– For me, it is a failure (if Norway does not go to the EC). Simply a failure. “We will qualify for the EC, that’s 99 percent certain,” it was said. But we have not become any better than we were under Lars Lagerbäck in terms of results. That is the merciless verdict from former national team captain Kjetil Rekdal in the VGTV studio on Thursday evening. At the press conference before the Cyprus match, which Norway won 4-0, Solbakken dismissed that it will be a failure if Norway does not qualify for the EC. The answer causes Rekdal to be taken aback. – It may well be that we have improved in terms of playing and this and that, but in football it is the goals that count and the results that are decisive in the end, Rekdal told VGTV. RESPONSE TO ACCUSATIONS: Kjetil Rekdal accused Ståle Solbakken on VGTV of spending too much time on politics and too little time on football. At Friday’s press conference, Rekdal received an answer back from the national team manager. – Not good enough The man who sank Brazil with the famous penalty kick argues that Norway now has what he calls “the world’s best striker, one of the most creative offensive players in the whole world and players from Benfica and the Premier League”. – Yes, we can pull the trigger and enter the back door via the National League, but it will be a partial failure for me if we have to enter there. It may be that, if we get to the EC via the back door, we can take advantage of it for the next qualifier. But for me it’s not really good enough if we’re not among the top two in that group, says Rekdal. – This he was supposed to measure on news expert Carl-Erik Torp agrees with Rekdal. – Solbakken was crystal clear that we could expect EC participation and a Norwegian team that would be focused on this qualification. This is what he should be measured against, Torp points out. The news expert believes that it is easy to see that Norway has looked better in terms of playing than under the previous national team coaches. – But that should also be expected with the players we now have in this team. If we make it to the EC, it will be a success, no matter which way it happens. Then we will be in our first championship in 23 years, emphasizes Torp. DISAGREE: Carl-Erik Torp believes that one must be able to expect a championship with the current number of players. Photo: Annika Byrde / NTB When asked by news if Solbakken, after the Cyprus victory on Thursday evening, vouches that next summer’s EC will not be a failure without Norwegian participation, he replies: – Of course I do. I look at how we perform. Had the referee blown the whistle after 85 minutes against Scotland, we would have been fantastic and all the work we have done and the progress we have made would have been so much greater, says Solbakken to news. – This is a profit industry He takes a breath and embarks on a longer line of argument: – I am fully aware that this is a profit industry. But we haven’t been there since 2000. Are you then going to change style, coach and players to take a new path, or are you going to build on what works? At least we win quite a few football matches and have a high winning percentage. It’s not completely crazy, says the Norway boss. – But at the same time, Kjetil Rekdal sits at VG and Carl-Erik Torp at news and says that yes, it is a failure if there is no European Championship. Do you understand that? – Yes, but of course they do. That’s their job. I’m fine with that. VG is a tabloid newspaper and news says a lot of strange things, they too. I live well with that. This is how it will always be, he replies. SEEING PROGRESS: Ståle Solbakken believes Norway is on the right track. Photo: AP Sander Berge understands that someone will stick such a label on the national team’s EC attempt if it once again ends up sitting on the sofa next summer. – With this team, it has always been a goal to reach the championship. That goes without saying with the crew you have. But it’s not over yet and we haven’t thought about whether it will work or not. We just put everything in the pot and have two big games left, says Berge to news. Rekdal about 99 per cent: – Ridiculously Rekdal reacts at the same time that Solbakken stated he was “99 per cent sure of EC participation” after the last WC qualifier. – Firstly, it wasn’t 99 per cent certain, because the games have to be played, and it’s not like you waltz over Scotland, Georgia and Spain in that group. To me, that was a ridiculously high number. If he had said 50/50, I could have agreed to that. But it was another clumsy statement in a moment of disappointment after losing to the Netherlands, says Rekdal. – To be honest, I thought so too (99 per cent). I was pretty sure we were going to make it and I still think we can make it, said Solbakken about the percentage estimate earlier this week. If Norway is to actually qualify for the EC via the group stage, Spain and Scotland must be defeated in the last two group games. Solbakken is looking forward to a packed Ullevaal and fateful match on Sunday. – Now it goes very quickly until Sunday for both us and Spain. I think it will be an even and close match, says Solbakken to news. Salum Kashafali has never done this before 00:52 The Haaland guard creates reactions 00:58 Ryerson on the dream goal: – A good goal 00:52 Ridiculed after celebration: – Got 10,000 comments 00:59 Show more
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– Simply a failure – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
