Welcome to the Noise. Listen to the passion in Hamden.
Park, It's John again. It's John again.
The great done by Dalvish Chancellor one for Scotland.
Hello, and welcome to the Scottish with Mic podcast.
I'm your host this week, James. Scott, it's absolutely.
Lovely to have you along listening with us for what is a
possible a new series we're sort of going to be doing alongside
the podcast. Today's episode is an opposition
analysis on Scotland's opponents and their first game of the
World Cup qualifying campaign. Denmark on Friday, joining me
from the Scots for my team and also there from the Scotland
team is Aaron McIntosh Aaron. How are we doing I'm.
Very well, how are you? Good, good, very excited.
Obviously, like I said, massive week this week, the road to US,
Mexico and Canada is beginning for Scotland and it's starting
in Copenhagen. Big game Denmark obviously pot
one side can ask for a harder start to the to the the
qualifying group, but that's Rivera and yeah, I mean.
Possibly could have had a harder.
Side and put one, we're not going to shy away from the fact
that your Frances and Germanies are definitely far more
formidable opponents and also more recognizable.
I think these teams and nations tend to have more of the
household names. I think it'd be fairly easy to
name a France or Germany or even a Spain line up, but Denmark a
squad a lot with quality, but also despite being through a lot
of the players throughout the top five leagues and such, some
of the players will maybe not as familiar with.
Obviously they've had a change in manner as well, manager as
well. So there's definitely a lot to
be discussed around the team, things probably the Tartan Army
and even ourselves aren't aware of.
And that's what. We're going to do and delve into
in this episode, we will be speaking to a Danish native,
Tolkit Thailand, Thailu. I think I'm pronouncing that
right. I've absolutely butchered it
even though I was practicing it all day.
Bromby, fan writer, yeah, he's going to be able to share a lot
of knowledge with us, hopefully enlighten us going into the game
on Friday so we know a little bit more about what Denmark's
been up then what we're going to be up against.
And I'll come back to you just before we go into the chat with
Toca. What are you hoping we can get
from this discussion? A lot of insight, depth and
analysis hopefully. I think we know know a lot of
their players, we know them individually, we know them from
their club sides, but we don't know them from their
international team. We know our group, we know how
good we are. You know, we know how you know,
there's certain things we know. We know about our group and we
certain things we don't like about our group.
We don't know much about the Denmark squad as a group in
total. So I think get some insight,
analysis, get some strengths and weaknesses.
They've also got a new manager, you know, they've been a new
manager within the last year or so.
So to get some some analysis on how he's doing, but I think just
to see how the vibes are going into Friday.
'S just the the Danish perspective on how they look.
I mean it's I'll be interested to hear as well what he thinks
about us. It's always, you know, we've got
a lot of opinions in Scotland and be sure and we see them all
over Twitter turn around are quite vocal and letting their.
Displeasure be known. Or if they're they're happy with
how things have been going. So it'd be good to hear what he
thinks in terms of whether or not we are maybe a fermentable
opponent of what he made, what he made of been drawn against
us. I know if you look at the the
pot three sides, we were the highest ranked pot three sides.
So I can't imagine they're too pleased.
They were the name that came out of the hat.
And definitely I was more pleased to see Denmark than
Portugal to obviously Portugal being the other side, we have
been drawn against this depending on who won or lost
their playoff in March. And obviously Portugal
progressed from that one into the Nations League knockout
rounds. But yeah, hopefully it's going
to be a really high value conversation and the listeners
will be much more well acquainted of the Denmark side
we're going to be up against this Friday.
So with it further I do, we'll jump straight into that
conversation and we really hope you enjoy it.
So hello, Toki, thanks for joining us on the podcast for
what will hopefully be our enlightening session for the
Tartan Army and our listeners. I'll let you first of all just
introduce yourself and you can sort of tell the listener who
you are, what you do sort of thing.
Yeah, thank you very much for having me on.
It's it'll be good to to get to speak a little bit Danish
football and maybe learn a little bit about Scottish
football as well. But yeah, my name is Chuka.
I'm a Danish football writer, journalist, covering mostly the
Danish super leaguer and of course the national team.
I'm the editor in chief at the wilful Park dot DK website
covering Danish side Bundu and yeah, following everything
Danish football, have been working with the ESPN, BBC, The
New Yorker, a lot of different media on things related to
Danish football. So yeah, I've, I've been around
for I think 1015 years almost doing this and yeah, I'm pretty
excited. Now we have a new national team
code for the Danish team is beginning of a new era.
Finally we're starting this World Cup qualification group.
It was a bit ridiculous how we had to wait for so long compared
to the other groups. So pretty excited finally to get
started here. Yeah, because obviously everyone
else, they kicked off the campaigns.
And is it March or July? July.
July, oh, I think some of them, yeah.
So or June, So June, yeah, I think obviously us been in that
smaller group, we've had to wait that a little bit longer and
it's turned it into quite a so you know, no one's in in the
European qualifiers. I don't think we're quite used
to having such a short and condensed qualifying campaign.
So but it could provide for a very exciting one, very
fast-paced, but but yeah, so I think.
Do you go to a lot of Denmark games yourself or are you a
watcher from afar? I go to as many as I can, not as
many as as I want to. I'm I'm, I'm going to all the,
all the bumpy matches. So I kind of enjoy when, when
there's a national team break to, to watch some games in in TV
as well and, and have a little bit of an an off weekend.
But yeah, of course I watch as much as as I can and I watched
it watch all the the national team games.
It's it's been some, some pretty exciting years for Denmark.
So now we'll we will see what can, what Rima here can can do.
It should be fun. How is Bromby getting on this
season? Just to go to the club football?
