A football coach who led Denmark to Euro 1992 glory, who passed away in 2014.

What was his biggest achievement?

 

Duh, that would be Denmark’s surprise victory at the 1992 European Championships. He was subsequently knighted in 1995. But, while Danes harp on about that win 20 years ago, you rarely hear about the man behind the team’s success.

 

What happened? Was there a falling out?

 

More accurately a falling-out with his star player, Michael Laudrup, who quit the national team in November 1990, blaming Nielsen’s defensive strategy. Eventually, he returned, but too late to help Denmark qualify for the 1994 World Cup.

 

Did the public side with Laudrup or Nielsen?

 

Hard to say. The Danish media had called for Nielsen’s head back in 1990 so were treading carefully. But they found it hard to ignore how their wonderboy Laudrup (no major championships) couldn’t produce the same kind of form under Nielsen (one major championship) as he had playing for the Dynamite under Sepp Piontek (no major championships) in the 1980s.

 

When did he call it quits?

 

After the team failed to defend their title at Euro 1996, bowing out in the group stage.

 

Any regrets? 

 

He wasn’t particularly adept at English and came unstuck in a few interviews with gems like “Screw down a little bit the expectations” and “We need to play with long balls.” Understandably in his later years he opted for only Danish.

Sommeren 92