23 Mar 2025 14:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Middelfart won 3–1 over Nykøbing FC on Sun Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are Nykøbing FC 3 win(s) Nykøbing FC and Middelfart have not drawn any of their last 3 matches against each other Have scored 6 goals in their last 5 matches Haven't kept a clean sheet in 9 matches Who won between Nykøbing FC and Middelfart on Sun 23 Mar 2025 14:00:00 GMT?Middelfart won 3–1 over Nykøbing FC on Sun 23 Mar 2025 14:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches Nykøbing FC is playing home against Middelfart on Sun Text description provided by the architects. 3XNs visionary and empathetic winning proposal unites the Middelfart savings Bank’s high ambitions for their new head office. The building must ensure a perfect environment for the employees, while also positively stress demands for high architectural quality in the future development along the harbour front. One large roof covers all functions in the building. The roof is a large elegant wooden structure with numerous openings. The openings bring in abundant amounts of daylight and allow for direct view of the sea from all places in the building, up and down. In this way, the light and friendly atmosphere sought for by the bank is achieved. © Adam MørkThe 83 prism like skylights compose the spectacular roof surface defining the geometry of the rest of the building – in reference to the maritime environment on the harbor front as well as the surrounding timber framed buildings. The roof is designed to frame a perfect view towards the Lillebælt waters as well with a functional purpose of shading from direct sunlight. © Adam MørkThe new building is carefully fitted into the context. To one side, the village is respected by following dimensions, scale and the shape of the roof. Towards the harbour the building retracts and makes way for a new, triangular space that opens for the view. From the plaza, one enters a large, indoor ‘market place’, the heart of the building. At entrance level, a bookshop, a café and a real estate agent and the cash desk is placed. © Adam MørkThe rest of the bank’s area is spread at a series of terraces with open connections to the plaza and to each other. The terraces are connected by spacious staircases that provide good opportunities for the important informal meeting. © Adam MørkWith its central position, the building will become a natural meeting point for clients, staff and visitors. In relation to the surrounding city, a delicate balance has been achieved a beautiful, contemporary and well functioning building that integrates respectfully in the overall picture. © Adam MørkInternationally renowned artist Olafur Eliasson has created an art installation for the plaza. Six ‘shooting star’ kaleidoscopes inspired by the triangular geometry of the building are lowered into the ground floor granite adding an extra dimension to the structure. © Adam MørkThermoactive Hydronic Elements With these thermoactive concrete elements it is possible to reduce the energy consumption for heating by 30 percent and the energy consumption for cooling and mechanical ventilation by up to 85 percent; in total This is due to the fact that the system allows for better use of alternative supply sources the plant can operate as a low- temperature floor heating system during winter ground water or sea water can be used for cooling The system is partly self-regulating as water for heating and/or cooling is circulated with a temperature only a few degrees from the desired room temperature and this is the key to the large energy savings In addition to energy savings the capital costs were lower due to the reduced needs for cooling and heating You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email It is one degree Celsius in the Danish town of Middelfart and the winter’s first snowfall can be seen on roof tiles bitter wind makes it a long way from Qatar in every sense The Guldkronen bar — or Gold Crown — offers refuge at the end of Middelfart’s main strip and was where a hundred or so locals gathered to watch Denmark’s opening game of the World Cup A 0-0 draw with Tunisia is not what anyone had come to see but there was a bigger picture that helped temper any sense of frustration. In the town that made him, the day was as much about Christian Eriksen and a World Cup return that had appeared fanciful 17 months ago “It doesn’t make sense that he can play in a World Cup after everything that’s happened,” says Pelle Hensen one of those watching Eriksen’s every move from the Guldkronen “We all thought we’d just be glad that he survived and then he’d retire from football “I’d died for five minutes,” Eriksen has since said bluntly the last to emerge from the tunnel for Denmark’s World Cup game against Tunisia at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan “He means a lot to everyone,” Johannes Lundsfryd Jensen mayor of the Middelfart municipality since 2017 “We are a small town but we are very proud of Christian “The important thing is not to win at the World Cup but to win in life and be able to do what we want to do “It’s wonderful to see he is where he is right now, back and better than ever,” says Lotte Rasmussen, owner of the Guldkronen, where Eriksen’s father, Thomas, is a regular. “He is an important person for the town. He isn’t like Cristiano Ronaldo What makes him special is that he’s so humble is a two-storey building and overlooks what was once Eriksen’s little world the place of his education and next door to that are the pitches where he used to play a small all-weather pitch built by Ajax and the Cruyff Foundation shortly after Eriksen had made his debut for the Dutch giants Eriksen was given the chance to pick where the pitch would be built and only ever had one place in mind has his story of meeting Eriksen there when still a schoolboy “He was my idol when I started to play football