I know that you've signed a player from Coventry called
Lewis Banks and I know that he's actually Scottish eligible and
I've I've been looking at some of the your games this season.
How has it been so far this season?
Yeah, Lewis Binks has been really, really good.
Actually. He looks like a fantastic
signing. Apart from that, not the best
start to the season. We were eliminated in the
Conference League last last Thursday hereby by Strasbourg
and just lost in the league against Migilant yesterday.
So they're setting forth it's it's not a disaster, but but
also not not great. And of course losing in Europe
is is that's tough. I mean, you always have that
dream of going to to the league phase and everything, but it,
it, it wasn't this year, you know, unfortunately well.
I mean, Scotland, let's say Scotland, Scottish clubs have
had their fair share of defeats in recent weeks in Europe.
So I think a lot of fans from from Scotland, they'll be able
to sympathize me on that front. Yeah, you've not.
You've not lost badly, have you, compared to the Scottish clubs?
I mean, look at Rangers, you've not actually lost that badly
compared to losing to Stroudsburg.
That is true. That is very true.
I was, I was watching the Hibernian match against the
middle and actually that was, that was crazy.
I mean that that finish with the sizzle kick and everything, that
was definitely unexpected. We were talking to Hibs
supporter the other week in our podcast and he was at the game
and he said, you know, it's like the worst way to lose because
it's like the best goals you could actually concede but in
the worst possible time. You know, it's it was such a
topsy turvy game. But if you've been looking at
Hibs very much the whole year being run, they've had so many
crazy games. All three games have went all
three times have went to extra time.
So they've had their fair share of the roller coaster.
So I think you've featured very well.
So yeah, I'll just, first of all, we'll just ask you what's
your sort of take on the group talk, because as a Scotland fan,
it feels like a very tight group being a, we were obviously a pot
three side and we were the highest ranked pot three side we
could have been. I think we could have been pot
one had the had the results gone the right way for us.
But unfortunately it wasn't. But from a Danish perspective,
how are you looking at the sort of the next six games and what
you're up against? It's it's a funny time to be a
Danish football fan because I can.
I mean, these past five years, there has never been higher
expectations in my entire life. I mean, obviously my first, the
first major tournament I really remember was the 1998 one.
But since then, the expectations have never really been high
until we had the human went to that, the semi final at the Euro
four years ago and and failed miserably, unfortunately in
Qatar. But still, Despite that, there's
a lot of, a lot of expectations, but there's also a lot of
confidence. So generally I would say that
people are pretty happy with the group we avoided.
I, I think both Greece and and Scotland are, are good teams,
but also I think on paper they might still have the best team
and, and it will be considered a, a failure if we don't
qualify. I mean, there's a lot of
respect, of course, for especially the Scottish team and
there's a lot of respect for Scottish fans, especially
because of, of, of how great numbers they travel to the away
matches, how how much fun it is to play against Scottish teams
because of the fans and the football culture and everything.
But but, but yeah, the expectation is definitely that
Denmark wins the group and and qualify for for for the World
Cup here because it is a very strong team.
We are fielding. It's not as good as it was at
the Euro during the Covic Euro, but still we have a very good
team. There's a lot of confidence in
this team and also have been integrating some new, young,
exciting players. So we are looking stronger than
we did in Qatar at the last World Cup, I would say for sure.
So, yeah, Denmark, Denmark are definitely expected to to win
the group. It's not expected that we that
we will go out and dominate the group because, yeah, especially
the away matches against Scotland and Greece will be,
will be difficult. But once all six matches are
played, Denmark I expected to be leading the group.
I was just going to say because a lot of people in this country
are saying that maybe Greece are the favourites for the group
just because of the way that we played, because we played
against them in the the Nations League playoffs and back in
March. And they totally, you know,
first game, you know, they dominated us, but we got the win
at hand and it was a three nil. Would you say that's fair?
Do you think you're just going or you're going to be loyal to
your team and say that Denmark is still the favorite?
Especially, I still think Denmark are the favourites and
the strongest team, but do you think that could be a fair
assessment from people in this country in Greece might be the
favourites for the group? No, I I would still say that
Marcus is the is the favorite. I mean, when, when we're looking
at our squad, we we have a player from Barcelona too, from
Man United. I know Man United, it doesn't
have the same weight these days, but I mean, practically all our
players are in the in the top five leagues.
The odd is the odd player in in Portugal and Belgium, but but
most of them are playing in the top leagues, whereas I think
Greek. I was looking at the at the
squad the Greek squad earlier today.
Most of them are in the domestic Greek league.
So actually I would be I'm more afraid of of Scotland than I am
of the of the Greece. Yeah, that's interesting to hear
actually. Glad we're carrying that sort of
way. Glad.
Somebody's are scared of. US, yeah.
I'm glad because everybody that we, because I've been putting
post stuff about the group and everybody's saying how scared we
are for Friday and how scared we are for the group in general
because it's such a tight little group as well.
Four games, you know, four teams and you know as you were saying,
Ella James, it's you know, we we're normally A5 team or a six
team being in the four teams like being in the Nations League
group. Yeah.
And I mean, just usually in your, your qualifying campaigns
as well with the, the EUR, the World Cup, because the way you
know, these groups work, if there's six or five teams in the
past, you've only got 10 games, maybe only eight games.
There's not a lot of margin for either.
You know, it's you feel like you've got to land all your
punches and in a group like this, I think, you know, you
have just eliminated maybe one of the lower seeded teams from
the group. But at the same time, it still
feels that there's more pressure to get things right in this one
because you've not got a lot of time to rectify them with how
quickly the games are coming round.
But yeah, no, so I mean, looking at the DNS team coming into this
in terms of your form since of EUR 2024, I don't know if you
class it as a bit of a disappointment.
