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Photo: VEGARD WIVESTAD GRØTT / BILDBYRÅN
Lars Lagerbäck.
Lars Lagerbäck was fired as captain of the Norwegian national team.
Ståle Solbakken, on the other hand, takes primary responsibility for the national team.
– The union wanted a long-term solution, says the 72-year-old Swede.
Lars Lagerbäck had a contract for the next World Cup qualifier and a possible World Cup final in 2022.
During the year, there have been unsuccessful results for Norway and now he has to leave the position of captain of the national team prematurely.
– After a conversation and a request from the association, I will leave the position of coach of the national team. The reason for this is that our agreement with the mutual possibility of termination even extends to a possible World Cup final. Now the association wants instead to have a long-term solution with qualification for the World Cup and subsequent qualifying rounds for the European Championship in mind, says Lars Lagerbäck.
“Always sad”
He says that 2020 was not a successful year in terms of results and achievements.
He thinks that they could not be the best at the time of doing it and that they canceled matches and the corona pandemic did not give them the opportunity to win the League of Nations.
– It is always sad to leave a team that you have worked with for many years. Among other things, considering our support apparatus that in a very good way has contributed to our achievements and has shown great loyalty on and off the field. Furthermore, the group of players, with a few exceptions, have shown in every way a professional attitude and have put in very good working efforts, says Lars Lagerbäck.
Internal fight
Both Lars Lagerbäck and the assistant captain of the national team, Per Joar Hansen, leave their posts.
Following the failure in the Eurocup playoffs against Serbia, Leipzig forward Alexander Sörloth criticized the tactical plan.
– I tolerate disagreements on football issues. Alexander Sörloth, on the other hand, made several accusations that did not concern how we played our football, but that Per Joar Hansen and I were incompetent as coaches both in terms of management and football. After 30 years in international soccer, he had never experienced a player crossing the border in this way, Lars Lagerbäck said.
Rose in the ranking
Recently fired FC Copenhagen coach Ståle Solbakken, 52, will take over as captain of the Norwegian national team from 7 December.
During Lars Lagerbäck’s time as national team captain since 2017, Norway has climbed 40 places in the world rankings and won their Nations League group.
Lars Lagerbäck has previously been the captain of the national team for Sweden, Nigeria and Iceland.
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