Latest news with #FCMidtjylland
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
I went back to the team where it all started. I am able to be the role model I never had
I will be on a plane on Monday with Denmark heading to Switzerland to take part in my fourth Euros, but before the tournament I went back to where it all began for me, to Danish side FC Midtjylland. I was there to spend time coaching 80 girls from the age of eight to 13. More than 20 years ago, I began my own journey there and things looked very different then. There was no women's team and no women who played football. For me to go back as a role model these girls gives me a lot of energy. There is no better way to ground yourself than to be reminded where you came from. I'm really happy I am able to be that role model I didn't have myself, but most importantly it's fun. I love being around these young girls, some who are really good and all who are just happy to be on a pitch. There was no future for me at the club and when I was about 14 I had to move to another one an hour's drive away. Now, these girls are in here early – maybe a little too early – and are already started in small talent teams with high-quality training. They are being given an opportunity to develop in a way my generation was not. In 10 years' time, these girls are going to be so good. I was lucky I had parents who were supportive and willing to take me to a team I could play in, but there were a lot of girls who didn't have the same opportunities and support. It's crazy to think about how much talent was wasted. Now, these girls can play and train in the city they come from and the setups around them are of a much higher quality. I can see the growth in the talent pool and the quality of the young players coming into the national team or the Denmark youth teams. The technique and control of the ball is so much better than that of my generation when we were coming through. It's very interesting to see they have a natural understanding of the game as well. It would be easy to think I would feel slightly envious of what is available now and it would have been interesting to see how good I could have been if I had the same setup. However, I gained in other ways from having to try to figure out for myself how to get better as a player. We had to sacrifice a lot and nothing came easily for us and there were important lessons there too. Coaches have a wider responsibility today to ensure girls benefiting from better setups don't become too entitled. They have to know that it's also about hard work, among other things. They have different challenges though. There are a lot of things that are more difficult for them today. There is a lot more pressure from social media on the newer generation. That can affect their game, make them worry too much about making mistakes and then they've grown up constantly comparing themselves on social media and trying to get likes and follows. These are not good things to have in sport: you need to be confident in yourself and be able to play without fear of criticism or comparison. It's weird reflecting on the platform football has given me. When I was a kid I never would have considered I would be able to advocate for women's rights, equality, the environment, for young people and speak up on so many other issues. These are the things you don't realise you will reflect on as being as important – if not more – than the titles won. That platform wouldn't exist without the titles, but even when I reflect on those, I spend more time thinking about the moments with teammates rather than lifting the trophy. There is always pressure in major tournaments, but when women's football is developing so quickly across Europe, knowing the effect of a good tournament more widely back in Denmark adds more pressure. If we get to the knockout stage and if we do well there, that is something that brings the country together. In the past few years there has been more and more attention on us so if we do well it could be hugely positive for the development of women's football. There is no denying our group is tough, with Sweden, Germany and Poland in it. We had a tough end to the Nations League, a 6-1 loss to Sweden, who we play in our first game in Switzerland, but I don't think that loss has taken too much of our confidence from us. It's motivation to show it was just a one-off. Having played them so recently we don't have to spend too much time on tactics and formations, it's about being ready from the first minute, it's about all 11 players having to be on it, it's about the duels and it's about the energy. When we play against the better teams it is as much about the mentality. There is a personal edge to the game for me. Although we have played with and against each other many times, it is very special that I face my partner, Magda Eriksson, at a Euros for the first time. How do we interact before a big game against each other? I don't talk about our tactics and she doesn't talk about their tactics, but we know each other pretty well and so do the countries. It's hard for our families though – they get very nervous about us playing against each other because they want the best for both of us. That's the difficult part, you want the best for each other, but not in that moment. Pernille Harder plays for Bayern Munich and has 78 goals in 162 appearances for Denmark Numbers are in: England have announced their squad numbers for the Euros, with all 16 squads now confirmed. Despite a traditional 1-11 for most expected starters, Alessia Russo has retained the No 23 shirt she wore in 2022 at the home Euros and wears for Arsenal. New start: Crystal Palace brought in former England international Jo Potter as their new manager. Potter joins after two years with Rangers, where she won a cup double in both seasons. As a player, Potter won 35 caps for the Lionesses for 13 years and scored three goals for the national team. 'When someone makes that decision, it's for a reason. Millie's come out and spoken about her mental health, which I think is really, really brave to make that decision, to put that first. Now she's had the knee surgery as well to make sure that she's ready for next year' – Fran Kirby praises Millie Bright for her decision to prioritise her mental health. Despite South Asians being the largest minority group in the UK there has never been a player from the region at senior Lionesses level. Regular Women's Football Weekly podcast guest Marva Kreel explores why that is in this documentary for Copa 90. Roll up! Roll Up! Our Euro 2025 guides are coming thick and fast: team guides on Finland, Iceland, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, Portugal and Spain are live Our all-singing, all-dancing guide to every one of the 368 players at Euro 2025 is ready for your perusal, with stats, individual profiles and pictures for every single participant. From a stadium with an in-built retirement home to a ground that inspired British band Muse, we run the rule over the Euro 2025 venues in Michael Butler's snazzy stadium guide. Tom Garry on how Seb Hines and Giles Barnes have transformed the fortunes of Orlando Pride and the English coaching duo's unlikely route to NWSL glory. And our women's transfer interactive tracks all the deals from the world's top six leagues – NWSL, WSL, Liga F, Frauen-Bundesliga, Première Ligue and Serie A Femminile – as well as a nifty club-by-club guide.