Obviously you got you've got the same wins as Scotland, but you
did a lot better getting 3 draws in a group against England,
Slovenia and Serbia. That was enough for you to
progress and then you lost two nil to Germany, which was quite
a massive improvement on what we managed in our opening game
against them. Don't bring back nightmares
first, James. Don't.
Bring back nightmares. That's less about that the
better. But yeah, since the start of
2024, competitively, you've only lost four games and they've been
to Spain home and the way Portugal away and Germany and
the EUR, only one of them, only one of those games is at home,
the Spanish one and the Nations League.
Do you view Parkin as about a fortress view?
Is that somewhere you feel like you've got really good form?
Obviously, I mean, obviously you do, but just how do you feel the
Danish team is going into this? Yeah.
That's definitely very true. And, and I mean, I said in the
beginning how there was a lot of expectations and a lot of
excitement around this Danish team.
And I think that's part of it. I mean, now the, the, the Danish
matches, it hasn't always been like this, but there's generally
sold out for, for these qualification matches that that
has not always been the case, but there's a lot of support for
this team. It really started during the the
COVID years where everybody came together to support the national
team. Of course there was the disaster
with Christian Erikson collapsing on the pitch and
there was the whole team and the country came together.
We went to the semi final, of course, also a little bit of
some lucky draws. But since then they've been
riding on a wave basically with with really, really impressive
support from from fans, both in the stadium, but also just
people behind the at home in the couch in front of the TV.
There's so much more attention and excitement around the team
here. And I think you can really see
that on the pitch as well, especially when they're playing,
when they're playing at home. When that is said, I think the
results we have delivered over the past years also a little bit
deceptive because yes, on paper they look really, really good.
But for example, that Euro we played last summer, results were
decent. I mean, advancing from the
group, you can never really be unhappy with that than losing
never lead to Germany. But at the same time, I think
anybody who watched our games were very, very disappointed
with how they were playing offensively.
It was super predictable, boring, uncreative and very slow
paced. And which was also part of the
reason why you men and and the association went their separate
ways, because that whole relationship, despite all the
love that that it, it, it gave birth to with the fans, it had
also run it's time. And it was time to to try
something to, to try something new.
And, and I think also, yeah, so so and that was the case as well
in the Indonesians league, which we saw last year that yes, the
results were good, but it was not, it was not Danish dynamite.
I mean, it was not the explosive, entertaining
football. It was a little bit more
defensive minded, cynical. And and that's not really what
Danish football fans want. I mean, it's we want to win, but
it's also very important to win in the right way.
And, and I think anybody who who are on the older side and
remember like the 80s and so on, they also understand that for
many Danish fans, like they're fine with being the best losers.
They're fine with with with losing as long as you do it in a
way where it's like you're playing entertaining of
offensive football and doing things what kind of like the
right way instead of playing this defensive cynical football
that we often mark, for example, Sweden and no Norway for doing
so. Yeah, we, we want to see our
team be entertaining and we want to get to the World Cup.
But we also have to, we have to do it in a way where we
hopefully score a lot of goals and we're playing with a way
that excites people and makes us proud for the national team.
Because just going to the World Cup and, and I mean, that's not
enough, it it also has to be. Yeah, it's not about.
Just yeah. Exactly.
I was going to say back in
March, we had a topsy turvy game in the nation in the nation's
league playoff against Portugal. What was that like?
Because every time I was looking at the game, it was just raining
goals at one point. You know, one thing wasn't gone.
You know, this was the second leg or anything.
It was just to go away the Portugal and play for a
performance like what you did. And I've seen some of the
second-half as well. I was trying to watch as much as
I could because we were we had them the grease second leg and I
was trying to watch in your your game against Portugal.
What was that game like? Because it was just, it seemed
like tactics at one point just went out the window.
Yeah, that was that was a lot of fun because of course, I think
it's probably the same in in Scotland.
But the Nations League is obviously big for us and it's
it's it's big when we get to play against these huge nations.
I mean, it's not, I think we care more about Nations League
than Portugal or Spain or these other countries do, because it's
not often that they might get to win anything.
So the fact that we can play a semi final and, and I mean,
obviously there was also some, some potential advantages of, of
World Cup seeding and all of this stuff.
So yeah, that was a lot of fun. And, and especially after we won
the first match at home, that was OK.
Maybe maybe we have something here.
I mean, ultimately we lost to, to Portugal after extra time,
but the fact that we could go down to to Lisbon and be
competitive, that that really said a lot.
Then that gave birth to to a lot of optimism And, and yeah, that
match was just crazy. It's that moment to see.
I think it was a fight to exactly.
Mean for I mean, I'd agree with you about the nations leagues.
I feel like that's something that's been very kind to
Scotland. We started way down in Group C
initially and I did think Scotland kind of got stuck in a
cycle at points where we we did get out of tough draws and we
were finishing in positions in groups that maybe I don't know
if I'm just been a rose tinted glasses fan here looking, you
know, kind little modern team, but I felt we were we were we
sometimes got a raw deal and the Nations League allowed us to
progress up through the ranks and.
I feel like we're in a. Position, it's much more.
Reflective of where the national team actually is on the patch
and you know, the players we've got.
I think we had we had actually quite similar Nations League
campaign to you again, maybe been kind to Scotland, but it
was slim margins for getting Stan had been in the playoffs to
move up the way or getting relegated and or the playoff
down the way. And inside that was the playoff
down that we got us cop with Greece in March.
But yeah, it's it's definitely been a good thing for testing
yourselves at the right level. And I can understand why sort of
Denmark as well. Appreciate having the platform
to do that. We'll move on and sort of look
at the Danish squad because obviously I think over the years
there's been a lot of names people could recite straight off
the top of their head. You know, Danish players,
football legends. Krishna Ericsson is a massive
name, obviously past his prime, but you know, everyone's more
than familiar over his time at Spars what he's capable of.