and always the guy I wanted to be when I was growing up,” he says “You can imagine what it was like to meet him I was high on that feeling for a very long time.” Mementos of an illustrious career are also on display upstairs in Middelfart BK’s pavilion. Shirts from Eriksen’s time at Ajax and Tottenham are signed and framed also act as inspiration for the youngsters who spend evenings there One shows him standing on the back row bookended by coaches Eriksen is not the only one they are proud of here. Rasmus Falk, the Copenhagen midfielder and Denmark international, has his own allotted wall space as a son of Middelfart. There are also those to have achieved big things beyond Middelfart in the women’s game, like Everton’s Katrine Veje and Liv Nyhegn of Odense All were born within 12 months of one another and together make what Middelfart like to call their “Fab Four” There is pride in each of them but none more so than Eriksen He is the national treasure that belongs to Middelfart a town that has little right to make such an impression on international football A town of just 15,000 people, meaning every inhabitant could be accommodated inside Brentford’s Gtech Community Stadium, where Eriksen last season relaunched his Premier League career Middelfart is a quiet and presentable little place that lives in the shadow of two enormous bridges who flew this nest as a 16-year-old to join Ajax’s academy He is said to have bought a mansion in nearby Odense in 2019 indicating he has long-term plans to return close to home after retirement that he first began training after the cardiac arrest last year and Middelfart “It’s not on a regular basis but maybe once a year he will come and play football at a school for disabled children,” says Jensen It’s because he wants to give them an experience “Sometimes he will also come and visit the young kids playing football when he is home Even after all these years away from Middelfart “People of this town have a special connection with Christian,” says Sebastian Pedersen a native of the town who watches the Tunisia game unfold “He’s the biggest hero in Denmark I would say A lot of people have met him but everyone feels like they have a connection That’s what made everything that happened so emotional.” a tournament postponed by 12 months due to COVID-19 Denmark has ground to a halt for its big moment in Copenhagen Finland are the opponents at the Parken Stadium The red and white of Denmark’s national flag is everywhere A giant screen has been erected in the small town square and more than 500 people are there to see the town’s most famous son carry the hopes of a nation There is a carnival mood under unbroken blue skies A lot of the town had come out to see the game together.” A cardiac arrest churned the stomachs of those watching on before resuscitation attempts were a success inside the protective ring formed by team-mates It still took almost an hour before the Danish FA was able to say Eriksen’s condition had been stabilised “He has been such a great player but also a great person outside of the field It reminded all of us about how fragile life can be Even though you run every day and you are in great shape “It was some kind of shock but also an event that brought people together. Just like Simon Kjaer and the other players I guess everyone had the feeling that we would gather around Christian The decision was eventually made to resume the game once it was known Eriksen was awake in Copenhagen’s Rigshospitalet a short drive away from the Parken Stadium Finland would win 1-0 but no one back in Middelfart cared for the result not sure what had happened,” explains Pedersen another of those to watch Eriksen’s harrowing fall Many people left because they couldn’t stay any longer I sat outside when the game started again and there was a maximum of 30 people left This small town in the heart of Denmark became an uncomfortable point of interest for the world’s media drew in journalists eager to add depth to a traumatic story we had media from around the world arrive,” says Jensen “But I think that not many people wanted to talk to the media “It should not have been public because at the time nobody knew how this would end for Christian A week in hospital, undergoing surgery and extensive testing, was followed by a careful rehabilitation that ensured Eriksen’s career was able to be rebuilt with Brentford and taken to new heights of fame with Manchester United They joke in these parts that Eriksen was given superpowers along with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) that ensures any heartbeat irregularities are quickly addressed less than nine months after the near tragedy he was back winning caps for Denmark and an inevitable pick in Kasper Hjulmand’s 26-man squad for the World Cup He has returned and it’s a relief for all of us That there is the promise of better days for Eriksen at an international tournament is what matters to most in Middelfart For all he can call upon talented and resolute team-mates a group that made it to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 without him it is Eriksen that still makes Denmark tick One piece of skill midway through the first half of yesterday’s draw with Tunisia drew was innocuous in isolation but drew appreciative cheers among those in his hometown “He doesn’t have to do much before we celebrate him,” laughs Pedersen Eriksen was Denmark’s greatest hope from set pieces but Tunisia eventually held firm for the point that gives them and Denmark all to play for in their remaining group games “It’s not what we all wanted,” says Pedersen the skilled midfielder most in Middelfart feared would not play for Denmark again They count their blessings just to have him around After many months of traveling around the U.S. and Europe, Chris Thorsheim has found a new home. On August 6th Thorsheim signed a one-year contract with BK Middelfart I'll pause for 30 seconds