| Morton Olsen, Denmark National Team |
What are the main challenges of managing a national team today?
The first is that there are a lot of foreign players playing in the top leagues, even in a small country like Denmark. It is good for the domestic competition to have new faces and quality players. But the consequence is that we don’t have enough Danish players playing regularly in the big clubs in other parts of Europe, as was the case 20 years ago. A major problem for the national team coach is the lack of time with the players, particularly for detailed preparation. And globalization has had an impact on many things, including attitude of the press. The media demands of all top coaches have increased, although we have to say that such intense interest is good for promotion of the game.
What is the impact of the homegrown player rule in Denmark?
In Denmark, I have not seen any benefit from this ruling. In fact, many clubs are bringing young players from abroad to their academies and they soon satisfy the homegrown regulation. This will affect the national teams in the future.
How would you describe the Danish style of play?
We have to use the qualities within the team to build a solid team. Of course, there needs to be some flexibility, but a playing philosophy also is vital. Every time the national team is together you must have a consistent approach. Whatever we want in style, we must be realistic and remember it is about winning. But you also must be aware of how you play because it is important for image and the future of soccer. Of course, the way we play doesn’t just depend on us, but on the opponent and the form we are in at the time. In general, however, I take a very positive approach. We try to keep the ball, to dominate possession, but at the same time we look forward when we can. Without doubt in modern soccer you must be very good at transition both ways. I may have a philosophy, but I can use only players with a Danish passport – I can’t go out and buy players to fit my philosophy. I have been very lucky lately with a number of players who fit the bill for me and for my approach. For example, we have always had wingers. I like to play with quick, wide players because they can cause an opponent problems, and we often defend better by blocking the attacking tendencies of the other team’s fullbacks.
Do you involve yourself in the preparation of the underage national teams?
Yes, we have produced a new strategy in the Danish FA to develop individual players who can reach the international level. It is not about systems of play, but trying to develop the player’s attitude in the game – trying to educate the players in the best way in terms of playing performances. Once a month, I meet with the youth coaches and work on the developmental program. We have a dialogue about football and how to nurture the players. Today is the most important time for the head coach of the first team because we are in a results business, but for the sake of the association we must have an influence on tomorrow. The biggest challenge for soccer today is to find a way to motivate the players to play at the highest level. I don’t like players who are looking at their watches – the game must be a passion. They must be motivated through the game, because they like to play. Of course, structure is necessary – without that there is no freedom to play.
How has the game evolved since you were a player?
The game undoubtedly is quicker and more compact and this means you need better technique and an ability to read the game faster. Players today don’t have the space that we had in my era. But I am sure the most talented players of former days would adapt to today’s standards. Another factor that is better today is the standard of the fields. When you see most games in the Champions League, the fields are fantastic. You cannot play a good passing game without a good field. During my day many of the fields were poor and this was not helpful. Today we even have artificial fields for year-round practice. The Arsenal field is like a pool table, and this is important for their type of game.
What are the key elements for a coach to be a success at the top level?
Assuming you have good players, you need to be talented in a variety of ways. I think experience is a prerequisite. The ability to be innovative also is important. You must never rest on your laurels and always look for new solutions. And you need to be lucky! With today’s players, I think you need to be better in coaching because the players are very knowledgeable and inquisitive. It is good that players are happy to ask why. They want to know why, and this means they know something about the way we want to play the game. This, of course, depends on which culture you are coming from. When players have the confidence to ask why, you know that you have them fully involved in the process. Positional power is not enough for the coach today – top players react badly to verbal attacks. Communicating with the media and the marketing side also has become more demanding than in the past. You have to sell your team and your club – you could also say that you need to “brand” yourself.
Are you optimistic about the future of the game?
Yes, I am. As I said before, you need good organization, discipline and structure. But I also see the freedom to play as a must. Often it is this freedom of expression by top players that decides top-level games. The two most important things for me in soccer are the players and the public. If these groups are satisfied, then I am satisfied. Yes, we need to win, but everyone is happier if we win with style. We in Denmark were one of the progressive countries in soccer education, but now everyone has developed and invested heavily in coach education and training. The fall of the Berlin Wall and the Bosman ruling were two major influences in soccer during the past 20 years. The fall of the Wall created more countries and that created more competition. The Bosman ruling gave more players in smaller European countries the chance to play in bigger leagues. We will, I am sure, continue to develop more and better coaches and players in Denmark, but the competitive environment has changed.
Editor's Note: Soccer Journal would like to thank the Technician and UEFA for the following interviews. It appeared in the March-April 2009 issue.
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