Northern Ireland v Norway

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Official Digital Matchday programme of Northern Ireland v Norway, Monday 7th September at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park.

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME £4 NORTHERN IRELAND

v NORWAY

# GAWA UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE LEAGUE B GROUP 1 NATIONAL FOOTBALL STADIUM AT WINDSOR PARK 07.09.20 19:45

CONTENTS

TEAMS

PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

IAN BARACLOUGH

PATRICK NELSON

NORTHERN IRELAND SQUAD

STEVEN DAVIS INTERVIEW

DID YOU KNOW?

THE OPPONENTS - NORWAY

STUART DALLAS INTERVIEW

INTERNATIONAL RECORD

Official Publication by Irish Football Association National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, Donegall Avenue, Belfast, BT12 6LW Head of Communications Danny Lynch Editor Nigel Tilson Design and Print Minprint Ltd, 401 Castlereagh Road, Belfast, Co Down, BT5 6QP Tel: 028 9070 5205 www.minprint.co.uk

Irish Football Association President David Martin Deputy Presidents Jack Grundie and Crawford Wilson Chief Executive Patrick Nelson Advertising Irish Football Association Pictures Press Eye

Please note that the views in this programme do not necessarily reflect those of the Irish Football Association.

Michael Smith celebrates his goal against Germany in a Euro 2020 qualifier in Frankfurt last autumn

NORTHERN IRELAND

NORWAY

Ian Baraclough Manager

Lars Lagerback Manager

Michael McGovern Norwich City Bailey Peacock-Farrell Burnley Trevor Carson Motherwell Jonathan Evans Leicester City Craig Cathcart Watford Stuart Dallas Leeds United Shane Ferguson Millwall Conor McLaughlin Sunderland Jamal Lewis Norwich City Michael Smith Heart of Midlothian Daniel Ballard Arsenal Steven Davis Rangers (captain) Niall McGinn Aberdeen Corry Evans Blackburn Rovers Patrick McNair Middlesbrough George Saville Middlesbrough Jordan Thompson Stoke City Matthew Kennedy Aberdeen Joel Cooper Oxford United Kyle Lafferty Reggina Josh Magennis Hull City Conor Washington Charlton Athletic Liam Boyce Heart of Midlothian Shayne Lavery Linfield Gavin Whyte Cardiff City Jordan Jones Rangers

Rune Jarstein (GK) Hertha Berlin Orjan Nyland (GK) Aston Villa Sondre Rossbach (GK) Odd Kristoffer Ajer Celtic Haitam Aleesami Unattached Omar Elabdellaoui Galatasaray Ruben Gabrielsen Toulouse Even Hovland Rosenborg Martin Linnes Galatasaray Birger Meling Nimes Tore Reginiussen Rosenborg Jonas Svensson AZ Alkmaar Patrick Berg Bodo/Glimt Sander Berge Sheffield United Iver Fossum AaB (Aalborg) Markus Henriksen Unattached Stefan Johansen Fulham (captain) Fredrik Midtsjo AZ Alkmaar Mathias Normann Rostov Morten Thorsby Sampdoria Martin Odegaard Real Madrid Mohamed Elyounoussi Celtic * Erling Braut Haaland Borussia Dortmund Joshua King Bournemouth Alexander Sorloth Trabzonspor **

* on loan from Southampton ** on loan from Crystal Palace

Green and White

Red and White

Referee Assistant Referee 1 Assistant Referee 2 Fourth Official Observer MATCH OFFICIALS

Bartosz Frankowski POL Marcin Boniek POL Jakub Winkler POL Krzysztof Jakubik POL Drago Kos SVN

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PRESIDENT’S WELCOME

On behalf of the Irish Football Association it gives me great pleasure to welcome the players and officials of Norway to the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park in Belfast for this evening’s UEFA Nations League match.

The world has experienced significant change due to Covid-19 since our last series of international games in the autumn of 2019. Our lives have been adapting to changes to our routines and general habits, with everything being dictated by the health crisis. I take this opportunity to pay tribute, on behalf of all at the Irish Football Association, to every health professional at all levels of the NHS for their selfless commitment to the country throughout the past six months. Sport generally, and football in particular, has been working hard in its efforts to bring some normality back. FIFA and UEFA, together with the National Associations, have been providing the lead. Playing in an empty stadium, as we are doing tonight, is strange and everyone at the association looks forward to supporters being permitted back some time soon. I am sure many of our supporters will not only be watching the game on television but availing of the opportunity to peruse this souvenir match programme issued online. Ian Baraclough’s first game as National A Team Manager was in Bucharest on Friday and the team returned home from Romania with a deserved point from a 1-1 draw. The newmanager will no doubt be aiming to build on that result in his first home game in charge.

Tonight’s visitors Norway will be looking to get their League B Group 1 Nations League campaign up and running following their 2-1 home reverse to Austria, a game that was also played last Friday. We have played Norway nine times over the past 50 years with two wins each in competitive fixtures, while five friendlies were all won by Norway. Our most recent encounters were in the qualification stages for FIFA World Cup 2018 when each of us won our respective home games. It will, of course, be a special night for team captain Steven Davis as he earns his record-equalling 119th cap for Northern Ireland and draws level with Pat Jennings, who set the record during the 1986 FIFA World Cup final tournament in Mexico. The next scheduled game for Northern Ireland is, of course, the much awaited UEFA Euro 2020 play-off semi-final against Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia next month, and I am sure the country is looking forward to it with great hopes for a final tie in November here in Belfast. Meanwhile, I hope both teams will provide us all with an exciting Nations League game tonight and that everyone tuning in will enjoy the occasion. David J Martin President Irish Football Association

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MANAGER’S VIEW

I will walk out on to the pitch at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park tonight with a spring in my step and a head full of dreams.

