– It’s about seeing when it’s on fire, says Ståle Solbakken to news. The national team manager of the Norwegian football men talks about the first of two concrete words he will present to the playing group when the national team gathers for the first time since the EC dream was crushed last autumn. – Here there is a crisis and here we are in a situation where all alarm bells must ring. Then we must as soon as possible manage to protect the target with all possible means, is the way the 55-year-old describes “alarm” – one of the two words. ASSEMBLY: The first national team assembly of the year is at the end of March. Here from the national team meeting in Cyprus last autumn. Photo: BILDBYRÅN Since the WC in South Korea and Japan in 2002, 35 European men’s national teams have participated in the EC or WC. Norway is not among them. Now Solbakken hopes that the introduction of the words, which comes after a thorough evaluation of the national team year 2023, can help to secure Norwegian championship participation for the first time since the EC in 2000. Alarm. Suffering – Point two is suffering. For me, it’s a bit about our culture, says Solbakken enthusiastically and draws a comparison to South American teams: – They are nowhere near as well organized as us, but they have a willingness to sacrifice and an ability to like being pushed a little against the wall in periods. The Norwegian national team will remain that forever. Then we might as well like to suffer during those periods. One of the reasons why Solbakken wants to use the word “suffering” is the many late goals on the eve of the matches: Late goals under Ståle Solbakken In Ståle Solbakken’s first 24 games as Norwegian national team manager, the goals against have come in these periods*: 0.-10. minute: 211.-20. minute: 221.-30. minute: 131.-40. minute: 241.-50. minute: 351.-60. minute: 461.-70. minute: 271.-80. minute: 081.-90. minute: 11 * EC qualification or national league. Private international matches are not included in the calculation. In 24 official international matches under Solbakken, Norway has conceded 27 goals. Eleven of these goals have come in the last ten minutes, including overtime, and are a contributing factor to why this summer’s football festival in Germany is going without Norway. Solbakken is clear that this is the biggest problem before the first national team meeting of the year at the end of March. There, Norway meets the two EC-ready nations Czech Republic and Slovakia in private international matches at Ullevaal. – It may be that we are trying something new, but primarily it is about continuing to work with what we have done up to now. Then we know where the shoe presses, says Solbakken and continues: – It presses in the defensive part of the game in the last 20-25 minutes, so we must at least look at that, Solbakken answers when asked if they will use the private national matches to to introduce something new before the autumn national league. – Is not in our culture news’s football expert Carl-Erk Torp supports the introduction of “alarm” and “suffering”, and believes it is about a change in mentality that the national team has been working on. – We have missed the raw quality. Like to have a great time and like to be pressured. We must like to have a good time when it boils, but it is not in our culture, says Torp. POSITIVE TO THE INTRODUCTION: news’s football expert supports the introduction of alarm and suffering. Photo: Birk Pessl-Kleiven / news He is clear that it is not about today’s players on the men’s national team. – These are concrete things that we, as a football nation, are far behind other nations. This also applies to the women’s national team, club teams and player development. This is something the Norwegian Football Association should focus more on in the future, Torp believes. – Will avoid England On Thursday afternoon, the road to the World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico in the summer of 2026 begins with the draw for the autumn group stage in the national league. Norway is the seed in pot 2 at level B, and can, among other things, draw the great power England – who was in the World Cup quarter-finals just over a year ago. Norway can draw Norway at level B in the Nations League and can draw these nations in Thursday’s draw in Paris: Pot 1: Austria, Czech Republic, England, Wales. Pot 3: Slovenia, Ireland, Albania, Montenegro Pot 4: Georgia, Greece, Turkey, Kazakhstan – With a view to winning the group, it is important to avoid England, says Solbakken. The national league does not have a direct influence on the ordinary WC qualification, but all the group winners at level B will secure an opportunity to qualify for the WC through a playoff – if you do not get there through the ordinary qualification. – That is why we want to avoid England. Then we might have a usable opportunity to get that extra opportunity, and it is more difficult to qualify for a WC than an EC. The national team manager does not think there is much difference between the nations seeded in pot 3, but will avoid Turkey in pot 4. – Turkey has shown great progress recently. There are some nuances in pot 4, but as long as we avoid England it will be close and even matches, says Solbakken, who has no dream draw. Do you think Norway will reach the WC in 2026? – The most important thing is that we get to our best level. In fact, we were in the previous national league. So we have to be just as strong now, and at the same time finish even better. Norway then came second in Group 4 behind Serbia after winning both at home and away against Sweden, in addition to a win away against Serbia. As a result, Norway lost a last European Championship opportunity via the Nations League play-off. – If he manages it, it will be the WC The men’s national team has failed in twelve straight qualifiers for international championships since Norway took part in the EC in 2000. In the last regular EC qualification, the EC dream suffered a setback in the home loss in the fateful match against Scotland. Three minutes before full time, Scotland turned from 0-1 to 2-1. – It is our defense that has been the big, big problem. We have conceded far too many goals at the end of games over a long period now. It’s a problem that Solbakken has pointed out many times and it has failed us, Torp says, before adding: – If he doesn’t manage to find a back four, there won’t be a WC in 2026. If he manages it, there will be a WC. WC?: Ståle Solbakken recently extended the agreement with the Norwegian Football Association. The new agreement extends to 2025 and will be extended if the national team reaches the play-offs in spring 2026. If Norway qualifies for the WC 2026, the contract period will be extended until after the championship. Photo: BILDBYRÅN In eight of the last twelve international matches, Stefan Strandberg and Leo Skiri Østigård have formed the stopper pair for Solbakken. Now Strandberg has given up. – How do you see the new stop pair, Solbakken? – No, right now it’s a bit precarious in that place. We must be allowed to say that. That place is “up for grabs”, replies the national team manager. Awakened by “Norwegian spy bird” 00:00 Mocked by teammates after bar photo 00:52 Celebrated as Norway: – Should have taken a somersault 00:43 “Shocked” by teammate’s first news interview 01:09 Show more
ttn-69
These two words will be presented by Ståle Solbakken at the next national team meeting – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
