– You mustn’t be so hairy. You are very hairy. Spiked out right away. You need to relax a bit. You are completely hopeless. Ståle Solbakken held a tirade against VG’s national team reporter Mats Arntzen during the press conference at the Ullevaal stadium on Tuesday afternoon. This happens the day after he lashed out at VG and TV 2. REPORTER: Mats Arntzen in VG got into a discussion with the national team manager. Photo: Egil Sande / news The subject of the press meeting with Solbakken and national team doctor Ola Sand was Martin Ødegaard, who has gone home from the meeting due to injury. The Norwegian Arsenal star played all the minutes against Chelsea on Sunday after being out for nine weeks with an ankle injury. But on Tuesday came the news that the national team captain will not be ready to play for Norway. – Don’t be so aggressive! The temperature rose considerably at the press conference when VG’s reporter asked the following question: – Is it possible to say that Arsenal is now becoming more important, when you look at which games are prioritized? VG’s reporter asked repeated follow-up questions to Solbakken and national team doctor Ola Sand, the essence of which was whether the national team was given a lower priority compared to Arsenal. Finally, Solbakken had enough. – Don’t be so aggressive. You take it as a personal defeat, says Solbakken and sets his eyes on VG’s Mats Arntzen. HAD ENOUGH: Ståle Solbakken got tired of VG’s questions. Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB – We see the other trend elsewhere too. Rice and Saka don’t play for England?, asked VG. – You have pretty good information about them too? I am considering taking you into the medical team, because you are completely superior, Solbakken replies to VG. – Don’t answer with domineering techniques…, Arntzen follows up. – No, it is not a ruling technique, says the national team manager. Solbakken stood the entire session, which lasted several minutes, with a toothpick in his mouth. It was clear that he was very annoyed by the questions that were being asked. – You have an agenda all the way, says a frustrated Solbakken to VG towards the end of the session. – No, answers Arntzen. – Yes, you have it. You have been exposed a long time ago, says the Norway boss. GOING HOME: National team captain Martin Ødegaard got a reaction after playing 95 minutes for Arsenal on Sunday. On Tuesday he goes home to London. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell / NTB Torp: – Shorter fuse This is the second day in a row that Solbakken is at the throat of the press. On Monday, the national team manager was very angry at VG and TV 2 for their comments following the news that Osame Sahraoui chose Morocco over Norway. Carl-Erik Torp, news’s football expert, thinks it is good that some media houses dare to challenge Solbakken. – Ståle probably notices now that the pressure is greater and that it does not slide better, so then the fuse will be a little shorter. You may have experienced that a bit with Ståle recently, says Torp and adds: – There is a difficult situation around Martin and how it should be phased in and resolved, so there have certainly been tough discussions with the players and support staff. It is obvious that Ståle wants him to play for the national team. VG journalist: – Goes on me as a person VG reporter Mats Arntzen tells news that he only asks the questions the press has to ask. – We ask questions, and they answer, and we got proof of that. And a lot of commitment from both parties, says Arntzen. – There was an exchange of words between you and Ståle. How did you experience it? – I’ve gotten a little used to that. We have had discussions on this before, where we have asked questions about the issue of the physiotherapist for Norway also working for Manchester City. That is what he is referring to. Now it has again become a problem that Martin Ødegaard has played for Arsenal, but does not play for Norway. And then that topic becomes a bit relevant again. The VG reporter describes the relationship between him and Solbakken as professional. When asked if he takes self-criticism for some of what he did at the press conference, Arntzen replies: – It’s just more that you have to try to get the word out so you can appear a little more forward. I think that maybe Ståle knew a little bit that he seemed a little overly engaged there for a period. And that’s kind of how it turns out. You should ideally like to sit in peace and chat over a coffee. But unfortunately there is no possibility of that here. Published 12.11.2024, at 12.36 Updated 12.11.2024, at 12.56 p.m
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