With Mannsverk’s work on mentality and Knutsen’s coaching methods, Bodo/Glimt became a team transformed.

After narrowly avoiding relegation in 2018 they would go on to win their domestic league title in 2020 for the first time, before triumphing again in three of the next four seasons.

Those championship successes also earned them a place in Europe, where their hope was not to be just happy to be there, but to actually compete.

In 2022 they took part in the Europa Conference League, where they faced a Celtic side managed by current Spurs boss Postecoglou.

Not only did Bodo/Glimt shock the Scottish giants in their knockout round play-off tie, but thumped them 5-1 on aggregate, winning the first leg 3-1 and the second 2-0 to reach the last 16.

“Knutsen plays attacking football,” added Pedersen. “They like to press high, and play similar to Tottenham.

“Knutsen demands a lot from the players, a very nice guy, but the group is very strong.

“They are a very fit team and very well trained. They know what they have to do and Tottenham are going to have a very hard game.”

Having been humbled by Bodo/Glimt before, Postecoglou said Spurs will not take them lightly.

“The are a good football team,” said the Australian. “It doesn’t matter where you come from. I come from the other side of the world where football is the fourth sport, so I don’t underestimate anyone.

“You say they are a small club and we are big club, it doesn’t matter. We are two clubs in the semi-final of a European competition and they have earned the right to be there.

“They have done very well to get there and we are going to treat them with the respect they deserve.”