I am delighted to be the new manager of the Northern Ireland senior men’s team and I can’t wait to experience my first home game at the helm. The draw against Romania in Bucharest on Friday cemented what I already knew: that I have inherited a group of players who give their all for Northern Ireland. I thought each and every member of the team put in an incredible shift and that we deserved to come away with a point. To play like we did for nearly 60 minutes following Josh Magennis’s dismissal proved to me that the players’ fighting spirit and desire to do well are as strong as ever. And incidentally I felt the red card was harsh. Back to tonight and my first home game in charge of the team. Naturally, I would prefer to be striding out in front of more than 18,000 fans, however this terrible pandemic that we are all living through has scuppered that. It is not ideal to be playing behind closed doors, however it’s something we have to live with just now and adapt our way of life accordingly. It’s a massive honour to have been given the opportunity to manage the team and it’s a role which I will relish. And I promise to put my heart and soul into it. I would like to thank the association for putting their faith in me. I would also like to thank Michael O’Neill for his help during my time as Northern Ireland U21 manager. We worked closely together and I learned a lot from him. Naturally, I am hoping to continue his good work with the team. I am fortunate to have inherited a group of players who are very close-knit – there is a great togetherness in the squad – and who are led by good senior pros who lead by example.

While I have added a few new faces to the backroom staff - Damien Johnson and Gary Wallace - I am pleased several long-standing members of the backroom team are still onboard. I’ve had the pleasure of being part of the backroom set-up on several occasions and I know the players, like myself, really appreciate all the hard work that goes on behind the scenes to help us prepare for international matches. I think we, as a group, can build on the work of the previous manager and try to achieve our goals – wins in the UEFA Nations League, Euro 2020 qualification and, further down the line, qualification to a World Cup finals. Norway will be tough opponents. They will be aiming to bounce back after losing their Nations League opener - against Austria at home on Friday - and will be hungry for success. In their squad they have exciting young players who catch the eye as well as several experienced internationals. My team will have to be fully focused to get a result against Lars Lagerback’s side, however the players have recovered well following their exertions in Bucharest and are ready to go again. We have prepared well for this encounter and I am confident we will give a good account of ourselves. Finally, I would like to applaud our captain Steven Davis. Tonight he will equal the legendary Pat Jennings’ Northern Ireland caps record of 119. He is a great captain and fully deserves the plaudits that will be coming his way. He is a humble guy who leads by example. I hope he goes on to break the record next month and wins many more caps for his country. Ian Baraclough Northern Ireland Manager

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GOOD EVENING

Normally I would open by saying good evening and welcome to the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park for this evening’s UEFA Nations League match against Norway, but as neither you (the reader) or I (the writer) will be there on the night it’s not quite the same is it?

A new season, a new edition of the UEFA Nations League, a new managerial era as Ian Baraclough takes the reins at home for the first time, and it will all be different. The coronavirus pandemic has changed all of our lives this year, and in order to manage community transmission of the disease we are all playing our part. Hopefully we can take some small steps back to reality/ normality soon, as we did for the Sadler’s Peaky Blinder Irish Cup Final on 31 July (congratulations to the Glens, by the way), and we will work with both our own Northern Ireland Executive colleagues and UEFA to see if we might be able to click a few turnstiles for next month’s game. I’m sure after Gavin Whyte’s late header in Bucharest on Friday night our squad flew back to Belfast in the early hours of Saturday in an upbeat mood. Despite being up against it for much of the game (is anyone still hearing that referee’s whistle from the first half? - I am!) we did what we always do… we fought to the end and we came back with our first ever point in the UEFA Nations League. Those were great substitutions from Ian to bring on Kyle and Gavin who combined for the goal and what a night for both Bailey Peacock-Farrell in goal and Daniel Ballard, who made his senior debut.

Norway tonight will be a different challenge - they will be disappointed to have lost at home to Austria on Friday and will be determined to do better. For us, however, the game has several values. It is an important match in the UEFA Nations League itself, it will give our players, who are mostly in pre-season, valuable competitive minutes and, of course, it gives us another opportunity to put plans into practice on the field before next month’s vital UEFA Euro 2020 (which is what the competition will still be called despite it being held in 2021 now) play-off semi-final against Bosnia and Herzegovina. Enjoy the match tonight wherever you get to see or hear it. Let’s hope for another good performance - and a good result to keep up the momentum!

Patrick Nelson Chief Executive Irish Football Association

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ROMANIA 1 PUSCAS 25' NORTHERN IRELAND 1 WHYTE 86'

UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE LEAGUE B GROUP 1 04.09.2020 Arena Națională Bucharest

