NRK expert believes leak indicates weakened trust in national team manager – NRK Sport – Sports news, results and broadcast schedule

The leaks to the media and the revelation of VG about strong fights in an internal meeting of players, made Lagerbäck have to resort to a means as unusual as explaining himself in a press release.

– I have always had as a principle to protect the players externally. For the sake of the integrity of the coaches and anonymous sources in the VG coverage, we had to deviate from this principle and comment on what happened, explains the manager of the national team.

He “has never experienced players crossing the border in this way” is something he says about the discussion that arose with Alexander Sørloth in the wake of the defeat against Serbia.

– He’s staying a bit with Sørloth here. Sørloth has been difficult, direct and has said things that many will feel are not okay with their leader. He wouldn’t have taken that step without feeling pressured to say something, says NRK expert Carl-Erik Torp.

– Confidence is clearly weakened

He believes Lagerbäck’s status is not the same now as it was when he assumed command of the national team in 2017.

– I think obviously your confidence in the group is weakened. After the game and what happened.

Torp notes that the team the Swede took on was relatively “gray” and has now become a group of star players. He believes the national team roster changes and is completely new to Lagerbäck.

– This would never have leaked if you wanted to protect your boss. It is quite clear that when this comes to light, he wants outside forces to influence the situation, and it is a sign that he does not have full confidence in the group of players, believes the soccer expert.

It is supported by the professor of the BI Department of Management and Organization, Stig Berge Mattheisen.

– It could be a danger sign. That someone is leaking because they don’t have enough trust or faith in him and the national team assignment. But also the players must be so professional that they must know that they must stay internal. It’s better for all parties to trust each other, says Matthiesen.

I should address the leak

The captain’s team of Stefan Johansen, Omar Elabdellaoui and Joshua King state in a press release that they understand Lagerbäck was “heavily provoked”.

– We support the technical team 100 percent. It is very unfortunate that there are leaks to the media from internal meetings. It will not happen, and it is something that in the captain’s team we will address with all the players in the squad.

Management expert Matthiesen believes Lagerbäck is apparently a skilled leader, but emphasizes that he gets away with less when results are not being achieved.

– Management has the right to control, and it’s great that they listen to feedback. But these inputs are a balancing act. Player criticism cannot be so extensive that it turns into a riot. At the same time, it is the responsibility of the manager of the national team to win and maintain the dressing room, and then it is important that you make no mistake, says the BI professor.

Lagerbäck regretted making an unnecessary comment to Sørloth about a two-year match against Cyprus.

– It’s something that players clearly notice. Being able to regulate emotions is important, Mattheisen notes.

To play or not to play?

Former national team player and Rosenborg profile Jahn Ivar “Mini” Jakobsen thinks it’s good for Lagerbäck to present his version of what happened, so you have more sides of the case. He is not surprised by the leak.

– When it happens that there are more than two people who know something, it is not a secret. I’ve been playing top-level soccer for 20 years and there is always someone who knows someone who knows someone and that will work out.

Torp and Jakobsen hope that the conflict between the leadership of the national team and Sørloth has ended with the press release. They believe that there was a lot of frustration after the Serbian match in isolation, and it was not necessarily an expression of dissatisfaction with everything Lagerbäck has done.

– I think it shouldn’t have consequences for Sørloth, but if you still think that Lagerbäck and Hansen are incompetent coaches and leaders, then I would say that I don’t have the strength to play for the national team because I don’t believe in that. But I think this has been said in a discussion where there is a lot of back and forth, and one is a little frustrated, says Jakobsen.

Torp agrees.

– I think when you’ve thought about it a bit and got a little discouraged, it’s not as bad as you meant at the time. I think everyone has said things they regret later.

• Alexander Sørloth himself does not want to comment further on the case, he says in the press release from the Norwegian Football Association.