Obviously he's not got a club right now and he's not been
included in the squad. I've heard different opinions
from Danes on this really have been in the squad if you were
the one picking it. It's a good question.
I've been going back and forward on that for a long time.
I think ultimately, yes, I would have picked him because we don't
have any players who can do what he can and I think the the
playing style he has is is less dependent on on the physical
part of his game. He's very professional,
obviously at his age, so I'm sure he has stayed fit over the
summer even though he hasn't had a club to train with.
I mean, you can also draw some comparisons to Lasmos Hoyland,
for example, who's been out of the squad for the first Premier
League matches with United and he is in the squad.
So of course he had a preseason and played friendly matches and
so on. But Ericsson is not the only
player who who is lacking is lacking competitive games.
Also Philippe Anderson, the second goalkeeper hasn't played
really for Chelsea either. So there are other players were
in the same boat. And I think Ericsson is such a
special player that that I would have, I would have called him up
unless of course he requested that I, I need time to find
myself a club. So but I don't think so.
I mean, he he loves the national team and I can't imagine that he
would tell the coach that he's unavailable.
Yeah, yeah. I suppose you never really know
what's going on in conversations, buying closed
doors, but that's certainly, Yeah.
I mean, he's an absolute Talisman for your country and
some, you know, we've all seen the goals he scored, the moments
of magic can produce in just a second.
So as a Scotland fan, I will say I'm quite pleased he's not not
in there and we'll be dealing with someone else instead.
I was going to mention a player that isn't the squad and Matt
O'Reilly. A lot of Scotland supporters
will know him from his time at Celtic and he's going to
Brighton we think. I don't know if it's went
through. We're recording this on Monday
so I don't know if it's went through or not, if he's going to
Marcia or not. What would you think a deal like
that, if it has went through going to Marcia would be like
for Matt O'Reilly? Would that be a good move for
him personally or do you think he should have stayed at
Brighton? I was a bit surprised when I
saw, I mean, I saw the videos of him standing with the Mercedes
Gov and meeting the fans and everything.
I was a bit surprised because I thought he did well in the first
two matches here in the in the Premier League.
But I think also it's it's super important for him to get regular
game time at A at a very high level.
And probably Brighton indicated that he it wasn't going to
happen at the level he wanted to.
So Mercedes is a good club. So him going down to play with
Pyramid Hobia, our captain, I'm fine with that.
The most important thing for me is that he gets game time on on
a high level. Obviously last season he missed
most of the time with with an injury.
So he's still very new on the national team, hasn't really
been integrated. He has four games so far and he
hasn't really done anything as a as a national team player.
So, yeah, I think it, it sounds like a good move and, and it'll
be fun to follow him because he he has some, the way he plays
his, his, his, how dangerous he is in front of goal and his
offensive qualities is something we we don't have a lot of
players like that. I mean, we have a lot of winners
and, and of course we have Erickson who can be the creative
midfielder. But but other than that, yeah,
he's a good backup and, and hopefully can, can take some
pressure off Erickson coming off the bench or maybe even yeah,
he's only 24. So, so he should have a a long
future on the national team to establish himself at some point.
Do you think he would take over Ericsson's position in the
national team going forward? Do you think there's somebody
else that's in the winds going to take over from Christian
Eriksen in that position? I think right now it's it's it's
him and Michael Damsko that are the leading people for for that
position. But as I said, we we still
haven't seen so much for Matt O'Reilly on the national team.
He was very, very hyped when he played for Celtic.
He had that amazing season scoring 18 goals, I think it
was. And people were outraged when he
wasn't called up for the for the Euro last summer because of that
season. I mean, everybody was asking how
can we have a player that scores so many goals for Celtic and
it's not called up. Which again, also says a little
bit about the respect that Danish fans have for for both
the the big Scottish clubs and, and Scottish football in in
general. But yeah, I think it's very,
very open and and I hope that Erickson gets to play at least a
couple of more years. I think the way he's playing
means that it's not urgent for him to step down.
So it all depends on his on his hunger.
But I wouldn't say that Matt O'Reilly is like a clear cut #2
right now he's still new on the national team.
We have a lot of a lot of players, also some creative
players who are not called up like yes, Palindstream, who
played on The Who played forever time in the Premier League last
season and who's back in in the Bundes League and right now.
So it's very open behind him, behind Ericsson.
I mean, and yeah, O'Reilly is is a candidate for sure, but but
it's not like a clear cut thing and and he is still on the
fringe of the national team in general really.
So he needs to prove himself for for my say, otherwise it's not a
given that he would be in the squad the next time.
Yeah, because I think I'm writing saying he's only got 4
caps for Denmark as it stands. But I mean at 24 he's still got
the best part is clear ahead. I'm sure you know, if he keeps
improving, doing ways, you know, this trajectory from Celtic has
been very promising. And yeah, I think personally
he's a player I would love to have in the Scotland team.
Looking across the board the the, the Danish squad, obviously
there's a good few names that people will be familiar with.
Kasper Schmeichel is currently Celtic.
Matt Riley we've already mentioned Mikael Damsgard is a
player way back, EUR 20. I think Scotland fans will have
fond memories of watching him score that free kick against
England, Andreas Christensen for Barcelona.
But there's a lot of other names that maybe aren't as striking
out, one that I picked out more and humans highly rated player
for sporting. Is there any others you'd sort
of the the like for you or names that you appreciate and around
Denmark that aren't maybe ones that are going to instantly jump
out as to to fans like myself who are looking out, who's the
one to watch? Yeah, I think, I think two
players that are really worth highlighting.