STATS

POSSESSION %

SHOTS

SHOTS ON TARGET

CORNERS

FOULS

TEAMS

12 Tatarusanu 4 Hanca 6 Chiriches 3 Tosca 11 Bancu 23 Stanciu 22 Cicaldau 14 Hagi 10 Maxim 7 Alibec 9 Puscas

1 Peacock-Farrell 14 Dallas 4 Ballard 20 Cathcart 3 Lewis 21 Magennis 13 Evans 8 Davis 6 Saville 17 McNair 16 Washington

Substitutes

1 Nita 2 Cretu 5 Nedelcearu 8 Nistor 13 Stefan 15 Andonie Burca

2 Smith 5 McLaughlin 7 McGinn 9 Boyce 10 Lafferty 11 Ferguson 12 McGovern 15 Thompson 18 Whyte

16 Lazar 17 Deac 18 Coman 19 Iancu 20 Bus 21 Grigore

19 Cooper 22 Lavery 23 Carson

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EXCLUSIVE RETAIL PARTNER

NORTHERN IRELAND SQUAD

MICHAEL McGOVERN GOALKEEPER

JONATHAN EVANS DEFENDER

TREVOR CARSON GOALKEEPER

BAILEY PEACOCK-FARRELL GOALKEEPER

Club

Norwich City

Burnley

Motherwell

Leicester City

Age Caps Goals 36 31 0

Age Caps Goals

Age Caps Goals 32 5 0

Age Caps Goals 32 84 4

23 14

SHANE FERGUSON DEFENDER

CRAIG CATHCART DEFENDER

STUART DALLAS DEFENDER

CONOR McLAUGHLIN DEFENDER

Club

Watford

Leeds United

Millwall

Sunderland

Age Caps Goals 31 50 2

Age Caps Goals 29 44 3

Age Caps Goals 29 42 1

Age Caps Goals 29 38 1

JAMAL LEWIS DEFENDER

MICHAEL SMITH DEFENDER

DANIEL BALLARD DEFENDER

STEVEN DAVIS MIDFIELDER

Club

Norwich City

Heart of Midlothian

Arsenal

Rangers

Age Caps Goals 22 12 0

Age Caps Goals 31 9 1

Age Caps Goals 20 0 0

Age Caps Goals 35 117 12

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GEORGE SAVILLE MIDFIELDER

NIALL McGINN MIDFIELDER

CORRY EVANS MIDFIELDER

PATRICK McNAIR MIDFIELDER

Club

Middlesbrough

Aberdeen

Blackburn Rovers

Middlesbrough

Age Caps Goals

Age Caps Goals 33 60 4

Age Caps Goals 30 59 2

Age Caps Goals 25 34 3

21 0

GAVIN WHYTE MIDFIELDER

JORDAN JONES MIDFIELDER

JORDAN THOMPSON MIDFIELDER

MATTHEW KENNEDY MIDFIELDER

JOEL COOPER MIDFIELDER

Club

Cardiff City

Rangers

Stoke City

Aberdeen

Oxford United

Age Caps Goals 24 9 1

Age Caps Goals 25 9 0

Age Caps Goals 26 7 0

Age Caps Goals 25 0 0

Age Caps Goals 24 0 0

KYLE LAFFERTY FORWARD

JOSH MAGENNIS FORWARD

CONOR WASHINGTON

LIAM BOYCE FORWARD

SHAYNE LAVERY FORWARD

FORWARD

Club

Linfield Club

Charlton Athletic

Heart of Midlothian Age Caps Goals 29 21 1

Reggina

Hull City

Age Caps Goals 32 75 20

Age Caps Goals 30 50 7

Age Caps Goals

4 0

28 21 4

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Words Darren Fullerton Daily Mirror

ON THE CUSP OF MAKING HISTORY

Steven Davis entered pinch me territory with Northern Ireland a long time ago. Growing up in the sleepy village of Cullybackey outside Ballymena, the Rangers midfielder couldn’t have predicted the trajectory of his football journey.

“It wasn’t a great result against Canada but it was really special to make my debut, even though the result didn’t go our way,” he said. “From that moment on, I loved going away with the team and playing for Northern Ireland.” Fast forward 15 years and Davis is set to equal legendary goalkeeper Pat Jennings’ 119 caps record in tonight’s Uefa Nations League clash with Norway in Belfast.

In fact Davis, who stands on the brink of setting a new caps record for his country, emits a wry chuckle at the remarkable route map of his international career. “It’s a bit surreal to be honest - it’s hard to put into words,” he said. In case we forget the 35-year-old made his debut in a humbling 1-0 friendly defeat to 10-man Canada at Windsor Park in 2005. Lawrie Sanchez was manager and Davis’ teammates that night included Tony Capaldi, Tommy Doherty and Jeff Whitley.

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STEVEN DAVIS

He is also in a position to reflect on captaining Northern Ireland at Euro 2016 - the country’s first march on a major tournament in 30 years. Only four Northern Ireland players have skippered their country at major finals: Danny Blanchflower, Martin O’Neill, Sammy McIlroy and Davis. Elite company and a midfield four to grace any era. So, if someone had told him after his first cap in 2005 that he’d go on to achieve what he has with the national team, would he have believed them? “Certainly not after that Canada game,” he smiled. “It’s been an incredible rollercoaster ride, but hopefully there are still some more chapters to go in that story. “I’ve enjoyed some real highs with Northern Ireland over the past 15 years, but also some difficult moments when we had some big results but struggled for consistency. “Thankfully over the last number of years we have managed to do that and put ourselves in positions to qualify for major tournaments, the pinnacle being Euro 2016.” On potentially eclipsing the legendary Jennings’ haul of 119 caps in the weeks ahead, Davis said: “It is something I never imagined I’d achieve. “From winning my first cap I've always spoken of my pride at playing for Northern Ireland and I think I’ve shown that in my dedication over the years. “Pat is an absolute legend, not only for what he did with Northern Ireland but also football in general, so it would be an incredible personal achievement.” Jennings played at two major finals - the 1982 and 1986 FIFA World Cups - and Davis is keen to add a second tournament to his own CV. Ian Baraclough’s men face Bosnia and Herzegovina in a UEFA Euro 2020 play-off semi-final on 8 October with a potential final looming in November. “It’s a massive carrot for us and Bosnia is a great game to look forward to,” he said. “We know they are a very strong side and it’s going to be difficult, but we also believe we can go there and get a result to take us through to the play-off final. “That’s why the two Nations League games this month are vitally important for the play-off match in Bosnia in terms of preparation and reiterating what makes us a good team.”

