Now they have got what they want. Hege Riise is history as Norwegian national team manager. After a tough and honest evaluation after the previous championship, which was once again terribly disappointing, there has been a thorough internal cleaning in the women’s national team camp. Much has leaked out, and we know there has been friction between players and the previous coaching staff. Now it is up to the players to show that they are really going in the same direction and stand behind the new team that will be there in the future. Now they have nothing to complain about anymore. Although not necessarily the temporary solution Leif Gunnar Smerud is the coach they had at the top of their wish list, they have been pushed for a change on the coaching side. Norway – Austria will be broadcast on news TV and news Sport on Friday 19.00 TØFT WC: It was not the championship Norway had hoped for. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Those who were there were not allowed to continue, and then I expect the players to show themselves in a completely different way to what we saw in the WC. It wasn’t good enough, to say the least. Now I hope to see an offensive group of players who are in an attacking position. I want a unified group that stands behind the new course and shows that the change was right. That is the most important thing for me. Everyone knows that it’s not a “quick fix”, that as long as you replace one coach with another, things will automatically get that much better right away. But now everyone who cares about Norwegian women’s football should see a group of players who really show that they want something. I have been in some player groups myself, which have been involved in similar processes as the women’s national team is doing now. My impression is that the players in such situations often want to show that what you have fought for, you have fought for for a reason. After the WC slump, and all the noise that arose along the way and after that championship, there has been a lot of talk about disloyalty and that leaks should not happen. But in my mind you have to turn it around a bit. If internal disagreements keep leaking out, it’s at least as much a management problem as a player problem. I have heard Hege Riise say in various settings that it is a shame that things are leaked, that you should have a ceiling internally, but externally you should stand together. That’s great, but when you can’t do that, it’s not the players who are disloyal. Then there is a management problem and a coaching group that is unable to handle the individuals who are there. DONE: Hege Riise walked out the door as Norwegian national team manager after the tough World Cup evaluation. Photo: Terje pedersen / NTB It is naturally both difficult and demanding when several of the players in the national team are major international stars. But as I stated when Caroline Graham Hansen was benched in the WC: When you fail to get world stars to work in a team, you have failed as a coach. It was largely Hege Riise’s path. At the same time, it will be one of Leif Gunnar Smerud’s biggest challenges this autumn. I recently told him face to face. He recently invited me to an extended lunch to talk about women’s football and the women’s national team, which I have been close to for many years, and I like the curiosity and interest he shows. To me, he appears detail-oriented and professional. Now it is up to Smerud to be extremely clear about what the players can expect from him as manager, and what he can expect from the players. And then he has to live up to those requirements in the same way as the player group has to do it. NEW MANAGER: Leif Gunnar Smerud is a temporary solution in the coaching chair. Photo: Terje Bendiksby / NTB I think Smerud will come in at a very good time, and my impression is that the group of players are positive about him. This means that he has a good starting point for getting a number of things done in a short time. But Smerud will also be measured on how he manages to handle the group of players, something Hege Riise received a lot of criticism for. Although I have got a good impression of him, the autumn will show whether he is able to get used to a group of players who have appeared anything but united. If he fails to do so, he will hardly be allowed to continue in the job. Unfortunately for Smerud, it’s not just up to him. If he is to succeed, the players must look at themselves in the mirror, realize that it was not just Hege Riise who was the problem and start moving in the same direction. Then it can be fun to follow the women’s national team going forward.
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Now the players have nothing to complain about anymore – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule
