National team, Norway | Critical for Lagerbäck:

ULLEVAAL STADION (Nettavisen): Lagerbäck failed to lead Norway to a European Championship final in what was a golden opportunity to end the men’s national team championship drought.

The Swedish team played a very weak game against Serbia, but the unequaled draw and a cannon shot from Mathias Normann saved extra innings.

In the end, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic made up his mind and made sure to quench hopes of the European Championship in Norway.

Also read: What Lagerbäck did during the game provokes reactions: –⁠ I don’t understand any of that

After the game, the veteran manager had to endure doubts about his own future at Ullevaal.

The online newspaper confronted the 72-year-old with his thoughts on leading Norway to a World Cup in 2022.

– I do not intend to discuss this with you or the media. Whether I should continue or not, I talk to my employer in that case, Lagerbäck tells Nettavisen, who also had to endure questions from other outlets on the same topic.

– You have a contract until the end of the World Cup tie. Does this change the way you see it?

– It’s like I said. If the employer thinks I shouldn’t lead this or that I came to that conclusion myself, I have no problem walking away. The future will be seen, says the Swede at the press conference.

– Is this a sign that you want to talk to NFF?

– No, I haven’t thought about it. It is just an answer to the questions I receive.

STOCK EXCHANGE: This is how Norway played against Serbia

Mathisen: – I don’t think it’s close

TV 2 expert Jesper Mathisen was very disappointed in Thursday’s performance, but he doesn’t think Lagerbäck’s days as coach of the Norwegian national team are numbered.

This is how he responds to the question of whether he thinks the Swede is the right man to lead Norway towards the 2022 World Cup.

– Yes, that qualifier is underway with the Nations League, so NFF will not do anything. They also extended their contract at some point, so Lagerbäck will continue, he says.

However, he is aware that the coach of the Norwegian national team is not able to extract enough potential in the Norwegian team.

– I don’t think I’m close to getting enough of this crew. If he fails in a World Cup tie, as I think he does, I think his days as boss are numbered and there is a new boss ready to come in, he tells Nettavisen.

– Do you think Norway’s chances of reaching the 2022 World Cup are greater with a national team coach other than Lars Lagerbäck?

– It all depends on who is available. I don’t think the NFF has anyone on the block and I don’t think they were in those thoughts either, but we have a young and exciting Norwegian national team that has a good future ahead of it. That Lagerbäck is still the boss when we enter the qualifiers for the European Championship 2024, I doubt it a bit.

Here’s the team Lagerbäck started with against Serbia:

Bratseth: – I think you did a good job.

Rune Bratseth believes the football association should avoid looking at other avenues despite Thursday’s recession.

The former national team goalkeeper says Lagerbäck has done a lot of good as coach of the Norwegian national team and believes the Swede has created a group of players that has harmonized well.

– At least I don’t think that a game like this should lead to thinking in other directions. I think he’s done a good job so far, he tells Nettavisen on Thursday night.

For his part, former national team player Vidar Davidsen made it clear in his speech that the veteran Swedish coach should now be replaced by the Norwegian Football Association (NFF).

– This team needs new energy and new ideas … call Ståle Solbakken! Well …, writes the former Viasport expert on Twitter.

The online newspaper has tried to contact Davidsen, but has so far failed.

Protected by NFF cap

However, according to soccer president Terje Svendsen, an immediate replacement for the national team coach is not possible.

He tells Nettavisen that he is disappointed in the loss to Serbia, but still has faith in Lagerbäck.

– The position of Lars and the position of director of the national team is not a problem, Svendsen tells Nettavisen.

– Will it change with bad results in the next two games?

– We have annual evaluations of all the activity of the national team, so it will possibly be part of the evaluation discussion when we have finished that season here, says the soccer president.

He acknowledges that Norway have failed to qualify for the championship in the last 20 years, but believes the future is bright.

– I hope people see the potential of the team here with the guys who are on the rise. There are several young players on the waiting list. I believe that Norwegian men’s football has a positive future.

– And then Lars Lagerbäck is the man who can get the most out of them?

– Lars has a contract until 2022 and we identify with that, says Svendsen.

Hangeland thinks the changes came too late

Especially the left side with Haitam Aleesami and Stefan Johansen fought during the match against a Serbian team that attacked a lot on the right.

An injury to Johansen after just over an hour of play meant Lagerbäck had to position Joshua King, while Aleesami, who currently has no clubs, was on the field for more than 100 minutes despite lack of training from combat.

Brede Hangeland commented on the match for TV 2, and the former midfielder believes the Swede should have taken action from the bench earlier.

– I think it was a bit strange that he did not make any adjustments before, he tells Nettavisen.

He believes it has become a trend under Lagerbäck that changes come too late.

– You see a match image that is unfavorable for Norway, and then a little time passes before there is a reaction on the bench. It was a little disappointing, of many things today, he says.

He receives clear support from his colleague Mathisen.

– That is what perhaps most disappoints me. One thing is that the team selection was as it was, everyone sees in hindsight that it was not good, he says.

He thinks that Mohamed Elyounoussi (came on in the 111th minute) and Jens Petter Hauge (unused substitute) should have had a chance to make their mark on the match.

– The selection of the team was not exactly more uncertain. Coso nes also the prey is careful, wrong and defensive. We had “Moi” and Jens Petter Hauge, both wingers and they can challenge, but they only played a minute. There was a strange set-up along the way, and they couldn’t stop the Serbian post bonanza either. He is weak both for the players and for those who sit and direct on the bench.