Position Midfielder Date Of Birth 01.01.1985 Place Of Birth Ballymena

MIDFIELDER

Height 173cm Weight 72kg

CLUB RECORD

SQUAD NO

CLUBS Aston Villa

91 22 12

Fulham

Rangers (loan)

Rangers

140 193

Southampton Rangers (loan)

15 28

Rangers

INTERNATIONAL RECORD

SQUAD NO

Debut 09.02.05 v Canada (H) Lost 0-1 Northern Ireland U15 Northern Ireland U16 Northern Ireland U17 Northern Ireland U19 Northern Ireland U21 Northern Ireland U23

Caps 117 Goals 12

8 3 8 8 3 1

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DID YOU KNOW?

Words Marshall Gillespie

A total of 11 players have scored two or more goals on their international debut for Northern Ireland. The first player to achieve this was Preston North End forward Andrew Gara who actually scored a hat-trick in a 3-0 victory over Wales in Cardiff on 22 February 1902, the only player to manage this feat to date. The last debutant who managed to score more than one goal on his first appearance for Northern Ireland was record goalscorer David Healy who hit a brace in a 3-1 victory over Luxembourg on 23 February 2000.

Tonight’s UEFA Nations League contest with Norway will be Northern Ireland’s 650th international outing since their first against England at Ballynafeigh in south Belfast on 18 February 1882. Of the 648 matches played before Friday’s meeting with Romania, Northern Ireland had won 167, drawn 148 and lost 333. A total of 301 of those matches have been played at home, 316 on away grounds and 31 at neutral venues. Ireland/Northern Ireland have scored a total of 391 goals at home in their 138-year international history - at 10 different venues. Obviously the large majority of the goals (318) have come at Windsor Park, but it may come as a surprise to some that the ground which has seen the second highest amount of international goals is Cliftonville’s home, Solitude, with 30. The venue to see the first ever Ireland/Northern Ireland ‘home’ goal was the Ulster Cricket Ground when Moyola Park’s William Morrow scored in a 1-1 draw with Wales on St Patrick’s Day 1883. The ‘home’ grounds that Ireland/ Northern Ireland have scored at are: Windsor Park (318 goals), Solitude (30), Celtic Park (10), Ulster Cricket Grounds (10), Ulsterville (7), Oldpark (6), Grosvenor Park (4), Dalymount Park, Dublin (3), The Oval (2), Ballynafeigh (1).

Norway were the first ‘foreign’ opposition that Northern Ireland ever played when they met in a friendly international in Bergen on 25 May 1922 with the home side running out 2-1 winners. Northern Ireland have only twice beaten the Norwegians, the first occasion being in a European Championship qualifier in October 1975 when goals from Sammy Morgan, Sammy McIlroy and Bryan Hamilton gave them a handsome 3-0 victory. The second, and last, time they were victorious over the Scandinavians was in March 2017 when they won 2-0 in a World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium thanks to strikes from Jamie Ward and Conor Washington. The full record against Norway is:

P W D L F A 10 2 0 8 10 21

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If Gavin Whyte manages to score in either of the Nations League games against Romania or Norway he will become the first Cardiff City player ever to find the net in a full senior international for Northern Ireland. Likewise if winger Shane Ferguson is among the goalscorers in either of Ian Baraclough’s opening two matches he will become the first ever Millwall player to score in a senior Northern Ireland match.

If Hearts defender Michael Smith managed to find the net against Romania on Friday night he would have become the first ever player to score a goal in a full international for Northern Ireland on his birthday! There have been a number of players who have been close though. Olphie Stanfield was a day past his 23rd birthday when he found the net against Wales in February 1896, while Johnny Crossan was a day shy of his 24th when he scored in a 2-0 win over Poland in November 1962. Striker Gerry Armstrong was just a day off turning 30 when he equalised against Wales in May 1984 and Jimmy Quinn scored that memorable goal against the Republic of Ireland at Windsor Park the day before celebrating his 34th birthday.

If, as expected, skipper Steven Davis equals Pat Jennings’ long standing appearance record tonight against Norway he will, along with the great man himself, be the third most capped player ever in the United Kingdom. Currently at the top of the list is former England legend Peter Shilton who made 125 international appearances from 1970 to 1990, while ex-Manchester United star Wayne Rooney lies in second spot with 120 caps for the Three Lions over a period of 15 years.

After being sidelined for the best part of a year with a knee injury Arsenal central defender Daniel Ballard is back in the Northern Ireland squad. If the 20-year-old is given his senior debut against either Romania or this evening’s opponents Norway, he will become the first player from the North London outfit to win a Northern Ireland cap since Steve Morrow played in a 3-0 friendly win against Belgium in February 1997.

The 11 players who have scored two or more goals on their international debut for Northern Ireland are as follows: Andrew Gara 3 v Wales (a) (22.02.1902) John McCandless 2 v Wales (a) (13.04.1912) Billy Gillespie 2 v England (h) (15.02.1913) Samuel Curran 2 v Wales (h) (13.02.1926) Henry Johnston 2 v Wales (a) (09.04.1927) David Martin 2 v Scotland (a) (16.09.1932) Norman Lockhart 2 v Scotland (h) (28.09.1946) Sammy Smyth 2 v Scotland (h) (04.10.1947) Peter McParland 2 v Wales (a) (31.03.1954) Trevor Anderson 2 v Cyprus (n) (08.05.1973) David Healy 2 v Luxembourg (a) (23.02.2000)

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NORDIC ADVENTURES

A handful of Northern Ireland players have plied their trade in Norway’s top flight, the Eliteserien, during their careers, with Kyle Lafferty the most high profile player to do so.