And I can mention another one who's like an honorable mention,
but but two players that are really worth highlighting is our
striker Mika Beers. He plays for AS Monaco.
I think if Scotland is anything like Denmark, you probably don't
watch a lot of matches from from the from the French league.
But he came from. Yeah, I will say one thing.
Mika Burev is he he has a name that will be familiar with
handfuls 'cause it's because of his time at Motherwell.
Oh, yeah. It was only, I think it was
maybe only it was only sex moms. He was there.
He was only there. He's unknown to Marshall.
Yeah, he. Was only there to like Christmas
on new year I think. So, yeah, but he was a name I
was going to bring up. So it's interesting to hear your
thoughts on him because he's not a name you're much talked about.
Like you say, the French league's maybe not one of the
ones that is in the limelight too much, unless you're maybe
playing for PSG or that, but yeah.
Yeah, he he went absolutely nuclear last season.
He came in January from Stone class in in Austria, scored 13
gold in 16 matches. I think he had two hat tricks
and I mean, he he is dangerous. It is, it is really impressive.
And we saw in the friendlies before the before the summer
vacation that he has actually taken over the the starting
strikers. But from Asmus Hoyland, which I
think everybody expected Hoyland to, to just sit on that position
for the next 10 years. But right now the earth it is
our strongest option as the number 9.
And yeah, he he looked decent in those matches.
But I think now when he he's a little bit older, he has been on
the national team before, a little bit more experienced at
the highest level. I think him I'm really, really
excited to watch he he can be. Yeah, he he looks incredible.
His scoring rate at Monaco. I mean, he's not a guy who he
doesn't do a lot of things, but the things he do in front of
goal are just they are, they are incredible.
And then he can become a really, really good striker.
I'm very happy that he chose to stay at Monaco instead of
already moved to a bigger club because I think another year in
the French league and then to the World Cup next summer.
That sounds like a really good recipe for him.
Also on the midfield, I think Scottish fans should keep an eye
on which of 400 he just left FC Copenhagen to join FC Porto in
in Portugal and has started like like a Thunder down there.
I mean, he's already established himself as one of the better
midfielders, of course early, but one of the better
midfielders in Portugal and he's a huge talent.
He he is like 19 1/2 and yeah, got his debut on the national
team when he was 19 playing still in the Danish league,
which is not very common at all. And yeah, then became one of
Copenhagen's biggest ever sales and he looks really, really
good. I think when we're talking about
the future on on the midfield, he is one of the guys that we
will end up building the team around.
Of course he's he's not a offensive minded midfielder.
He's more controlling midfielder, central midfielder,
but he looks like really looks like the real deal.
And then I think defensively, yeah, of course you already
mentioned, you know, all the guys who are playing in the
Premier League and and and as Christmas in Barcelona.
But we spoke a little bit about Strasbourg earlier and and Lucas
Krugsba, who joined them this summer from FC N Shoreland, 19
year old central defender just turned 19 in in June.
He has a really, really bright future as well.
One of those ball playing midfield central defenders that
can push forward, that can be creative.
And it's also just a really physically strong guy for his
age and and really good defender that is tough to get by.
So I think the, the future is, is, is really bright and, and we
have finally done that generation shift.
Of course there's a couple of the old guys still with Vista Go
and, and Ericsson will return eventually, Smigel, York,
Anderson and so on. But there's a lot of of
interesting new players and, and they seem to have good
mentality. They're playing for the clubs
and yeah, they, they are really pushing for, for this team to,
to, to be rejuvenated a bit and get more youthly optimism and,
and dedication into the team passion.
You can see it means a lot for them to, to play on the national
team. And, and, and I think also the
fans are excited about this and can see that, hey, it's not,
it's not the same old Danish team anymore.
I mean, also Dog, who of course from Man United, only 20 years
old. So yeah, you have that spirit
you can only get when you have a lot of these young guys who are
just eager to prove themselves and show what they can do and
everything. I was going to mention Rasmus,
Rasmus Hoyland, I can't denounce his name properly, so I do
apologise. He's he's moved to Napoli
tonight as far as I can see. Yeah, he's moved tonight.
And I've got a confirmation for you there as somebody who's been
watching a lot of Napoli games, because obviously we've got
Scott Mctominy and Billy Gilmore there.
Do you think that's a good link up something that could work for
Napoli going forward? Hoyland and like Tommy together,
they did obviously have a little bit of time in Man United, but
and Antonio country team. Would that be something that
could be beneficial for Napoli going forward?
I think it's I think it's a great move, but to be fair, I
also think that any club that is not Man United would have been a
good move for him. But the But I think Napoli is a
really good move. Obviously it's a city that just
lives for the football. And also in Denmark, we have
seen how MC Terminate has just taken a one.
And I mean, I think he was nominated for belong there or
even. So hopefully, hopefully Holland
can do some of the same. I think it has really been
difficult for him to play at United.
And they haven't developed him as they should and they haven't
treated him as they should. They haven't.
They haven't played him in a way that enhances his talent and
skills. So I think this new wave of
fresh air and especially Napoli that yeah, I think you can see
on Max Harmony how much he enjoys living there.
I think it is really good for him.
And obviously Hoyland has already played and lived in
Italy, so that whole integration to a new team should be easier
for him. And yeah, I'm, I'm excited also
with, of course, with Lukaku being injured, that means that
the road to to playing time is not as as long as as it could
have been elsewhere. And yeah, he's still very, very
young guy. He just needs some playing time
and he needs a coach who trusts him and an environment that
isn't dragging him down, pulling him down and tearing him apart
after every single match. I mean, he's young, he's wrong.
