PHOTO: Bildbyrån + TV4
Olof Mellberg’s words on TV4 have provoked unexpected reactions.
The former national team colleague John Alvbåge is really upset.
– It will be tragicomic and disrespectful, he tells Expressen.
It was during Denmark’s opening match against Slovenia in the football EC as the TV4 expert Olof Mellberg expressed himself somewhat strangely. When the Slovenian world goalkeeper Jan Oblak saved a nod from Rasmus Höjlund Mellberg did not think it was a particularly difficult rescue.
Mellberg’s words
The TV4 expert meant more that he is hit by the ball, rather than actively saving it. It was given to the former goalkeeper and former national team colleague John Alvbåge to react strongly.
“Moahahahaha this on a block/close shot from 1 m. What is Oblak’s job/profession then Olof? Well, getting hit getting in the way of the ball. My God, the attitude towards goalkeepers in general is often tragicomic,” writes the goalkeeper profile on X.
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Alvbåge wants to emphasize that this is not criticism directed at Olof Mellberg alone. Except that goalkeepers are often overlooked when it comes to football experts.
– This is clearly no ill will towards Mellberg. But in this particular case it just sounded so strange, he tells Expressen.
– Making a save like that, from a meter away… It’s a really big save.
Alvbåge’s criticism
Alvbåge gets annoyed when goalkeepers are not highlighted more in TV analysis and tries to take the fight to social media, to highlight and celebrate the vulnerable position.
– It is comparable to a very nice and technically well executed goal. Then it is not often that you express yourself in that way, if you turn it around. You can always dissect a rescue. To just ignore a well-executed goalkeeping job is a bit disrespectful to the professional group, he says to the evening newspaper.
– As you can hear, I like to lift the sword for the goalkeepers.
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The former Allsvenskan goalkeeper, with a past in Örebro SK and IFK Göteborg, thinks it is extremely important to gain an understanding of the player at the back between the posts.
– When children and young people, who are thinking about becoming a goalkeeper, notice that there is bad talk about goalkeepers in the stands and on social media, then they might shy away from standing between the posts. And that’s a shame. You might lose many from the next generation, says Alvbåge in the interview.
What do you think of the criticism of Olof Mellberg’s words? Share the article and have your say!
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