Norway’s top football division has had a host of names over the years including the Norgesserien, Hovedserien and 1. Divisjon. Two years after it was rebranded as the Tippeligaen in 1990, former Northern Ireland U21, U23 and B international defender Neil Matthews signed for then top flight side Sogndal on loan from Cardiff City. The Manchester-born player appeared in 15 of Sogndal’s 22 Tippeligaen matches during the 1992 season. The campaign would ultimately end in disappointment as they were relegated to the 1. Divisjon (now the second tier of Norwegian league football). Ballymena-born left back Neil Masters – who received a Northern Ireland call-up in 1995 for a UEFA Euro 1996 qualifier against Portugal but sadly had to withdraw due to injury – signed for Moss FK at the end of a career that had seen him turn out for Bournemouth, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Gillingham. He made 11 league appearances and scored one goal for top flight side Moss between 2001 and 2003 and later went on to manage Norwegian fourth tier outfit Rygge FK. Well-travelled striker Robin Shroot , who was capped by Northern Ireland at U19, U20 and U21 level, has found Norwegian football to be very much to his liking. After spells with the likes of AFC Wimbledon, Birmingham City and Stevenage, the Londoner joined 1. Divisjon side IL Hødd in March 2014. During the subsequent campaign he scored 16 goals in 23 matches to finish as the second highest goalscorer in the division. Shroot netted four times in 11 league matches for Sogndal before a return to IL Hødd in 2015, for whom he would score 19 times in a further 48 matches over a two-year spell.

Kyle Lafferty played in Norway’s top flight last year.

During this time he was loaned to top flight side Viking, where he made six league appearances in 2017. The following year he headed for America, signing for the former USL Championship side Nashville, before returning to Norway in 2019 to help IL Hødd to a seventh place finish in the 2. Divisjon. He has since taken up the role of manager of IL Hødd’s women’s team. Enniskillen-born forward Kyle Lafferty signed for Sarpsborg O8 in August 2019 and scored once in nine Eliteserien (as the top division in Norway has been known since 2017) appearances that campaign as the club managed to avoid relegation with a 12th place finish. Lafferty, who now plays for Italian side Reggina in Serie B, is Northern Ireland’s second leading marksman after David Healy with 20 goals in 73

appearances to date. Words Andy Greeves

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GALGORM.COM

SCOUTING REPORT Andy Greeves takes a closer look at Norway ahead of tonight’s UEFA Nations League clash in Belfast.

moves. When selected, Real Madrid’s Martin Ødegaard takes the majority of the side’s set pieces. Norway defend zonally, with their central midfielders covering the forward runs of their full-backs when required. They tend to mark man-to-man when defending set pieces but with two designated zonal players. STRENGTHS Lars Lagerbäck is blessed with a host of technically gifted, attack-minded players such as Martin Ødegaard and Erling Braut Håland who seemingly offer Norway a bright future. In September 2014 Ødegaard made his senior international debut at the age of just 15 and 300 days – making him the youngest player ever to play in a European Championship qualifier. His first international goal, against Romania last year, demonstrated his ability to run with the ball at ease and finish coolly. Håland (Haaland), meanwhile, who only celebrated his 20th birthday a few months ago, has already scored more than 60 goals and made over 100 senior club appearances for the likes of Bryne, Molde, Red Bull Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund. Celtic’s Kristoffer Ajer is a consistent performer in Norway’s defence as is Sheffield United’s Sander Berge in midfield.

LOWDOWN Like Northern Ireland, Norway made it to the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying play-offs by virtue of their performances in the 2018-19 UEFA Nations League. Lars Lagerbäck’s side finished top of Group C3 while a third place finish in Group F of the UEFA Euro 2020 qualifiers meant they missed out on the automatic route to the finals. Norway were unbeaten during the calendar year of 2019 with home and away victories over Malta, a 4-0 triumph against the Faroe Islands and draws with Sweden, Spain and Romania – all in UEFA Euro 2020 qualifying matches. Prior to this evening’s match at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park, the Scandinavians opened their 2020-21 UEFA Nations League campaign with a home fixture against Austria last Friday. TACTICS While Norway are more of a possession- based side these days compared with their famed teams of the 1990s – they qualified for two World Cup tournaments – there is still an emphasis on knocking the ball directly from deep areas to the strikers when there is the opportunity to do so. More often, though, Norway’s attacks are fashioned from wide positions, with full- backs such as Haitam Aleesami and Omar Elabdellaoui supporting the team’s forward

POSSIBLE LINE-UP GK Rune Jarstein LB Haitam Aleesami CB Tore Reginiussen CB Kristoffer Ajer RB Omar Elabdellaoui LMMartin Ødegaard CM Sander Berge CM Stefan Johansen RMMarkus Henriksen FW Joshua King FW Erling Braut Håland

Many thanks to journalist Fabian Zerche (www.spox.com/at) for his assistance in the writing of this article. Many thanks to journalist Lars Johnsen for his assistance in the writing of this article. Lars is a life-long supporter of the Norwegian national team and a writer for the magazine and website Josimar (josimarfootball.com).

Jamie Ward scored a peach against Norway back in 2017.

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HERE’S TO LIFE BEING ‘SO GOOD’ AGAIN! Halfway through the summer I had a bad dose of coronavirus blues. I was down in the dumps, utterly miserable at the thought of Norn Iron running out onto the Windsor turf behind closed doors without my noisy presence to encourage them.