He needs to be able to make a few mistakes here and there, but
he's also very, very talented and and yeah, I think this will
be a good move for him. Why do you think?
Manchester Sorry, James, I'll just come in there.
Why do you think it's not one time in Manchester United for
him? I think, I think if, if we are,
if I'm honest, a part of it was that it was too big a step for
him because I mean, he really only had six months of playing
regularly for Azalanza before he moved.
We, we have to remember how much of A comedic rice he was on.
I mean, he played the I think a year he played in Austria after
Copenhagen, thought he wasn't good enough so they sold him to
Austria. So then he played a year in
Atlanta and suddenly he was at Man United for what was it
60,000,000 lbs or something they bought him for?
So I think everything just went too fast for him and, and, and
the challenge was too big. But I also think he did pretty
well in his first season. I think he had ten goals in the
league. And I mean he scored in the
Champions League the year after. But yeah, it seemed like it was
too chaotic a situation and too fast, but also coming into a
team that was just, it was not working and they were throwing
players in and out and, yeah, firing head coaches and
everything. It was, yeah, it was not.
I, I get you don't say no to Man United and that big paycheck.
But I think if he was, if he was looking back, he would probably
have picked any other club that them because that was too
dysfunctional for for a young guy who who was still very raw
at the time and and needed trust and patience and yeah, a little
bit of calmness, I think. And obviously none of none of
those things is what you get at Man United at the time.
No, I mean, as a as a Scotland fan, I think I could say I'm
pleased. I mean, it's good for the move
to Denapolis come about. But knowing that we had Denmark
and our group and your main striker was sort of misfiring
the Man United, that was something that maybe was a bit
more of a positive for us. So if Napoli is going to do a
job on him as to what they've done to make comedy in terms of
turning his form around, obviously my Tommy has been
someone that the Scotland fans have long appreciated.
But like you said at Man United, it can be a bit of a hard job
there when things aren't going your way, which have not been
there for a while. But yeah, I mean, in terms of
the Denmark score as a whole, obviously touched on one of the
youngsters you've got. It was a Victor Throat at Porto.
Now looking at the balance of the squads, I just jot it down
some stats. It was going 25 players in the
squad, 17 of them have over 10 caps.
Meanwhile in the Danish squad, only 12 of their 23 have over 10
caps. And then the average age in
Scotland's closest to 27, meanwhile in the Danish squad is
25. And I know these are just
numbers, but and like you said, there's some benefits you get to
having younger guys in your squad.
Guys would be less experienced, come with that sort of flair and
sort of lack of fear for making mistakes.
I think Ben Doakes on all Scotland fans would point to
straight away with that. He's only got 6 caps but he's
he's really one of our best players and one of the first
names they want to see on the team sheet.
Now do you feel like this not sitting there in transition, but
like do you feel it is slightly less experienced than before?
And you know, is that a good thing for you right now?
Yeah, I think you are. You are pretty spot on.
It is a very, very inexperienced team we have here.
As I said, that there's a lot of young guys.
I also think once the qualification is over and we
look back at all this, all the six matches we played and
hopefully with with the mark at the World Cup, I think we would
also see that there are a lot more familiar names because I
mean, normally, for example, Katianargo from Arsenal would be
in the squad, Matthew Jensen from Brentford would be in the
squad. We have Jonas win and just
Paulson up front who would also most likely be in the squad.
So. Just rattled off with three of
the names there that I've got an injury list of guys, especially
Nora Garden Paulson. Names are recognized.
I've known, you know, they've been about for a good few years,
have done well and they're not involved.
So yeah. Exactly.
But but I think they will be eventually once the once we get
going here. I mean, we had a lot of players
who who have struggled a little bit with injuries.
Some of them have been switching teams and the yeah, but but I
think once the obviously Christian Erickson as well, once
the qualification is over, there will be more of these usual
suspects who's been involved with the team and have gotten a
few more games. I mean, also Alexander Barr on
the on the right back has been playing quite well for Benfica,
but is is out injured at the moment.
So he's another guy who will who will be involved in in one way
or another at least. Just looking ahead to Friday's
game, what would you see as your main, main strengths and
weaknesses as a as a team, as a standard of living?
So if you were to pay out the standard of living that you
think you're going to pay, do you, what would be your main
strength, Denmark's main strength?
Would it be something like say, PCs?
Would it be counter attacks? And, and again, what would you
think the main weaknesses be for a Denmark team going to play a
team like Scotland? I think that the the weakness, I
think we all already just said it basically, but that is
definitely the lack of experience and the the amount of
players who are not fully integrated into the team.
We we are probably missing a few of those relations.
You can only get between the players by having them play
together for a very long time. So, so there's definitely
there's definitely some risk there.
And that's also why a lot of fans are calling for Smigel to
be to be replaced in in goal with Miss Hamilton from West
Ham. But I think.
Especially now when we have so many new players, it is an
advantage that we have him and he's been part of the national
team for forever and he knows he sets the standards, he's loud,
he is commanding, he he, he, he can be a leader on the team.
But the yeah, definitely inexperience is, is a big risk.
When we look at the at the strength I was, I think
generally the technical level on the team is really, really high.
Of course, Denmark are sort of after playing three with the
three centre backs for a long time we we are have been playing
a lot in a 433 or 4231, whatever we call it since switching head
coach. And I think this this gives us
more control over the matches now when we have these extra
midfielders and can play a little bit more offensive mind.
And of course, we still have very, very attacking full backs,
but we also have more control on the middle of the pitch.
And, and I think the the technical level generally on the
team from from Andreas Castenson in the central defense up to our
strikers means that we can get the opponents to run a lot, to
chase the ball a lot and hopefully also get to take a a
few breaks here and there with the ball and then pick our time
to to play fast and direct to create the chances.
