LEADING Norwegian outfit Brann Bergen are desperately trying to offer Tommy Miller a crack at the Champions League.

The Eliteserien club take part in the qualifiers for the lucrative European competition next month and hope to have the free-scoring Hartlepool United midfielder as part of their campaign.

Brann finished second in their domestic league last season to earn a spot in the qualifying rounds of Europe's premier competition.

Cash-strapped Brann can't afford the 22-year-old - so instead are hoping to tie up a loan deal with Pool that would see Victoria Park's prized asset move to Norway on-loan and take part in Brann's bid to get among the Euro big boys.

But UEFA regulations dictate that any deal involving players moving countries has to be for a minimum of three months and that would see Miller missing Pool's Division Three campaign until October. No loan deals are permitted between UEFA member associations.

Pool, who have close links with Brann through club owners IOR Ltd, know that a stint with Europe's finest would benefit Miller, but the only way they would be prepared to lose their star man is with the compensation of a hefty transfer fee.

Brann's football director, Arne Mller, claimed last night: "Tommy Miller will be joining us for two weeks training on June 25. If he is rated good enough to play for us then he will play in the Champions League qualifiers.

"I have just spoken to Hartlepool. I know that Tommy Miller is a very, very good player and it is exciting for us.

"If we think he is the sort of player who can make Brann a better team then we will be bringing him in for a short period of time.

"He could play well for Brann and then go back to Hartlepool a better player with a bigger transfer value. Hopefully he will be coming to us on June 25 to stay for two weeks.''

Mller, a regular visitor to Victoria Park when Pool were taken over by the Aberdeen-based oil company in 1997, added: "We have no means of buying him permanently but we can offer him the best football.

"When I was in Hartlepool in 1998 for a few months I knew all about him.

"He was a youngster who everyone knew was going to be a good player.''

Pool have close ties with the Eliteserien side. Three years' ago classy international midfielder Jan Ove Pedersen moved to Pool on loan, while Chris Turner's side are again heading to Norway as part of their pre-season campaign next month after Brann visited the North-East in April.

And Miller's proposed move is seen as a further way of fostering a good relationship with the club.

One way to minimise Pool's loss proposed by Mller is for Brann to send a trio of players to Pool by way of compensation to cover Miller's departure - an idea Turner is unlikely to support.

Meanwhile, Pool's Norwegian goalkeeper Martin Hollund yesterday agreed terms for a new contract to keep him at Victoria Park.

Hollund, a former Norwegian under-21 star, followed Pedersen in moving from Brann to Pool in 1997. He started last season as Turner's number one, but lost his place to Anthony Williams after being out of action for six weeks through injury.

Turner said: "It's good news that Martin has agreed to stay with us. I know we have two very good keepers at the club.

"He was very unlucky to lose his place last season - he was playing well at the time.

"Both Martin and Taffy will start pre-season on an equal footing and whoever comes out of it will be in pole position.''