Denmark coach Age Hareide identifies Australia’s biggest strengths
DENMARK’S coach Age Hareide says Australia under Bert van Marwijk has taken the Socceroos to another level.
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AUSTRALIA has improved in every game under new coach Bert van Marwijk, according to his Denmark counterpart Age Hareide, who has predicted the clash against the Socceroos on Thursday will be “ very, very tight match’’.
Hareide knows Australia will be fighting for its World Cup life in Samara and expects an intense battle.
“They look solid as a team and the Australians always work hard,’’ he said. “They fight with their heart and they are brave.’’
The veteran manager said Australia had been “unlucky’’ against France, making mention of the narrow margin by which the ball crossed the line for Aziz Behich’s own goal, but wouldn’t say if he had been surprised by the quality of the Socceroo performance.
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But he did say the team had been on an upswing since appointing van Marwijk to replace Ange Postecoglou who guided the team through its stuttering qualification process.
“I think Australia has been looking better day by day after van Marwijk came in,’’ he said.
“He is a good coach and experienced coach. I think seeing Australia from the first game he had up till now there has been a progress in everything.’’
Hareide, who has been in charge of Denmark since 2015, wouldn’t identify whom he regarded as the Socceroos’ biggest threat, preferring to focus on the team unit.
“I think the team is the danger man,’’ he said. “The way they play they can, if we lose the ball, they can hurt us on counter attacks.
“I think the solidness of the team is the strength of the team.’’
Denmark is expected to select almost the same team as the one that started its 1-0 win over Peru in Saransk last Saturday. Lasse Schone, who replaced William Kvist after he punctured a lung and had two ribs broken after being whacked by Peru’s Jefferson Farfan, is expected to retain his place alongside Thomas Delaney at the heart of the Danish midfield.
The Danes are feeling confident, unbeaten in 16 games and without a goal scored against them in the last five, and appeared relaxed and in good spirits while training in the Anapa sun.
The team’s talisman and best player Christian Eriksen said he would welcome any extra attention he received from Australia. Keeping the Tottenham midfielder under control will be pivotal to Australia’s chances of toppling the Danes.
“I hope so,’’ he said when asked if he expected to be targeted by the Socceroos.
But he said he expected the Australians to be fierce opponents after the first-game loss to France.
“They come from behind now of course,’’ he said. “They are three points down really and they need to get back in the group and they need to win. We saw the game against France and they played really well.’’
Eriksen said the Socceroos played a similar style to his own team and noted the Dutch influence on the team as well.
“They are a very structured team, they are very good on set pieces of course, they have a bit of extra physique, but again on the ball they want to play, they try to play forward.
“They have a Dutch coach, so they probably want to play some Dutch football.’’
Originally published as Denmark coach Age Hareide identifies Australia’s biggest strengths