Denmark Coach Steps Down Ahead of 2026 World Cup Qualifying

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Round of 16 - Germany v Denmark - Dortmund BVB Stadion, Dortmund, Germany - June 29, 2024 Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Round of 16 - Germany v Denmark - Dortmund BVB Stadion, Dortmund, Germany - June 29, 2024 Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo
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Denmark Coach Steps Down Ahead of 2026 World Cup Qualifying

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Round of 16 - Germany v Denmark - Dortmund BVB Stadion, Dortmund, Germany - June 29, 2024 Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Euro 2024 - Round of 16 - Germany v Denmark - Dortmund BVB Stadion, Dortmund, Germany - June 29, 2024 Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand looks dejected after the match REUTERS/Wolfgang Rattay/File Photo

Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand decided to leave the job Friday and not take the team into qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
According to The Associated Press, Hjulmand said in a statement that the team needed new energy after the European Championship, where Denmark was eliminated in the round of 16 by Germany after a game that featured one of the tournament's most controversial refereeing decisions.
The 52-year-old coach took Denmark to the semifinals of the previous Euros played in 2021 — when he was widely lauded at home for the way he dealt with the emotional aftermath of midfielder Christian Eriksen suffering cardiac arrest during the team's opening game. He also led the team to the 2022 World Cup where the Danes were eliminated in the group stage.
The Danish soccer federation said it promoted Hjulmand’s assistant coach Morten Wieghorst to take charge for the Nations League program through November. Denmark is in a top-tier group with European champion Spain, Switzerland and Serbia.
At Euro 2024, Denmark drew all three group games against England, Slovenia and Serbia.
Against host Germany the game was stopped for 25 minutes during a severe lightning storm, then swung on back-to-back video decisions early in the second half of a 2-0 loss. A goal by Joachim Andersen was disallowed for a marginal offside call before a penalty was awarded against the defender for a handball when a cross struck his arm.



City Need Reinforcements after Not Making Summer Signings, Says Guardiola

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
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City Need Reinforcements after Not Making Summer Signings, Says Guardiola

Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo
Soccer Football - Premier League - Manchester City v West Ham United - Etihad Stadium, Manchester, Britain - January 4, 2025 Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola REUTERS/Phil Noble/File Photo

Manchester City need to invest during the January transfer window due to injury problems and a faltering Premier League campaign, manager Pep Guardiola said on Monday, acknowledging it may have been a mistake to rule out signings in the summer.

City's title defence looks all but over after six league defeats has left them sixth in the standings and 12 points behind leaders Liverpool who have a game in hand.

Guardiola's side have missed Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder Rodri, who ruptured knee ligaments in September, and have suffered injuries to defenders John Stones and Ruben Dias.

"In the summer the club thought about (signings) and I said: 'No, I don't want to make any signings," Guardiola told reporters ahead of Tuesday's league game at Brentford.

"I relied a lot on these guys and thought I can do it again. But after the injuries maybe we should have done it."

City have not made a significant signing in January since the arrival of Aymeric Laporte for 57 million pounds ($69.67 million) from Athletic Bilbao in 2018.

Guardiola could not confirm whether a deal has been done to bring in Lens defender Abdukodir Khusanov.

"The club didn't announce anything. I don't know," he said.

"Rodri is impossible but the other ones (injured players) I want back. If it would have happened I wouldn't be going to the transfer window this season. Absolutely not.

"We would not be in the position that we are but we struggle all season. It's not just Rodri, we have a lot of problems in the back four. That is the reason why the club is thinking we might do this transfer."

 

WALKER'S FUTURE

 

After City's 8-0 FA Cup win over Salford City on Saturday, Guardiola revealed that Walker had asked to leave the club, but the manager had no update on the situation and the right back could be in the squad at Brentford.

"No news. I'm not going to add anything, no more news. I only have Brentford on my mind," Guardiola said.

"We will decide this afternoon after training."

The cup win was a third consecutive victory for City, a welcome return to form after Guardiola's side had previously won only once in 13 matches in all competitions.

"We won three games. Before it was impossible to win one," he said.

"Now we won three, and that helps us. But the reality is we won against a team in the last game for the difference of the Premier League and League Two (fourth-tier), the badges of both teams, and many reasons we should win.

"We have to wait to see if we are who we are. The mood is better. Tomorrow we have an enormously difficult game."

Brentford, who lost 1-0 at home to Championship (second-tier) bottom side Plymouth Argyle in the FA Cup third round on Saturday, are 11th in the standings, seven points off City.