ULLEVAAL STADIUM: Tuesday presented the national team squad for the two forthcoming international games against Estonia and Finland. Meanwhile, he used the opportunity to reinvigorate the debate on football season should be initiated in spring or autumn.
Høgmo referring to that only a few European countries still cling to a football season that follows calendar year, whereas in all the major leagues played football from fall to spring.
– in relation to the international fixture list, only we and Sweden that have not adapted to us. Russia has made it, and Denmark making it increasingly more. If we want to compete in the long term both club and national team, it is in my view very important that we take this discussion seriously in Norwegian football, says Høgmo said.
decisive battles
Asked about a reorganization of the current Norwegian schedule is crucial to provide Norwegian football a much-needed boost, responding national team:
– Yes, I think that today we are competing over a shorter period than our opponents. We see in March and November that we are not at the level we want. Then we need to make radical changes.
Høgmo believes the discussion boils down to whether one is willing to take action to reach the targets set for Norwegian football.
– it is about changing a culture, and the discussion we must take. It’s about taking the consequences of our goal, and that is precisely what football and elite sport is all about, says the chief.
Last November extinguished the Norwegian EM hoped for two playoff matches against Hungary. Høgmo think history has shown that both the national team and the clubs struggling during periods when the domestic games are out of season.
– The only thing that’s certain is that we also in the future going to play crucial matches both at club level and with the national team in February, March and November. A Molde team that had been even more fighting fit against Sevilla, or who had drawn an easier opponent, could be in the quarter finals of the European league, says Høgmo.
Eternal discussion
discussion national team tries to pull up is far from unknown. In 2014 received the Dutch consultancy firm Hypercube a broad mandate to examine the Norwegian league system. In the report that came out of the project, among other things proposed to reduce the number of teams in the premier league and impose playoff to strengthen competition. Both fell on stony ground among the clubs and was shelved.
Now they want the chief to reinvigorate the debate again. Høgmo understand those who might argue that climatic conditions make a change challenging.
– I realize that in the short term may be frustrated when you start early and it will snow the same month, but we must think as a football nation. We are a huge football nation. We have other wonderful sports there is much focus on, and how it should proceed, but football must stand on its own feet and take the necessary grips. It may be painful in the short term but in the long term we will have many more “happy” moments, he said.
Football in special position
national team refers to England when he gets questions about cold Norwegian winter weather can cause public failure if it is played football throughout the winter.
– as if it was not a man to see Premier League. It is acidic to be in the Premier League match in December and January than it is at almost any time in Norway, he said.
Høgmo believes Norwegian football stands out compared with almost all other sports.
– I do not see a single other sport in the world, where they will compete at the top level, and where it is not the same schedule nationally and internationally. Therefore I think that we must adapt to the international fixture list, if we aim to compete at a high level in the future, he said. (© NTB)
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