I love waiting on the platform for the train to Adelaide. Being a nervous character I always have butterflies in my stomach before a game. Will the train be late? Will I miss an early goal? Early goals are special. I recall Sammy Morgan scoring in the second minute against Norway in 1975, Derek Spence scoring in the first minute against Wales in 1979, Ivan Sproule scoring in the second minute against Estonia in 2006 and Jamie Ward scoring in the second minute against Norway in 2017. I miss my feelings of anxiety about not seeing any of the early action. I love walking to the stadium. The nearby bakery fills the air with the smell of freshly baked bread as I check out the versions of the team strip worn by other fans as they throng in the direction of Windsor. Many are right up to date and wear the very latest strip, but some prefer vintage versions. I like counting the variations on green and white such as the Euro 2016 jersey or the dark green historic version brought out for the IFA 125th anniversary or the pinstripes of Espana ’82 or the old Danny Blanchflower v-neck jersey with the badge sewn onto a white square. I love singing ‘Sweet Caroline’. Neil Diamond’s big hit of 1969 has the right kind of beat to get us fired up for kick-off. Of course we sing our own version, ‘Sweet Norn Iron!’, as all join in with the chorus of ‘So good! So good!’ That rocking melody gets into my blood and I can’t help being optimistic about the lads’ performance and the possibility of a good result. So until life gets good again I will sing along with Dolly Parton and savour my memories. Who knows? Perhaps the future will be even better than the good old days. Words Cunningham Peacock

It was when I was at my lowest ebb that I happened to hear a new song on the radio. It is the latest offering by country music legend, and American national treasure, Dolly Parton. The song is called ‘When Life Is Good Again’. It is hopeful and positive, full of promises of how Dolly (and all of us) will do things better in the new world which will surely dawn when this pesky virus is at last banished. Dolly’s song encouraged me to be optimistic about the future and never to take for granted the things that gave me most pleasure before the current pandemic placed restrictions on so much of my life. The song started me thinking of the things that give most pleasure on match days, especially the joyful anticipation that accompanies me all the way from home to our theatre of dreams. So here are a few of my favourite match day things, fond memories that will keep me cheerful as I wait for the good old days to return. I love choosing my clothes for the game. It is hard to predict the weather in our climate and we old- timers feel the cold more than youngsters do. Sometimes a chill wind sweeps across Windsor from the direction of the Black Mountain and makes you wish you had brought an extra jumper. Of course on cold nights I can’t help recalling that many a player with a big reputation has found that wind intimidating. Some of the cream of European teams are shocked to discover that they are far away from the pleasant, balmy Mediterranean nights of Barcelona or Rome or Marseille and that their reputation is being challenged by a team of green-clad tigers who respect no-one’s status! The bigger they are the harder they fall so let the gales continue to sweep in from rain-lashed Divis!

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Words Liam Blackburn

NORWAY THE COACH A veteran international coach, 72-year-old Norway boss Lars Lagerback is managing his fourth country at senior level having been in his current post since February 2017.

He departed the Super Eagles shortly after and wound up back in Scandinavia with Iceland in October 2011. Iceland had never been to a major tournament before but soon saw an upturn in form as they narrowly missed out on qualifying for the World Cup in 2014 when losing to Croatia in a play-off. However, Lagerback would guide them to Euro 2016 – with Iceland having beaten Netherlands home and away in qualifying – and it was at the tournament in France when they stunned England to reach the quarter-finals. He retired after Euro 2016 but was lured back by Norway, who won their group in the inaugural UEFA Nations League to secure a Euro 2020 qualification play-off spot. » Initially as a joint manager, then solely in charge, Lagerback guided Sweden to five successive major tournaments between 2000 and 2008. » Coached Nigeria at the 2010 World Cup before leading Iceland to Euro 2016, the country's first ever major tournament. » Iceland shocked Roy Hodgson's England with a 2-1 win in the last 16 in France as Lagerback made it seven games without defeat as a coach against the Three Lions.

His first game with Norway took place in Belfast the following month when Jamie Ward and Conor Washington scored in Northern Ireland's 2-0 World Cup 2018 qualifying win. As a player Lagerback turned out for a small, local club in northern Sweden called Gimonas, but it was in coaching - a career he started four decades ago - where he was destined to make his mark. Lagerback cited future England manager Roy Hodgson, who also began his coaching career in Sweden, as one of his early inspirations and he worked with lower league clubs before the country's national association handed him a role in 1990. He initially coached the under-21s but also provided scouting reports on opponents for the senior team at Euro 1992 and the 1994 World Cup, with Sweden reaching the semi-finals on both occasions. Lagerback was named Sweden's assistant in 1998 and was promoted to joint-manager alongside Tommy Soderberg two years later. The duo led Sweden to the Round-of-16 at the World Cups in 2002 and 2006, while they were quarter-finalists at Euro 2004, too. Lagerback left Sweden when they missed out on a place at the World Cup in 2010, though he would coach at a sixth tournament when answering Nigeria's call before the finals.

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NORWAY SQUAD

Words Liam Blackburn

GOALKEEPERS

ORJAN NYLAND ASTON VILLA

RUNE JARSTEIN HERTHA BERLIN

SONDRE ROSSBACH ODD

Age Caps

35 65

Age Caps 0 Goals 0

Age Caps

29 28

Goals 0

The most experienced member of Lars Lagerback's squad made his maiden Norway appearance in 2007 and was first choice for most of the last decade. Jarstein, who has spent the past seven years in the Bundesliga, played in both of his country's most recent games in Belfast in 2012 and 2017.

Nyland joined Aston Villa during their 2018-19 Championship season and was first choice until rupturing his Achilles that December. He played in seven Premier League games for the Villains last term. Won his first cap against Scotland in 2013 and started Norway's 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in Oslo in 2017.

The son of a former Norway international, Rossbach has spent the past five-and- a-half seasons as the number one for Eliteserien side Odd in his native country. Represented Norway at various youth age groups, and won 28 caps for the Under-21s, though he is yet to make an appearance for the senior team.

