ARROGANCE and ignorance often enjoy each other’s company.
Kasper Hjulmand demonstrated his mastery of the lethal combination of mistaken superiority and alarming lack of knowledge back in May.
And that is why he is no longer national coach of Denmark.
His unfortunate attitude came back to bite him following his nation’s lack of success in Euro 24 where they failed to win any of their group games – stalemates against Slovakia, England and Serbia – before toppling through the exit following a 2-0 loss to hosts Germany in the last 16.
After a thorough analysis of the country’s fairly dismal performance, the Danish Football Union decided a parting of the ways was necessary, although Hjulmand will remain in some sort of “advisory capacity”, whatever that means.
Former Celtic midfielder Morten Wieghorst has been appointed interim coach until the new year.
SEE YOU LATER…Matt O’Riley skips past a lunging tackle from John Lundstram on Celtic’s way to a Scottish Cup Final triumph at Hampden on May 25.
This has got to be heartening news for Matt O’Riley, irrespective of where he will be plying his trade beyond this transfer window. My preference would be at a team which resides in the east end of Glasgow, but, at this age and stage, I am fairly philosophical to the caprices of the beautiful game.
To many, O’Riley, who was the worthy reciepent of multiple Celtic Player of the Year honours following an impressive campaign with 19 goals and 18 assists in 49 outings, appeared to be a shoo-in to display his variety of skills during the summer soccer extravaganza where he could rub shoulders with the elite in Deutschland.
Hjulmand, four years in the job, had other ideas.
Curiously, he remained distinctly apathetic to the consistency of the London-born player and made it abundantly clear he was not a particular admirer of the calibre of the Premiership.
The overbearing manner of this haughty individual was emphasised when he admitted he believed the Danish top flight was a superior product.
Quizzed about O’Riley’s effectiveness, Hjulmand responded: “You have to put it into the context of how the Scottish league is in relation to the [Danish] Superliga, the Bundesliga or Spain.
“We are fully aware of that. There are constant considerations.”
The coach’s dismissive attitude towards football in this country begged a couple of questions: Are you a regular attendee of games in Scotland? When did you last make a trip to watch a club side at Celtic Park, Hampden, Ibrox or wherever?
Maybe he slipped in and out of grounds incognito and wasn’t recognised by anyone.
JOY BHOYS…Matt O’Riley and Reo Hatate celebrate another Celtic triumph.
Hjulmand, like everyone else on the planet, is welcome to his opinions. Hindsight, of course, offers 20/20 vision and we now know his lack of homework on Celtic’s gifted playmaker has had a boomerang effect.
Had he taken the opportunity to witness the dependable operator first hand against Atletico Madrid, Lazio and Feyenoord in the Champions League he would have been far better equipped to make a decision about the skilful performer’s range of talents.
O’Riley played in all six games, assisted in three goals and had a passing accuracy of 80 per cent, not bad going in the engine room against such high quality opponents.
If the Danish coach had been there in person in Glasgow, Madrid, Rome or Rotterdam for any of these confrontations, then I offer my profuse apologies and I will don the pointy hat with the big letter ‘D’ and go and stand in the corner for the rest of the day.
While overlooking the obvious plus factors of one of Brendan Rodgers’ pivotal figures, Hjulmand was pilloried by some experienced campaigners – Thomas Gravesen among them – for relying on the old guard as he compiled his squad for the glitzy international competition.
Christian Eriksen, a fine player it must be stated, was given the nod to start all four games in Germany.
This is the same Christian Eriksen who remained anchored to the substitutes’ bench when Manchester United completed the season with an unexpected 2-1 English FA Cup Final victory over Pep Guardiola’s Premier-winning City at Wembley on May 25.
That was the same afternoon O’Riley was strutting his stuff at Hampden in Celtic’s Scottish Cup success over Philippe Clement’s Ibrox outfit.
In fact, Erik ten Hag had given his 32-year-old midfielder a mere six starts in his side’s last 17 league games.
BYE, I MUST BE GOING…Kasper Hjulmand heads for international oblivion.
While O’Riley was a key man for Rodgers, Eriksen was a bit-part player for Ten Hag.
The stubborn Hjulmand was obviously content that the Old Trafford star was warming the bench in English football while the Celt was merely putting on exhibitions on the other side of Hadrian’s Wall.
The recently-removed coach had every right to talk up domestic football in his homeland.
How many players from the Danish Superliga started the crucial Euro 24 last-16 game against the host nation?
None.
As the door closes on a misguided coach, it will most assuredly open for a gifted player so cruelly overlooked and unrewarded while edging towards the pinnacle of his considerable powers.
ALEX GORDON
