Northern Ireland v Norway

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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