Few clubs in Scandinavia have names which evoke memories of mythical European nights and triumphs.

IFK Gothenburg are the only side from the region that have won one of the major international trophies, defeating Hamburg and Dundee United in the UEFA Cup finals in 1982 and 1987. Since then, there can be no doubt which Scandinavian team have made the biggest impact on the European stage.

From 1995/96, Nils Arne Eggen's Rosenborg qualified for the Champions League group stages for eight consecutive years, a record until Manchester United surpassed it in 2004. What makes that achievement truly exceptional is that, on 10 of the 11 occasions they reached that stage, they were required to go through at least one qualification round first. When they got there, they made an impression, too. AC Milan were knocked out in 1996, the Serie A club beaten at the San Siro before the Norwegians succumbed to Juventus in the quarter-finals; Borussia Dortmund were humbled 3-0 in Germany in 1999/2000.

Yet when Eggen stepped down before the 2003 season, a slow decline set in. Mind you, their struggles are all relative; since their championship-winning streak stopped in 2005, they have won the league three times, qualified for the Champions League groups stages once more in 2007 and twice reached the equivalent stage in the UEFA Cup / Europa League, their latest appearance coming last season.

The obvious lacking ingredient has been stability. Since Eggen left, Rosenborg have had nine different coaches, culminating in Per Joar Hansen, who helped the national under-21 side reach this year's European Championship in Israel before leaving to return to a post he departed in 2005.

His side have been largely convincing during the first half of the season and are undefeated in all competitions since April, overtaking league leaders Stromsgodset last weekend to reclaim top spot in Tippeligaen.

There is a lot of potential in his Rosenborg side but they are not yet close to fulfilling it. A blend of internationalists and a range of very exciting Norwegian youngsters give them a depth and quality that should be too much for St Johnstone. However, there have been stumbles in the league, and they also went behind to Crusaders in the first leg of their previous qualification round. This will be a big test, and St Johnstone can take comfort from the fact that the foundations being laid for new great era are still shaky.