So, but overall, yeah, it's it is a really good team and of
course the core remains intact. We still have Smike and we still
have Andres questions in your commanders and we still have
hobby and dumps go on the midfield.
So it's not like we are building a completely new team either.
I mean, there's, you have the backbone and, and the, the guys
who've been on the team for a very long time and who knows the
standards and who knows what it takes to to qualify and and
compete at the very highest level.
So I'm no earlier in the conversation you you know, it's
about the departure of your last manager sort of been a case of
run his time. Brian Reamer been the new
manager that came in as Brian. I'm not pronouncing that right
and Scott when we say Brian, but I'm aware.
Yeah, yeah. He obviously came in last
October. Realistically it's almost a year
ago, but he's only had the November, the March and the June
camps with the team. So this is 4th me up with the
team. Are you starting to, do you feel
like you've seen an improvement under him?
Has it been a big change or is it still a work in progress in
your opinion? I think it was a big
improvement. I was, I'm not only me, but I
think everybody was getting a bit tired of of human.
In the end there was a lot of talk and not really any backing
it up on the pitch. So it was definitely needed that
we got a new coach in. And yeah, there were not a lot
of candidates. They were pretty insisted on
they they wanted a Danish coach. There were not a lot of options
out there. But they're luckily Witmer was
fired back in in Anderlecht in Belgium and became the coach
very soon after. And yeah, he's done good so far.
But, but I think also, yeah, I know I spoke about Nations
League being meaningful here, but at the same time, it's not
the qualification and it's not, it's not the World Cup either.
So he has been playing a little bit for house money now.
It's it's like it's serious now. There's this is like the first
exam and and yeah, as we said, there's not many matches.
So we need to get off to a good start and it'll be interesting.
I think he's done well in the in the first matches here.
He he has gotten some excitement back in the country.
He has gotten the support be Portugal.
He has found his starting line up and the formation, the way he
wants to play. You can see that we have a good
foundation. But but yeah, he he's still a
relatively unknown guy. I mean, he had he had a year and
a half as head coach for under Lake, but that's it.
Other than that, he's been an assistant at Brentford and
Copenhagen. He's been a youth coach.
So he is a pretty unknown guy in Denmark actually.
I mean, did this this match disappointment as as head coach
here in Denmark was the first time we really got to know him
because he went from Copenhagen's under 19 to
assistant for Thomas Frank and Brentford and then down to
Underlake to become head coach there.
So yeah, we don't really have that much of a relationship
unless you are Copenhagen very hardcore fan that has watched
him youth football. We don't really know who he is.
We haven't gotten to know him. We haven't gotten to see his
teams, to see his identity, anything like that because of
course nobody watches Belgium football here.
So yeah, we are really also as a country just getting to know
him. So far I've been very good and
he's come off nicely. He's come off as likable and
said and done all the right things.
But yeah, he is still, he is still a, a new guy and, and new
in this position even though it's been a year, which is it's
a bit crazy to say, but but that is how it how it feels.
Do you think he's doing a good job altogether then?
Because if he's been for a year and he's done relatively OK in
the nation League and he's done no, you can done a good job in
the in the in the March game as well will be a defeat.
Do you think he's done a relatively good job in a short
space of time? Yes, I, I don't think he could
have done anything else than than what he has done.
I, I mean, I don't think we could have asked more from him.
He has done he, he has rejuvenated the team.
He has integrated only young players people want to see.
He's been playing more entertaining football.
He's beat Portugal. So yeah, he, he, he has
definitely done a good job. He's off to a good start.
And yeah, he just needs to to build on this foundation that he
spent a year laying now. And if he if he if he qualifies
for the World Cup, then yeah, he will.
He will definitely have had made a good name for himself.
So I mean, obviously looking looking forward to Friday now.
Big game. I think for it's actually funny
given the last World Cup campaign also started with you
guys hosting us in Copenhagen. I think that was obviously that
was September as well. So pretty much what was that,
2021? So four years on from that game,
a lot's changed since then. For me, I feel like Scotland has
become a better team. A lot of the guys I've heard
people mention that sort of maybe a few of the guys are
going over the hill now. But for me there's the guys like
John McGann, Ryan Christy, a few others that and Scott and Tom
and obviously as well, really hitting their peaks right now,
you know, playing some really good football domestically,
Scott and Tom and everyone knows what he's doing at that play.
You maybe know less about Ryan Christy.
I'm not sure how much you look into Bournemouth, but guys like
him and Megan, I've been playing really well for their clubs.
How do you view this Scotland team?
And I mean, obviously for us it's a tough fixture coming into
the first game, going away to the top seeds of the group,
playing away from home couldn't really ask for much tougher.
What's your perception on this? You know that the team is going
to visit and you on Friday night.
As I said, I think for me this team is is a lot more scary than
the Greek team. Of course, there's a lot of
players that we are not super familiar with, but there's also
a lot of players here that that have big names.
I mean, you mentioned Mcchamlin and Begin Billy Gilmore on the
midfield. Also, I think Ben Doug looked
quite interesting the few matches I've seen him.
If you remember, remember Scott McKenna from when he was at
Copenhagen. Karen Tierney have been good.
Of course, Robertson and and and Hickey, anything Brentford
related. People in Denmark love not so
much anymore. And now Frank has left.
But before that. So yeah, there's a lot of
familiar guys. And also just looking down the
team, it's it's a lot of big clubs and, and a lot of
recognizable clubs and, and, and players.
So I think this looks like a team that that one of the teams
that I didn't want to, to draw from that, from that pot.
So that's a bit annoying. But at the same time, I, as I
said, I always love these matches against Scottish
opponents because it's so much fun with with the travelling
fans and the atmosphere and everything.
