach – Summer 2023:
- Led the team as interim head coach for six Eliteserien matches
- Points per game: 1.5
- Maintained squad focus and competitive stability during a transitional phase
Relegation and Promotion Management:
- Oversaw squad restructuring, coaching transitions, and long-term strategic planning during rebuilding phases
- Successfully guided the club back to top-flight football after each relegation
Collaboration with LSK Kvinner FK
While my main focus has always been Lillestrøm Sportsklubb, I have also worked closely with LSK Kvinner FK in the period of 2014 – 2015. The elite women’s club in the region. LSK Kvinner is a separate club, but has a long-standing partnership with Lillestrøm Sportsklubb, sharing talent pathways, facilities, and strategic support.
During 2014–2015, I served as Sporting Director of LSK Kvinner FK, overseeing:
- Toppserien (Norwegian Women’s League) Champions: 2014, 2015
- Norwegian Women’s Cup Winners: 2014, 2015
- Domestic league and cup doubles both years
As Sporting Director, what are the key sporting principles and philosophies that guide the club’s style of play and identity?
LSK has always had a clear DNA: hardworking, strong in duels, and traditionally direct in its style of play. When I took over as Sporting Director, our goal was to modernize this approach by introducing a more possession-based style, while still preserving the club’s traditional identity.
I believe we succeeded in this during periods of coaching stability. Unfortunately, we lost key head coaches in both 2023 and 2024, which created challenges in developing continuity in our style of play. With Hans Erik Ødegaard and Eirik Mæland in place from 2025, the development has progressed very well, and we have successfully combined modern football principles with LSK’s traditional DNA.
Coming off an incredible season with both a league and cup win, and zero league losses, what were the key factors behind this achievement?
The success we achieved was the result of strong foundations, a clear philosophy, and stability within the coaching staff. On the pitch, the players fully embraced the playing style we had been developing over several years—combining LSK’s traditional DNA of hard work, physicality, and directness with a modern, possession-based approach.
Consistency in the head coach role was critical, allowing the team to develop, adapt, and execute the principles effectively. Off the pitch, stability in the sporting structure, clear communication, and strong alignment between recruitment, coaching, and player development made a significant difference.
Compared to the previous season, having Hans Erik Ødegaard and Eirik Mæland in place provided tactical clarity and leadership, which translated directly into performance. Ultimately, it was the combination of culture, identity, and a stable environment that allowed the team to achieve an unbeaten league season and cup success. Hans Erik Ødegaard, Eirik Mæland, the staff, and of course the players did fantastic work in 2025.
Looking ahead to next season in the Eliteserien, what are the club’s main objectives?
Although I am no longer in the role of Sporting Director after the 2025 season, I have full confidence in the team that has been built at LSK. With Hans Erik Ødegaard and Eirik Mæland leading the coaching staff, supported by a strong backroom team and a talented squad, I believe the club is well positioned for another successful season.
I truly believe that LSK will continue to perform at a high level and challenge in the upper half of the Eliteserien table.
What are your thoughts on the Norwegian football system?
Norwegian football is currently in a very exciting period of development. At club level, we are seeing increasing success in European competitions, with Norwegian teams performing very well in UEFA tournaments and players gaining international recognition, leading to major transfers abroad.
On the national team side, there is a very talented generation of players, including Martin Ødegaard and Erling Braut Haaland, who are already world-class and will play key roles in the upcoming World Cup. The combination of strong club structures, good coaching, and high-quality talent coming through the system gives me great optimism for the future of both Norwegian club football and the national team.
Where did your football journey begin, and what are the biggest lessons you learned as a player and coach?
My football journey began at a young age in Norway, playing at the grassroots level and progressing through local clubs. Experiencing the game both as a player and later as a coach taught me the importance of hard work, discipline, and teamwork.
The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that success is never about one individual—whether a player, coach, or leader. It is about teamwork, culture, preparation, and consistency. Creating the right environment, where players can develop both individually and collectively and clearly understand the club’s philosophy, is essential. These lessons have shaped my approach as a Sporting Director, with a strong emphasis on long-term development, clear principles, and a strong club culture.