'Positive problems' for Heiner-Møller
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
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Kenneth Heiner-Møller is preparing to unveil his Denmark squad for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™, saying younger players's displays in two recent friendlies in England have made his selection harder.
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Kenneth Heiner-Møller is preparing to unveil his Denmark squad for UEFA WOMEN'S EURO 2009™ from 23 August in Finland and their two recent friendlies in England have made his selection more difficult.
Debutants
Following a two-week training camp, Denmark travelled to England for two friendlies last month, beating Iceland 2-1 before losing 1-0 to a late goal for the home nation. With top scorer Merete Pedersen having retired from international football earlier this year, Mariann Gajhede and Christina Ørntoft ruled out of the finals due to cruciate knee ligament injuries and fellow key players Johanna Rasmussen, Julie Rydahl Bukh and Cathrine Paaske Sørensen unfit for the England trip, Heiner-Møller turned to youth for the friendlies. Several of the players held fewer than ten caps and two – goalkeeper Mia Kjærsgaard-Andersen and midfielder Katrine Veje – made very promising debuts.
'Positive problems'
Heiner-Møller, therefore, has a tough decision to make when he finalises his 22-player party for the finals. "Some people are pushing a little bit more than when we left for England," he told uefa.com. "That's one of these positive problems we have to solve as a coaches. I'm quite satisfied with the two games we played and looking forward to playing in Finland."
Recovery
Denmark complete their friendly programme at home to Scotland in Gladsaxe on 14 August, nine days before facing hosts Finland in the finals opener, and Heiner-Møller is keen to have his strongest side available, including the trio that missed last month's games. "I hope everybody will be fit," he said. "We have made long-term plans for their recoveries so hopefully they will do the things they have to do, the training and physiotherapy."
New talents
The departure of Pedersen, whose tally of ten goals in qualifying was the third best for any team, was a particular blow but with the likes of Nadia Nadim and Nadia Christiansen, plus Veje who impressed against England, Heiner-Møller does have new attacking options. "They are doing quite well," he said. "When you cut down the largest tree in the wood there is more room for the smaller ones to grow."
