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DENMARK REELS AFTER HUMILIATING HOME DEFEAT TO ARMENIA
Deutsche Presse Agunter - dpa-AFX International ProFeed June 12 2013
COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - A humiliating 4-0 home defeat to Armenia has
triggered calls for a new Denmark coach Wednesday as hopes of a World
Cup berth were badly eroded. Morten Olsen who has been at the helm of
Denmark since 2000 said he took full responsibility for the washout,
but sports commentators suggested the veteran had 'reached the end of
the line.' Tabloid BT on Wednesday headlined its first page 'Resign,
Olsen' while rival Ekstra Bladet's headline read 'Finished' along
with a photo of the coach.
'Farewell Copacabana. Farewell to the World Cup. Farewell Morten
Olsen,' Copenhagen daily Politiken summed up. Politiken's football
columnist Soren Olsen said he doubted Denmark could catch up with
Bulgaria or the Czech Republic for second place - and a possible
playoff spot - behind Italy in Group B. 'The result and the
performance was a stain on Denmark's national team,' the Politiken
columnist wrote. 'What an enormous fiasco, this will really be
painful for a long time - for Olsen and the players.' 'It was the
worst evening in my life in football. It is incomprehensible that
we couldn't do better, but the responsibility is fully mine,' Olsen
told broadcaster TV2 after the match. His contract runs until the
2014 World Cup in Brazil. Denmark's next World Cup qualifier is in
September against Malta. Speculation on a possible successor to Olsen
included former Denmark international Michael Laudrup although his
fate is still linked to Swansea or another club. Others include FC
Nordsjaelland coach Kasper Hjulmand or Swansea's deputy coach Morten
Wieghorst. Ekstra Bladet commentator Jan Jensen said he hoped the
Danish Football Association would opt for a Dutch or a German coach,
citing that Denmark needed fresh impulses. Daily Jyllands-Posten
labelled the match as a 'total and unprecedented collapse,' and the
culmination of a down period that began a year and a half ago. Fans
booed and whistled at the team. Sampdoria defender Simon Poulsen told
news agency Ritzau the players were even 'more disappointed' than the
spectators or fans who watched the match on television. Goalkeeper
Stephan Andersen hoped the transfer to a new club, Betis, would help
him get over the defeat. Defender Simon Kjaer was one of the players
who had a poor evening. He missed a pass that allowed Armenia's Yura
Movsisyan to score after 27 seconds. The shock opener was nine seconds
faster than when Italy's Filippo Inzaghi scored against Denmark
in 1999. The defeat leaves the Danes fifth with six points in the
six-team group - four points behind the second-placed Bulgarians and
three behind the Czech Republic. Armenia, who also have six points,
are fourth on goal difference. All teams have four matches remaining.
/lsm/adh/DP: Lennart Simonsson
Deutsche Presse Agunter - dpa-AFX International ProFeed June 12 2013
COPENHAGEN (dpa-AFX) - A humiliating 4-0 home defeat to Armenia has
triggered calls for a new Denmark coach Wednesday as hopes of a World
Cup berth were badly eroded. Morten Olsen who has been at the helm of
Denmark since 2000 said he took full responsibility for the washout,
but sports commentators suggested the veteran had 'reached the end of
the line.' Tabloid BT on Wednesday headlined its first page 'Resign,
Olsen' while rival Ekstra Bladet's headline read 'Finished' along
with a photo of the coach.
'Farewell Copacabana. Farewell to the World Cup. Farewell Morten
Olsen,' Copenhagen daily Politiken summed up. Politiken's football
columnist Soren Olsen said he doubted Denmark could catch up with
Bulgaria or the Czech Republic for second place - and a possible
playoff spot - behind Italy in Group B. 'The result and the
performance was a stain on Denmark's national team,' the Politiken
columnist wrote. 'What an enormous fiasco, this will really be
painful for a long time - for Olsen and the players.' 'It was the
worst evening in my life in football. It is incomprehensible that
we couldn't do better, but the responsibility is fully mine,' Olsen
told broadcaster TV2 after the match. His contract runs until the
2014 World Cup in Brazil. Denmark's next World Cup qualifier is in
September against Malta. Speculation on a possible successor to Olsen
included former Denmark international Michael Laudrup although his
fate is still linked to Swansea or another club. Others include FC
Nordsjaelland coach Kasper Hjulmand or Swansea's deputy coach Morten
Wieghorst. Ekstra Bladet commentator Jan Jensen said he hoped the
Danish Football Association would opt for a Dutch or a German coach,
citing that Denmark needed fresh impulses. Daily Jyllands-Posten
labelled the match as a 'total and unprecedented collapse,' and the
culmination of a down period that began a year and a half ago. Fans
booed and whistled at the team. Sampdoria defender Simon Poulsen told
news agency Ritzau the players were even 'more disappointed' than the
spectators or fans who watched the match on television. Goalkeeper
Stephan Andersen hoped the transfer to a new club, Betis, would help
him get over the defeat. Defender Simon Kjaer was one of the players
who had a poor evening. He missed a pass that allowed Armenia's Yura
Movsisyan to score after 27 seconds. The shock opener was nine seconds
faster than when Italy's Filippo Inzaghi scored against Denmark
in 1999. The defeat leaves the Danes fifth with six points in the
six-team group - four points behind the second-placed Bulgarians and
three behind the Czech Republic. Armenia, who also have six points,
are fourth on goal difference. All teams have four matches remaining.
/lsm/adh/DP: Lennart Simonsson