It it, it, it really just feels like, like football.
And so I think this one will be this will be a good match as
well. And and yeah, should be a lot of
fun for everybody. I was going to say what would
the obviously Scotland fans got along, I think with anybody.
I think we're quite, you know, where we're set to received
everywhere, you know, look at the scenes in Germany or last
year alone. How much he's looking forward to
hosting Battalion Army. I think we've got about 1500 I
think in the away end, but I'm guessing there'll be more.
There's always more of a Battalion Army.
Yeah, I mean it. My work is actually quite close
to to Paran Stadium, so whenever I leave on a match day and and I
will see a lot of away fans. So I remember, I think it was
last year when was Hibernians who played against Copenhagen in
the. Yeah, Hearts.
Were playing it was hard. Yeah, exactly.
And I was I was seeing all of these fans and speaking with
some of them wishing them good luck for the match and
everything. So yeah, that was that was so
much fun. And and now for for this match
as well would be as I imagine it's almost sold out.
So Scottish fans generally have really, really good reputation
among everybody because they also know that there's not
really any problems with them. There's just a lot of happy fans
coming, spreading, really good atmosphere, being super funny,
entertaining. And yeah, it's a lot of fun to
to host that. And, and I'm sure I will, I will
meet a lot of Scottish fans as well when I'm, when I'm going
from, from work on Friday to before the match.
Yeah, I mean, I think the numbers will be there for sure.
It's I think 1700 tickets we were given in the allocation,
like Aaron says. But I think I know plenty of
other fans who didn't manage to get a ticket in that allocation
and have still managed to secure a ticket for elsewhere in the
stadium. So I think if you're looking
around the ground on Friday night, they'll definitely be
soil, tyres dotted everywhere. But yeah, massive game.
I think it's a very exciting time.
Obviously starting a campaign. I'm, I'm actually travelling to
Copenhagen myself, so I'm really looking forward to it.
It's a beautiful city. One thing I'll mention is the
price of pints is outrageous. So that's, that's the only
negative I could really highlight about a trip to a trip
to Denmark. But I think this has been a
really worthwhile session. I'm glad we got you on Tokyo.
It's been a very enlightening conversation.
I hope everyone that listens thinking the same.
I don't know where it's quite put us on in terms of thinking.
I was, I got a wee bit of a conference back.
Obviously Scotland's form hasn't been the best over 2025 losing
to Iceland and that friendly, although it's just a friendly,
was very disappointing. And then the nature of the way
the playoff went against Greece was also very disappointing.
But yeah, I got, I got, I felt when the confidence come back
when I saw the score get released for our for our camp
last week. And a few of the big names were
returning from injury and guys like Ben Doak who make us really
exciting to watch. But I can't really tell if this
conversation is added to my anxiety or is sorry.
You know, Denmark, they are one of the best sites in Europe.
And I think we go over there knowing that no matter what.
Yeah, I think I think it's for me it's a game that we cannot
put that there's different ways of looking at it because you
think it's, you know, the Pop one team and there's no pressure
on us. So nobody's expecting us, I
think to win. But I'm confident that we can go
there and try, you know, make it hard for them and you know, we
will we will try and make it a hard timing.
We are people forget how good our competitive record actually
isn't during the qualifying campaign.
If people, you know, we only lost once in the last qualifying
campaign against Spain away, which, you know, if anybody was
looking at that thinking, you know, we are no way we could
have dropped points. I think we know we've got the,
we dropped the points at the only place that I think was
possible for us to, you know, to and expect us to drop points.
We almost, we almost got, I mean, Tommy Gabin, that goal
that got chopped off. I know I'm going crazy and
Seville that night, but yes, yeah.
I think, I think in general, our qualifying campaigns have been
quite good. I mean, looked at the last World
Cup kind of clown family lost in Copenhagen.
So that's a good sign that we only need to, if we only lose 1
game, you can then get into the the 2nd place.
So listen, I think people need to be a bit more positive in
this, in this country. I've said this about loads of
things before in private and I've said it on here before.
I think we need to be a little bit more positive as a nation
because I think we've got a great squad of players, maybe
not exceptional squad of players, but that midfield
alone, if we said it last week, how good at midfield that was.
So listen, confident we can get something.
Let's try and get a better hope back in the country again and
hopefully we can at least get a point and move on and go to a
difficult game after that against Belarus away where you
know, we know anything can happen really in a closed door
game. Yeah.
I'd also say that, I mean, if if you're thinking about the Danish
team that the Danish team we have right now is, is definitely
not at the same level that of the team that went to the Euro
semi final. I mean, it's it is not as good
A-Team anymore. So I would say it's it's not the
worst time to to face Denmark and it's probably a pretty good
thing to to start with playing against us away.
You've given us all hope. That's an absolute excellent
point to end the conversation on.
So yeah, giving us that little bit of hope before we go into
massive game on Friday. So yeah, if anyone was tuned in
to watch that, it'll be on the BBC eight quarter I'm sure.
It's good to have the back on, not behind a paywall anymore.
It's always nice going into work and here and everyone has been
able to tune in, watch the national team.
Hopefully it's a good game. I'll just say one last time,
thank you so much for coming on talk.
It's been a really good, we've almost been talking for an hour
there. It's been a great conversation
and you've there's been a lot of value in that for us.
So thanks very much. Thank you so much for having me,
it was a great pleasure and I hope anybody from Scotland who
travels to the game and, and you, James especially of course,
has a a great time in Denmark, even though our pints are
expensive. I hope you will enjoy it and
Copenhagen shows itself for from its best side.
The weather should be amazing. And yeah, I hope you have a lot
of fun. Scotland.