DEFENDERS

KRISTOFFER AJER CELTIC

HAITAM ALEESAMI UNATTACHED

OMAR ELABDELLAOUI GALATASARAY

Age Caps

22 14

Age Caps

29 28

Age Caps

28 44

Goals 0

Ajer established himself in the Celtic team under Brendan Rodgers and has been a regular in their past three championship- winning sides. Prior to that he became the youngest captain in the history of Norway's top flight when he skippered Start at 16. Made his Norway debut in 2018.

A left-back of Moroccan descent who played for Amiens in France last term after spells in Norway, Sweden and Italy, where he spent three seasons with Palermo. Aleesami made his first senior Norway appearance in 2015 against Malta and he played in nine of the 10 Euro 2020 qualifiers.

Elabdellaoui is a right-sided player who spent time in Manchester City's academy, though he never played a senior game for the club. He has plenty of Champions League experience from his time with Greek giants Olympiacos and he joined Galatasaray in August. He played in all 10 of Norway's Euro 2020 qualifiers.

RUBEN GABRIELSEN TOULOUSE

EVEN HOVLAND ROSENBORG

MARTIN LINNES GALATASARAY

Age Caps 0 Goals 0

Age Caps

31 28

Age Caps

28 23

Goals 0

Goals 1

Gabrielsen came into this international window uncapped at senior level, having been an unused substitute in nine matches. Won league titles with Molde in 2014 and 2019 and played in both legs of the Norwegian club's Europa League qualifier against Glenavon in 2018.

The experienced Hovland, who won his first cap in 2012, started for Norway when they made their most recent trip to Belfast in 2017. A two-time title winner with Molde, he is now back in his homeland after a spell in Germany with Nurnberg between 2014 and 2017.

A versatile player, Linnes is back in the squad having not featured in any of Norway's Euro 2020 qualifiers. He came off the bench in the Norwegians' 1-0 win over Northern Ireland in October 2017. The former Molde man has spent the past five years in Turkey with Galatasaray.

BIRGER MELING NIMES

TORE REGINIUSSEN ROSENBORG

JONAS SVENSSON AZ ALKMAAR

Age Caps

25 11

Age Caps

34 29

Age Caps

27 17

Goals 0

Goals 4

Goals 0

Meling is another defensive member of this squad plying his trade in France and he scored on his debut for Ligue 1 club Nimes in August. He started the 2017 win over Northern Ireland having made his international debut only three days earlier in an 8-0 victory over San Marino.

The oldest outfield member of Lagerback's current squad, veteran central defender Reginiussen has played for Tromso, Schalke, Lecce, OB (Odense) and current club Rosenborg during his career. He won his maiden cap in 2008 and scored his first international goal against the Republic of Ireland later that year.

Svensson was a regular with former team Rosenborg, becoming the youngest player to make 200 appearances in the club's history when he reached the milestone shortly after his 23rd birthday. Now turning out for AZ in the Eredivisie, he will hope to add to the senior caps he began accruing in 2016.

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MIDFIELDERS

PATRICK BERG BODO/GLIMT

SANDER BERGE SHEFFIELD UNITED

IVER FOSSUM AAB (AALBORG)

Age Caps 0 Goals 0

Age Caps

24 14

Age Caps

22 20

Goals 1

Has earned a call-up to the senior squad from Lagerback for the first time having been a pivotal part of the Bodo/Glimt side that have this year taken the domestic league by storm. Central midfielder Berg has plenty of youth experience at international level having represented Norway from Under-15 to Under-19 level.

Now plays his club football in Norway after three years in Germany with Hannover. A regular with his country's youth teams, Fossum debuted for the senior side against Portugal four years ago and scored his first goal in a 4-0 thrashing of the Faroe Islands in November 2019.

Joined Sheffield United in January of this year when the Premier League club made the tall midfielder their record signing. Played six times in last season's Champions League for Belgian side Genk and opened his international account with a goal against Malta a year ago.

MARKUS HENRIKSEN UNATTACHED

STEFAN JOHANSEN FULHAM

FREDRIK MIDTSJO AZ ALKMAAR

Age Caps

28 54

Age Caps

29 53

Age Caps 4 Goals 0

Goals 3

Goals 6

Midtsjo won his maiden cap in 2016 but had to wait two years for a second and his first appearance in a competitive international came as a late substitute against the Faroe Islands in last June's Euro 2020 qualifier. He is a regular with AZ having joined from Rosenborg in 2017.

Henriksen was previously the captain of Hull City but was released by the Tigers at the end of last season, having spent time on loan with Bristol City. Scored his first European goal for Rosenborg in 2010 against Linfield. Brought up 50 caps in 2019 and was a regular in the Euro 2020 qualifiers.

A key central midfielder in the Fulham teams that won promotion to the Premier League in 2018 and 2020. Johansen, a regular for his country since 2013, was made Norway captain in 2017 and he played in both of his nation's World Cup 2018 qualifiers against Northern Ireland.

MATHIAS NORMANN ROSTOV

MORTEN THORSBY SAMPDORIA

MARTIN ODEGAARD REAL MADRID

Age Caps 2 Goals 0

Age Caps 1 Goals 0

Age Caps

21 22

Goals 1

First appeared in the senior team a year ago after impressing in the Russian top flight. Provided three assists in each of the previous two league campaigns for Rostov. Prior to moving to Russia Normann spent 18 months with Brighton and Hove Albion but never played for the Seagulls' first team.

The golden boy of Norwegian football, Odegaard won his first senior cap as a 15-year-old. He joined Real Madrid at 16 and made his debut at that age, replacing Cristiano Ronaldo in a La Liga game. Has impressed during loan spells with Heerenveen, Vitesse and Real Sociedad over the past three seasons.

