ULLEVAAL (Dagbladet): Here TV 2 commentator Øyvind Alsaker (55) leaves Ullevaal stadium late last night.
In advance, TV 2 hoped for over one million viewers and a Norwegian party against Serbia. It ended in Norwegian failure. And a shattered European Championship dream.
The commentator profile did not spare the confectionery when he met Dagbladet outside the national arena after the live broadcast. On the scoreboard, it was 2-1 to Serbia. Now they face Scotland in the playoff final.
– Horrible. Disappointing. Bad from beginning to end. Once again, we see a Norwegian fall at the finish line, says Alsaker.
<img itemprop="image" data-defer="view" title="DOWN: The Norwegians despair after the loss. Photo: Bjørn Langsem” alt=”DOWN: Nordmennene fortviler etter tapet. Foto: Bjørn Langsem” class=” lazyload ” data-srcset=”https://dbstatic.no/72932136.jpg?imageId=72932136&width=760&height=434&compression=70 640w,https://dbstatic.no/72932136.jpg?imageId=72932136&width=900&height=513&compression=80 1024w,https://dbstatic.no/72932136.jpg?imageId=72932136&width=980&height=559&compression=80 1240w” data-src=”https://dbstatic.no/72932136.jpg?imageId=72932136&width=980&height=559″ loading=”lazy”/>DOWN: The Norwegians despair after the loss. Photo: Bjørn Langsem view more
– Norway met a good Serbian team. Absolutely. But that a double-digit number of chances came against, is very unusual for a Lagerbäck team. It is very disappointing.
– And, Alsaker continues:
– We looked forward to seeing Martin Ødegaard, Erling Braut Haaland and Alexander Sørloth together for the first time. That they got so little is actually a little surprising.
<img itemprop="image" data-defer="view" title="HEAVY MOMENT: Lars Lagerbäck in conversation with the national team’s press manager, Svein Graff, after the match. Photo: Bjørn Langsem” alt=”HEAVY MOMENT: Lars Lagerbäck i samtale med landslagets pressesjef, Svein Graff, etter kampen. Foto: Bjørn Langsem” class=” lazyload ” data-srcset=”https://dbstatic.no/72932138.jpg?imageId=72932138&x=1.4124293785311&y=8.4745762711864&cropw=97.03808180536&croph=83.050847457627&width=534&height=306&compression=70 640w,https://dbstatic.no/72932138.jpg?imageId=72932138&x=1.4124293785311&y=8.4745762711864&cropw=97.03808180536&croph=83.050847457627&width=632&height=361&compression=80 1024w,https://dbstatic.no/72932138.jpg?imageId=72932138&x=1.4124293785311&y=8.4745762711864&cropw=97.03808180536&croph=83.050847457627&width=688&height=393&compression=80 1240w” data-src=”https://dbstatic.no/72932138.jpg?imageId=72932138&x=1.4124293785311&y=8.4745762711864&cropw=97.03808180536&croph=83.050847457627&width=688&height=393″ loading=”lazy”/>HEAVY MOMENT: Lars Lagerbäck in conversation with the national team’s press manager, Svein Graff, after the match. Photo: Bjørn Langsem view more
Alsaker’s voice was heard in the stands when Sergej Milinkovic-Savic sent Serbia up 2-1 after 102 minutes.
When the TV lights were off, he continued his football professional outburst:
– It was a very bad Norwegian team. The tactics. The duel game. The ball treatment. Everything. I felt we were second best in all areas, he says.
– It was a collective failure. But you also saw Haitam Aleesami’s problems with Lazovic, which lasted 105 minutes. It was striking. I think he hit 14 posts. That this was not possible to adjust along the way, I find very strange.
ENGAGED: Serbia’s scoring in the extra innings made it boil over for John Arne Riise. Video: Red Card view more
–
The European Championship playoffs are over. But Norway will meet Romania in the Nations League already on Sunday.
– Nations League is a great tournament and all that. But that was what the collection was about. It will be difficult for the team to get up. And it will be difficult for the Norwegian people to find enthusiasm.
– And, Alsaker continues:
– Here and now it’s just bottomless disappointment.
Lars Lagerbäck did not pack his words when he arrived at the press conference around midnight. In the online newspaper of Dagbladet, the verdict was brutal:
– Get off, wrote Dagbladet’s commentator, Morten P, right after the match. It is a comment that quickly sets the pace and tone for the next few days.
Lagerbäck has a contract until 2022. At the press conference, he was asked if the loss changes anything.
– Should the employer think that I should not lead the team, or that I myself come to this, then I have no problems stepping aside. It will show the future, he replied.
DOWN: The Norwegian national team did not manage to qualify for the European Championships, but Riise believes the young boys learned a lot against Serbia. Video: Red Card view more
–
– I will not retire tonight, at least, but make sure we get two victories in the upcoming matches.
Alsaker believes Lagerbäck is still the right man:
– Yes, I would say that. After all, there have been good results. But it is clear that the coaching team must also be evaluated after this. This was the second bad international match in a row at Ullevaal. We got an alarm clock against Austria. That we became equally awkward now surprises me. But I’m not looking for the coach’s head. For that, I think he has done too much good over a long period of time.
SERBIA LEADER: This is how John Arne Riise reacted to the setback goal. Video Red Card view more
–
Not much was said in the Norwegian locker room last night.
– Right now it’s just heavy, says goal scorer Mathias Normann.
