Norway goalkeeper Mads Hedenstad Christiansen had a weak start at the U21 EC, and after the 1-2 loss against Switzerland, national team manager Leif Gunnar Smerud confirmed to news that there will be a change of goalkeeper against France. Smerud claimed this had already been planned before the EC, a message that put Hedenstad Christiansen to bed when he appeared for an interview with news after the match. – I don’t know anything about that, he replied. When asked what he thought about getting the message from news, he replied: – That’s how it is for sure, then. That’s how he says it, so it’s okay. See the interview here: Wanted to protect the goalkeeper On Friday, Smerud met the press together with Christiansen and the team’s other goalkeeper, Kristoffer Klaesson, to explain why the situation arose. The U21 manager says he informed the goalkeepers on Monday that Christiansen would play the opening game against Switzerland and Klaesson the second game against France. – Then I said that we will get back to how we communicate it, says Smerud. But before the national team coach had time to tell the world about the pre-planned goalkeeper change, questions arose about Hedenstad’s interventions in the Switzerland match. – I noticed in the interviews yesterday that there was a focus on Mads, and to protect him from the change we knew was coming, I said so in the interview. Before I could say anything to Mads, it happened quickly, he was standing next to me. And he had not received the message that I had made it public, explains Smerud. – Didn’t want to divulge anything. He takes self-criticism on how he himself has communicated with the goalkeepers. – Then Mads ended up offside. It is an internal communication by me that was not good enough, says Smerud and continues: – Then he stood there and tried to be loyal. It’s actually a really awkward situation for Mads to end up in. That’s the thing, which isn’t really a “big deal”. Christiansen says that he was aware of the planned goalkeeper change in advance, but that he lied in the interview with news to protect the team. – It was to not reveal anything, and I had not been told that Leif had said that, says the goalkeeper, who says that there was little sleep at night after the loss to Switzerland. Here you can see the late goals that led to criticism of the goalkeeper’s play after Norway’s EC opening: news’s expert: – Stupid and clumsy news’s football expert Jonas Grønner describes Smerud and the national team’s handling of the situation as “stupid and clumsy”. – Regardless of whether it is lying or not, it is a form of energy leakage, says Grønner. He hopes the issue is bigger on the outside than on the inside, and that the noise does not destroy the harmony in the Norwegian team. – The players get lots of questions, there is a focus on things that are not the focus. That worries me. I hope they manage to close the leaks, says the expert. Photo: BILDBYRÅN NORWAY “The head of the chopping block” Smerud says he would have stood with Klaesson against France, even if Christiansen “rolled the dice 12” against Switzerland. – I put myself in a position that makes it easy to criticize me, he admits. Grønner believes that Smerud puts “the head on the chopping block”. KEEPERDUO: Klaesson and Christiansen. Photo: BILDBYRÅN NORWAY – It’s very special. Normal procedure is to choose one first goalkeeper. But it is extremely smooth. – Christiansen is preferred because of match training, while Klaesson has that higher top level. If he had played to 12, then they would have created a problem. As yesterday’s game developed, it makes sense, says Grønner. Klaesson was tight-lipped about the fact that he gets the opportunity to stand against the French. – It is Leif’s choice and there is not much more to say about it. I don’t really want to talk about it. – Is it the right choice? – It’s Leif’s choice, he’s a coach, so you can’t do much about it, says the Leeds goalkeeper. Norway now continues the EC with a match against France broadcast by news on Sunday evening.
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Smerud takes self-criticism – the goalkeeper felt he had to lie – news Sport – Sports news, results and broadcasting schedule