Thorsby won his first senior cap in 2017 but then moved back down to the Under-21s. He made 24 appearances for Sampdoria in Serie A last season, scoring once in a 2-1 loss to Inter Milan in June. Previously played for Dutch club Heerenveen after leaving Stabaek in 2014.

STRIKERS

MOHAMED ELYOUNOUSSI CELTIC

ERLING BRAUT HAALAND BORUSSIA DORTMUND

JOSHUA KING BOURNEMOUTH

ALEXANDER SORLOTH TRABZONSPOR

Age Caps

26 24

Age Caps 2 Goals 0

Age Caps 46 Goals 17 28

Age Caps

24 22

Goals 5

Goals 6

Recently returned for a second loan spell at Celtic Park after scoring seven goals in 20 appearances last term. A prolific goalscorer with Molde and Basel prior to joining current parent club Southampton, Elyounoussi scored a hat-trick in his country's 8-0 win over San Marino in 2017. (on loan from Southampton)

Ex-Manchester City midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland's son. The Leeds-born striker played twice in Northern Ireland for Norway Under-15s in 2015. Haaland did not score then but netted nine times in a 12-0 win over Honduras at the 2019 Under-20 World Cup. Made his senior international debut a year ago and scored 10 goals in last season's Champions League.

A former Manchester United academy prospect, King scored four times in United’s triumphant 2008 Milk Cup campaign on Northern Ireland’s North Coast. Only Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has scored more Premier League goals among Norwegians. Won his first senior cap in 2012 and was his country's top scorer in the Euro 2020 qualifiers with five goals.

Sorloth finished last season as the Turkish Super Lig's top scorer having netted 24 times for Trabzonspor, whom he joined on a 24-month loan deal from Crystal Palace in 2019. The big striker has also played club football in Norway, Netherlands and Denmark and scored four times in the Euro 2020 qualifiers. (on loan from Crystal Palace)

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FACTFILE NORWAY Words Liam Blackburn

INTERNATIONAL

and Ronny Johnsen – both Champions League winners with Manchester United – as well as Tore Andre Flo and Egil Ostenstad. » Norway topped their 1994 World Cup qualification group ahead of Netherlands and England to reach the finals, where they beat Mexico but exited at the group stage despite claiming four points from three games. » Four years later they were back on the global stage and it was then that they recorded their most memorable victory, beating World Cup holders Brazil 2-1. » The Norwegians had drawn with Morocco and Scotland but were heading out when trailing 1-0 in the final group game. Yet, with seven minutes to go, Flo equalised and Kjetil Rekdal's 88th minute penalty sealed qualification. » A year earlier Norway had beaten Brazil 4-2 and they remain unbeaten in four games against the five-time world champions. » Their run at the 1998 World Cup was ended by a 1-0 last 16 loss to Italy and Olsen stepped down after the tournament. » His assistant, Nils Johan Semb, took over and a squad including Steffen Iversen, John Carew and John Arne Riise – who would go on to be Norway's most-capped player – qualified for Euro 2000, where the country once again exited at group stage with four points despite a win over Spain in their opening fixture. » That tournament was the last to feature Norway, who lost play-off ties for Euro 2004, the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2016. » They were the opponents for Michael O'Neill's first Northern Ireland game as manager in 2012, a 3-0 victory for Norway following on from 4-0 and 4-1 friendly wins in Belfast in the earlier part of the century. » O'Neill's team were a different animal when they beat Norway 2-0 in March 2017, though, and Northern Ireland had already secured a play-off place for the 2018 World Cup prior to kick-off the following October when the hosts won 1-0 in Oslo. » However, that game showed the improvements made under Lars Lagerback, and the emergence of Borussia Dortmund's Erling Braut Haaland and maturation of Real Madrid's Martin Odegaard has added to the excitement surrounding this team.

» It has been 20 years since Norway qualified for a major tournament, but with an experienced international coach now in charge of some of the world's most promising youngsters there has been a surge of optimism in Oslo and beyond. » Norway came into this international break on the back of a nine-game unbeaten run and, though they finished third in their Euro 2020 qualifying group behind Spain and Sweden, they still have a play-off berth having won their UEFA Nations League group. » Three of their four appearances at major finals came between 1994 and 2000 as they reached two World Cups as well as Euro 2000, having first featured at the 1938 World Cup, where they lost to eventual winners Italy in extra time. » Two years prior to that Norway won the bronze medal at the Olympics having beaten hosts Germany in the quarter-finals earlier in the tournament. » Their squad then included captain Jorgen Juve, who remains Norway's all-time top scorer with 33 goals in 45 games, and Arne Brustad, who scored a hat-trick in the bronze medal match. » Fallow decades followed the 1930s, however, which explained why commentator Bjorge Lillelien was so excited by a 2-1 World Cup qualification win over England in 1981 in Oslo. » In one of the most iconic pieces of commentary of all time, Lillelien famously said: "Lord Nelson! Lord Beaverbrook! Sir Winston Churchill! Sir Anthony Eden! Clement Attlee! Henry Cooper! Lady Diana! Maggie Thatcher – can you hear me, Maggie Thatcher? Your boys took one hell of a beating!” » Results improved in the 1990s following the appointment of Egil Olsen and, in 1993, shortly after FIFA launched the world rankings system, Norway were second, behind only Brazil. » That period of success coincided with a golden run for the women's team, who won the 1995 World Cup, the European Championship in 1987 and 1993, as well as the 2000 Olympics. » The men's team benefitted from a glut of Premier League players during that era, including Stig Inge Bjornebye, Gunnar Halle, Henning Berg, Oyvind Leonhardsen, Alf-Inge Haaland, Jan Age Fjortoft and Lars Bohinen. Following them were Ole Gunnar Solskjaer

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