Ødegaard gets ready for another Norway call-up
NTB/The Local - [email protected]
Published: 1 Oct, 2014 CET.
Updated: Wed 1 Oct 2014 09:52 CET
Norway coach Per-Mathias Høgmo has called up Martin Ødegaard to his squad for the Euro 2016 qualifiers against Malta and Bulgaria, it was announced on Monday.
The 15-year-old could be the key for Norway this autumn as the Norwegian national side face Malta and Bulgaria in October, but he seems unphased by all the attention around him.
At the same time as the Norwegian national team coach Per-Mathias Høgmo announced that Ødegaard was called up, the teenager began a training session with Strømsgodset in Drammen. After training, Ødegaard was surrounded by the media where, on asked about his second call-up to the national team, he told NTB: “Of course I'm very happy, satisfied and a little surprised. I didn't believe I would join in a Europe Championship qualification match.” Ødegaard got the message just before his training session began on Monday from national team coach Per-Mathias Høgmo. Høgmo said: “Martin has performed at a high level for a long period. He has shown qualities in the top flight. He created chances on his national team début against the Emirates. He also played a good match against Portugal in U21. We think he is ready to join the team.” It is unclear how much of the matches Ødegaard will play. “We'll come back to the discussion of who will start and who will not. That also applies to Martin. He has been taken out because he is relevant for the team. He is a player who scores goals. That is why he's also extra interesting,” said Høgmo. Ødegaard said on Tuesday: “I don't feel like a rescue man for the team. I don't count on playing from the start, but I'll take the playing time I get.” The boy from Drammen is 'hot property' and has caught the interest of some of Europe's top clubs. If Ødegaard gets his chance from the start in the European Championship qualification matches against Malta and Bulgaria, the interest around him will rise even further. Ødegaard’s contract with Strømsgodset will end next season, but he is unlikely to stay until the end of the contract. The talented forward is expected to fetch anything between 20 to 100 million kroner ($3 to 15.5 milllion).
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The 15-year-old could be the key for Norway this autumn as the Norwegian national side face Malta and Bulgaria in October, but he seems unphased by all the attention around him.
At the same time as the Norwegian national team coach Per-Mathias Høgmo announced that Ødegaard was called up, the teenager began a training session with Strømsgodset in Drammen.
After training, Ødegaard was surrounded by the media where, on asked about his second call-up to the national team, he told NTB: “Of course I'm very happy, satisfied and a little surprised. I didn't believe I would join in a Europe Championship qualification match.”
Ødegaard got the message just before his training session began on Monday from national team coach Per-Mathias Høgmo.
Høgmo said: “Martin has performed at a high level for a long period. He has shown qualities in the top flight. He created chances on his national team début against the Emirates. He also played a good match against Portugal in U21. We think he is ready to join the team.”
It is unclear how much of the matches Ødegaard will play.
“We'll come back to the discussion of who will start and who will not. That also applies to Martin. He has been taken out because he is relevant for the team. He is a player who scores goals. That is why he's also extra interesting,” said Høgmo.
Ødegaard said on Tuesday: “I don't feel like a rescue man for the team. I don't count on playing from the start, but I'll take the playing time I get.”
The boy from Drammen is 'hot property' and has caught the interest of some of Europe's top clubs. If Ødegaard gets his chance from the start in the European Championship qualification matches against Malta and Bulgaria, the interest around him will rise even further.
Ødegaard’s contract with Strømsgodset will end next season, but he is unlikely to stay until the end of the contract. The talented forward is expected to fetch anything between 20 to 100 million kroner ($3 to 15.5 milllion).
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