On not talking to the press after the Austria loss: – I think I had talked enough that meeting. That was the way it was. As I said, I should have spoken. I should have talked to someone right after the game. I didn’t quite feel the need to talk to you (VG’s journalist) the next day, when I was on the plane home and you followed me and asked me questions. I don’t know if it’s your job or what. No one is perfect. You are not perfect. I’m not perfect. That’s the way it is. Of course I should have spoken. It was a choice I made. Next time I will speak. The world is not ending. There are more important things in the world. Yes, is there anything more to say? What kind of responsibility did he feel as captain after the loss: – It is of course hard to lose so much. When we play such a good game three days before, and then it clears up a bit. It’s not good. I am the captain and take full responsibility for us not winning. I should have scored in the 1st half and done things better in the 2nd half. I’m not a perfect footballer and you’re not perfect journalists – at least that’s what I think. That’s how it is. If he thinks the criticism is unfair: – I don’t care. I get criticism every day. I get criticized every three days if I don’t score at least one goal. This is my life. I will be criticized for the rest of my life. It’s just the way it is. I just have to live with criticism and it’s going just fine. So just criticize me as much as you want. It’s going just fine. On dialogue with the association after the match against Austria: – I felt that I said relatively much about it now. – It was a fantastic match at Ullevaal, and we must try to recreate the things we did in that match. We know them quite well. We have played against them several times in recent years. We have to build on that and try to forget about that game which I have been reminded of a lot in the last few minutes. We just have to think about the home game against Slovenia and build on that. We have to do our best and then we’ll see how it goes. Whether there will be tributes or slaughter after the match, we will almost certainly see. On the fact that he was in Malmö to see Erik Botheim win league gold in Sweden, rather than being present during the awarding of the Ballon d’Or: – I haven’t seen Botheim play a match at … I don’t think I’ve seen him without playing himself. It was an opportunity for me to see him win league gold. It was huge, both for me and for him. I think he really appreciated me coming there. Plain and simple. In Paris I came fifth in the Ballon d’Or, which I would say is very good. But I enjoyed the fight. Does the noise after the Austria game affect how he feels as captain? – I enjoy being captain. If I cared what everyone else thought, I don’t think I would be where I am today. My best quality is what I have in here (points to head). I’m enjoying myself. It’s a shame I’m not vice-captain. I wish Martin was here. That’s how it is, and I enjoy myself. I will try to do everything I can so that Norway wins tomorrow. If he understands that people are surprised that Ødegaard is going home, after playing 90 minutes for Arsenal at the weekend: – Yes, I understand that. With ankle injuries, you get a time when you are back from injury. You exercise. I don’t know how many practices Martin had before this 90 minutes he was not expected to play. When he then plays 90 minutes, plus extras, there may be reactions in the ankle that may be negative. And it has become obvious, if you add 2+2, which I at least do. And then it’s not good for him. – When he then travels to Norway the next day, an hour and a half long flight, it is not good for him. Then it will be as it will be. His ankle is worse. He can’t train, he can’t play. He has to go home for treatment. I understand that very well. On how he has experienced Solbakken’s behavior at the press conferences in recent days: – I had expected a little more action today, to be honest. That’s how it is. As I said, I understand reactions to Martin playing 90 minutes against Chelsea and coming here and then not being able to play. People need to understand the physical. Martin is someone who almost died to play for Norway. You can see that in all the matches he has played for Norway in recent years. It’s a shame, but I understand it very well. – I have had a couple of ankle injuries on the national team before. I got it in a club, it’s not the best. You may have reactions in your body. Some of you probably also notice when you travel that you can get a slightly “swollen ankle”, and then you can imagine what it’s like when you’ve been out injured for two months with an ankle. Then it’s not good. If he enjoys it when there is more noise: – I enjoy it anyway. I try to live my life regardless of how it goes on the football field. At the end of the day, there are more important things in the world than me sitting here and we’re going to play a game tomorrow. I enjoy it very much. Now I’m becoming quite an experienced man and footballer, so I’ve learned to just not worry too much about things you can’t do anything about. I hope everyone in the dressing room thinks the same. About the most important thing in the world for him now: – That the family is healthy.
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