Latest news with #Brøndby
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'There aren't many fans who want him to start' - Danish journalist on Rajovic
The debate as to whether allowing Mileta Rajovic to spend the season out on loan was the correct one still goes on – but it seems certain the striker will be back at Watford this summer. The 25-year-old Dane's spell with Brondby in his home country has become less and less successful as the season has ticked by. Third hot favourite for Watford job in one day WO correspondent discusses Hornets on TalkSport Having not scored since February, Rajovic now has five goals in 22 senior outings for Brondby since moving there in August. Four of those five came before the Danish league's winter break, and he has found the net just once in his last 11 outings. Since the Superliga split, with the top six teams playing each other and the bottom six playing each other, Brondby – who were second in the regular season – have played eight games and Rajovic has featured for just 196 minutes. He has started one of the eight fixtures, and come off the bench in six others. The Watford Observer posed questions to Danish journalist Toke Theilade, editor-in-chief at , to get his take on the Rajovic situation. Do you think there is any chance that Brondby might try to re-loan, or even sign, Rajovic? 'It is very low at this point. Reports have emerged that the club has decided to let him go at the end of the season, which makes sense considering how little he's played in the spring." He seemed to play less and less as the season went on - what happened? 'Brøndby cleaned the house at the end of last year. 'The sporting director and head coach that brought Rajovic to the club were both sacked. 'The new head coach Frederik Birk hasn't played him much and prefers faster and more mobile strikers up front. He's simply been used as a late emergency target man. 'This has also been disappointing since he came in on deadline day in August and was thrown into games straight away. 'He was supposed to be better in the spring when he was more accustomed to the system and his teammates, but it hasn't been the case. 'It should be mentioned though that he doesn't suit Brøndby's style well either. 'Birk wants to play possession-based with short passes and few crosses, and Rajovic is obviously best when he receive loads of crosses.' Has the head coach said much about him? 'Not really. The focus has mostly been on Filip Bundgaard instead, who is also not playing a lot. 'Generally, when asked about the players on the bench, Birk refers to the tough competition the offensive players are facing and how they have to work hard to earn playing time.' What do the fans think of him? 'He was very popular in the beginning. 'His past at the academy at the club suited the love for the local talents, and he started greatly. He had an immediate impact with four goals in his first five matches and impressed with his nose for goals. 'However, as we have seen more of him, the opinion has dipped a bit about him as a player. 'There aren't many fans who want him to start, and it is recognized that we are a better team when selecting our other options. 'Regardless, he is still a popular guy due to his past, and he is appreciated for his goals. 'Ultimately, this has been a season to forget for Brøndby as the club will finish without titles yet again. There haven't been many positive stories this season, so generally the mood among the fans is poor at the moment.' Having seen him for a season, what do you think Rajovic's strengths are? 'He is definitely lethal in the box. His instincts are great, and his finishing is at a high level. 'You can easily see that he has a nose for goal and has good positioning in the penalty box. Also, he is physically strong which is a dangerous weapon on crosses.' And what do you see as his weaknesses? 'To me, it seems like almost anything else is a weakness unfortunately. 'He doesn't contribute much in the build-up play and doesn't link up well with the teammates. For a guy his size, it surprises me that he doesn't win more aerial duels. He also isn't great technically and his lack of pace is also an issue. 'Generally, I think it is a problem how he needs a very specific playing style to be successful. He isn't an agile player that can work in different environments. 'That's also the reason why he has mostly received cameos in the spring, when Brøndby were either chasing goals or defending leads and needed his powers in the air." From what you have seen, could Rajovic score the goals next season to make Watford promotion contenders in the Championship? 'I think Rajovic will score goals anywhere he goes, but I don't see him becoming a regular player for Watford if they want to earn promotion. 'He seems more like a back-up striker to me that you can use for specific situations where his strengths are required.'