Edinburgh Reporter
5 days ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Hibs confirm dates and kick off times for Euro qualifier
Hibs have confirmed the fixture details for their UEFA Europa League second qualifying round against FC Midtjylland. The first leg will take place at the MCH Arena on Thursday 24 July, kicking off at 7.30pm local time (6.30pm UK). The second leg at Easter Road will take place a week later; Thursday 31 July, kicking off at 8pm UK time. Full allocations and ticket information will be confirmed in due course. Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Hibs' Europa League foe could sell €8m star as chairman makes transfer promise
Hibs will soon come up against Danish opposition and the chairman's promise could turn an Easter Road boost. Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... A key FC Midtjylland player has been promised a transfer exit from the Danish club as preparations begin for a Europa League second qualifying round showdown with Hibs. David Gray's side have returned to pre season and face a tricky assignment in their first clash of this campaign. They travel to Denmark first before the second leg at Easter Road as they look to take a step closer to the lucrative league phase within UEFA's second tier competition. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Midtjylland are regulars when it comes to European football but chairman Claus Steinlein has made claims in Denmark that while one player may not be allowed to leave, another has been made an exit promise. Oliver Sorensen has been a key man in midfield with 10 goals and five assists last season, and his club are believed to be demanding a fee in the vicinity of €7-8 million to sanction an exit. FC Midtjylland transfer latest Sky Germany add on that figure that Bundesliga Werder Bremen and Borussia Monchengladbach are just two of the parties interested in a move. While an exit may be more difficult for fellow midfielder Aral Simsir to achieve, Steinlein has admitted in addressing the Turkish youth international that his in-demand teammate has already been promised a switch upon the right terms being agreed. All of that was tied together with notions of cows being put out into a field. He said: 'He had a bad end to the season with injury. Football is also a snapshot. It depends on how far we get in Europe. There are 11-13 games before the window closes. So it is also Aral's job – if he wants to leave - to show that. 'I can see him standing and juggling. He's ready. It's like putting the cows out to pasture when the players come out there – so it's cool to see. Aral is a little more like it has to be the right thing for both of them. Oliver is more like we promised him that. The football market is very quick on the trigger. Aral should get into the new season well – we'll see.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What Hibs Europa League opponents could do in the transfer market Steinlein added last week on possible recruitment targets: 'The task is to find a centre-back because we sold Juninho, so we only have three, and we would like to have four. So that's a task we have, and then we have to look at the team. You never know how it will go. Will Oliver be sold? 'We have given him permission to study the possibility himself in the market, but it must also be something that suits Oliver - and it must suit us. We are quite concerned about money, and Oliver is concerned that it must be the right sporting thing. We have to be concerned with that, just like with all other transfers. 'We need a good centre-back, so we are safe. We need the best centre-back for the cheapest money we can get. And then there is how much money we want to spend - and it depends on the quality. We need to have some quality. Whether they were born in Scandinavia or in South America, we can also see that there is a lot of difference. You can bring in Brazilians who are from Northern Brazil. They are one type of person. You can bring them in Southern Brazil. There is a difference between Juninho and Paulinho. You can also feel that in the press. It is more about personality, and nationality does not matter that much.'
Edinburgh Reporter
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
What we know about Hibs European opponents FC Midtjylland
FC Midtjylland is based in Herning in Denmark. The club is the result of a merger between Ikast FS and Herning Fremad. They competes in the Danish Superliga (Danish top-flight).which they have won four times, most recently in 2024. Last season FC Midtjylland finished second in the Superliga, They missed out on the title, finishing one point behind Danish Champions Copenhagen. On the European stage last season, FC Midtjylland started their journey in the UEFA Champions League beating Santa Coloma 4-0 on aggregate across the two legs. They then beat Hungarian side Ferencváros 3-1 on aggregate, winning their home game 2-0 and drawing the away leg. Their Champions League journey came to an end in the Play-Off Round as they were beaten 4-3 on aggregate by Slovakian side, Slovan Bratislava. That defeat saw them drop in the UEFA Europa League League Phase. During that stage of the competition, they beat Maccabi Tel Aviv, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Ludogrets Razgrad, drew with TSG Hoffenheim and Fenerbahce, and were beaten by FCSB, Eintracht Frankfurt, and Porto. They finished 20th in the League Phase, which saw them qualify for the Knockout Phase Play-Off. They faced Spanish side Real Sociedad and were beaten 2-1 at home, and 5-2 away. Like this: Like Related
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Scotsman
18-06-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
FC Midtjylland travel guide for Hibs fans: Estimated flights, hotels and more
Here's all the information fans will need to know for the Hibs clash in Europa League qualifying next month Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hibs have been drawn away to Danish side FC Midtjylland as fans begin to scramble for best modes of travel. David Gray's side have been rewarded for their third place finish in the Premiership with a shot in the Europa League and their journey begins as an unseeded side in the second qualifying round. It's a tough task that awaits against a side accustomed to playing in group stage and league phases of UEFA competitions. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Leg one is in Denmark on July 24th before the return leg a week later at Easter Road. So what do fans need to know about their opponents in terms of travel? Here's our guide to what fans can expect. How much are estimated cost of flights for Hibs away match vs FC Midtjylland? The MCH Arena where Midtjylland play their home games is a place called Herning, and it isn't exactly travel friendly for those wanting to get their easily, and without a fairly decent cost. Best bet in terms of airport is Billund Airport (BLL), followed by a combination of bus and train or just bus to then get near the stadium. So we will work off that metric rather than Aarhus Airport, and Copenhagen only factors into the equation as a mode of transfer. Flights out to Billund from Edinburgh via Copenhagen on Tuesday July 22nd and returning on Friday 25th come in at £369 without all the trimmings added. Fans could opt to just fly into Copenhagen and then get the train to Herning but that's adding three hours of rail travel and those costs into the bargain. Flights from Edinburgh via Stockholm on the 23rd and returning on the 25th come in at £361 without extras and if you can race through the layover time of just under 90 minutes in Sweden and then 90 in Amsterdam on the way back, you'd save a day's accommodation expense. These are just two examples and prices are subject to change. How much is accommodation for Hibs away match vs FC Midtjylland? Through AirBnB, there are some cost effective options if you start your stay on the 22nd, some coming in at as low as £39 a night. You might not be staying at The Ritz but you will have bedding, bathroom and WIFI facilities in most places. A three night stay in one property we looked at that was ranked highly in reviews came in at £142.41 and if you were doing just the two, it's £99. has hotels listed between £200 and the upper brackets of the £300 range for three nights and mid £100 - mid £200 range for two. Prices are subject to change. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad What is there to do in Herning? Each to their own in terms of tastes but here are some things in and around the place that are ranked as the top attractions. Carl-Henning Pedersen & Else Alfelts Museum: A museum that is honour of those two artists Skovsnogen - Deep Forest Art Land: An outdoor art exhibition based in a forest setting outside city centre by about 30 minutes via car. HEART Museum: Contemporary art museum. Herning Library: A modern architectural landmark. Elia: Northern-Europe's largest sculpture. Food and drink in Herning Here are the top rated restaurants in Herning as per TripAdvisor Restaurant 30Februar (Italian) Bryggeriet Herning (European/Scandinavian) Mezza (Lebanese/Mediterranean) Yutaka (Japanese/Seafood) Bandhan (Indian) In terms of alcohol if you are that way inclined, as per Numbeo, the average cost of domestic beer in a restaurant is 55 Danish Krone, which is equivalent to £6.31, while imported stuff is 50 and £5.73.