Yahoo
31-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Olsson given emotional goodbye by Midtjylland after brain illness
Sweden's Kristoffer Olsson (L) and Poland's Robert Lewandowski battle for the ball during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group E soccer match between Sweden and Poland at St. Petersburg Stadium. Swedish footballer Kristoffer Olsson, who suffered a serious brain illness, was given an emotional send-off by FC Midtjylland on Sunday after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with the Danish club. Igor Russak/dpa Swedish footballer Kristoffer Olsson, who suffered a serious brain illness, was given an emotional send-off by FC Midtjylland on Sunday after mutually agreeing to terminate his contract with the Danish club. Advertisement The 29-year-old intends to move closer to his family in his hometown of Norrköping in Sweden. Over a year ago, Olsson was diagnosed with an extremely rare inflammation of the cerebral blood vessels, which had caused multiple small blood clots in his brain. In the half-time interval during Sunday 2-0 defeat against Brøndby, Midtjylland fans serenaded Olsson one last time. The visibly emotional player greeted the crowd and even received a gift basket from supporters. "I continue to dream of being a footballer, to be able to train fully and feel that I can contribute to the team," said the 47-time Sweden international, who now plans to work on a potential comeback at his youth club, IFK Norrköping. Advertisement "I feel progress every week, and I am hungrier and more motivated than ever." At the end of February last year, Olsson suddenly lost consciousness and was taken to Aarhus University Hospital. He was kept on artificial ventilation for an extended period while medical experts searched for a diagnosis for his acute brain illness. He was later transferred to a rehabilitation centre for neurological conditions, where he gradually regained his motor and verbal abilities.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
EXCLUSIVE: Nashville star Hany Mukhtar on MLS growth, Messi-effect and more
Nashville SC star, and former MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar has seen plenty of growth in his five years at the club; both personally and as a league. The Berlin born forward has developed into a true star in North America after making the move from Danish side Brøndby in 2020. Mukhtar signed for Nashville ahead of their inaugural season in MLS, requiring a process of adaptation that top-level footballers rarely have to make in their career. And for Mukhtar, it certainly took some adaptation. Advertisement 'For me, I was never in an environment where everyone was new," Mukhtar said in an exclusive interview with OneFootball. "You needed to get used to it. But the people here have been wonderful. 'I think Nashville is a very unique city, and a very special city. The people are so kind here. It is a blessing that I ended up here. 📸 Brett Davis-Imagn Images 'At the end of the day they wanted me to be the face of the team, and to build the team around me. I loved the idea. It was a great opportunity for me and I am very lucky to be here." As he got comfortable with joining a club still laying down their roots in the city and the league, Mukhtar was also forced to adjust to the many quirks foreign players come to meet face-to-face when joining MLS. Advertisement 'It was very difficult in the beginning," he recounted. "One reason was because of Covid, but then also the travel. It was so different from what I was used to in Europe. 'We had maybe three or four games with a plane [in Europe], and the flight time is maybe 45 minutes. But going to different timezones and having four hour flights is very different, and it takes time for the body to get used to it. 'But also the physical level. Most of the players in MLS are athletes, I was very surprised. Of course now I understand that with American football, with basketball, you have to be an athlete and most of the players played different sports growing up." As is obligatory when discussing the growth of the league these days, Mukhtar was quick to point out the impact Lionel Messi has had since joining the league from Paris Saint-Germain in 2023. Advertisement 'A big effect was obviously Messi. We had the luck in Nashville to play [Inter Miami] three or four times in his first season, and go all the way to the Leagues Cup Final against him. We had the win in our hands in the penalty shootout. 'It has been amazing to see all the interest, and I see that because I have a lot of European friends who constantly ask me 'hey when is the next game?'. 'I had a lot of people ask me 'why would you go to the U.S.? You are so young and have your whole career ahead of you.' But now a lot of those voices, and I won't name names have said 'hey, do you think I can come play [in the U.S.]'." Advertisement Nashville find themselves in a moment of transition after moving on from long-time head coach Gary Smith last season, bringing in former USMNT assistant B.J. Callaghan to fill the role. While the club have yet to truly get rolling under Callaghan, Mukhtar believes he will bring the changes necessary to kickstart a new era in the Music City. 'I think we also have to give credit to the front office, I think we made good additions this winter. 'B.J. wants to play more with the ball and I think that is the natural next step we can make as a club. I think you can already see in the games we've played that we try to have more of the ball, we try to attack and press the opponent higher. Advertisement 'It takes time and we have to be fair and give the coach the time. He has great ideas, and we are all behind the ideas. The locker room loves it, they want to be more expansive, and more aggressive. 'At the end of the day it is a results-based business, but we are on the right track.' Callaghan and Nashville are certainly on the up. The Boys in Gold have won three straight matches in MLS as they look to climb up the Eastern Conference table, and their superstar number 10 is the key to it all.