and then we can continue with a serious conversation The 22 year-old, described by Middelfart as a rightback, joins the Danish Second Division side after spending time with NYRBII and Vejle BK, amongst others. After a stellar college career at Bucknell, where he played a midfielder, and with the New York Red Bulls U23s Thorsheim signed with the New York Red Bulls back in December before being cut in March The one-year agreement seems to give both the club and Thorsheim flexibility in the future allowing both to move on or up depending on what the season brings he's earned the nickname Thor with his Danish teammates as well On Saturday the Michigan Bucks won the USL PDL championship with a 3-2 win over Calgary Foothills FC NATIONAL CHAMPIONS!!!!!! ⚽️⚽️ ⚽️⚽️⚽️ pic.twitter.com/LYrbjUVJ0i A centerpiece of that Bucks team was New York Red Bulls academy starlet He led the team with nine assists in the regular season while also adding a goal and an assist in the playoffs Najem won the PDL Creative Player of the Year award .@MichiganBucks' Adam Najem named PDL Creative Player of the Year! #Path2Pro pic.twitter.com/6OMDvgmLRJ It's safe to say that NYRB U23s missed a player of his quality just a little bit the New York Red Bulls do not end up thinking the same After two years of lighting New York Red Bulls II aflame Derrick Etienne has made his first team debut Etienne came off the bench Antigua for a 20-minute cameo appearance bringing his signature attacking spark up to the first team This is likely the first of many appearances for Etienne with the New York Red Bulls This past month has been a big one for Etienne as he assisted against Argentina's Olympic team for Haiti and played in the MLS Homegrown game against Mexico's U20 team all prior to making his first team debut Konrad Plewa is recovering from a stroke Opinion: It's Aaron Long's time to be on the first team NYRBII fall 4-3 to US U20s Derrick Etienne named #3 on USL 20 under 20 NYRBII beat Harrisburg 5-0 All Imaging All Ultrasound Digital & AI Ultrasound Solutions | Verisound All Patient Care Solutions All Pharmaceutical Diagnostics All Digital Solutions Verisound Digital & AI Ultrasound Solutions Clinical Accessories All Cybersecurity All Education Medical Affairs - Pharmaceutical Diagnostics Cleaner and Disinfectant Compatibility Contrast Media & Molecular Imaging Agents Explore our content collection One of the primary goals of the private clinic Progardia in Middelfart Denmark is to produce optimal MR imaging for the assessment of prostate cancer as well as providing their patients with an experience that minimizes any potential stress or fear they may feel they have invested in GE Healthcare's 3.0T SIGNA™ Architect MRI scanner It's not just about creating the very best MR images but also the very best patient experience." "It's not just about creating the very best MR images but also the very best patient experience," says Niels Thagaard "Our goal is to offer the best MRI-based assessments and studies of prostate cancer--among other things--in Denmark This requires that we not only invest in high-end equipment but also in experts skilled in operating the scanner and creating the best experience for our customers and patients We attach almost as much importance to the latter as we do to the medical part." Progardia is a highly specialized private clinic in Middelfart in Denmark and day-to-day director of the new clinic; he has over 20 years of experience in setting up MRI centers including those associated with Hamlet Private Hospital and Aabenraa Hospital "We believe there is an unmet demand for MRI procedures that provide the best starting point for diagnosis as well as addressing the anxiety and discomfort that several patients experience while they are being scanned in the MRI."  Director of Progardia Healthcare; and Kim Jensen Some patients will experience claustrophobia when they are lying in the MRI scanner this almost overrides the fear of any potential disease and more generally it can be a hurdle that prevents a significant number of people from coming forward This could lead to later diagnosis and impact the success of any subsequent treatment," says Thagaard Thagaard drew his inspiration for the clinic in Middelfart while attending RSNA the International Congress of Radiology held in Chicago by the Radiological Society of North America Clinicians in the United States have extensive experience using 3.0T MRI scanners for the diagnosis of diagnosing prostate cancer which is a primary area of focus for the clinic He works alongside Kim Jensen (Chief Radiographer and MRI specialist) and Per Ulrich (MRI specialist) Both bring decades of experience in MRI and other diagnostic imaging procedures the main advantage of the new scanner is the special AIR™ coils developed by GE Healthcare Chief radiographer and MRI specialist: "Compared to traditional body coils We believe it will greatly reduce the feeling of discomfort patients may experience with traditional body coils Another advantage is that the coils from GE Healthcare can overlap physically without compromising the result This is not possible with traditional body coils."  This is not possible with traditional body coils."  When the coil is wrapped closely around the patient you get more MR signal from the body allowing us to run quick acquisitions with good image quality This is made possible because AIR coils contain many coil elements so they can be positioned close to the anatomy being imaged In addition to AIR coils the SIGNA Architect has other advantages "There are several reasons why we chose a GE Healthcare MRI scanner as the best solution for our patient approach here," Kim Jensen explains "We purchased a 3.0T scanner because we need to perform diffusion measurements of the prostate a scanning technique that needs the high signal intensity which the SIGNA Architect machine delivers One might say that a high intensity signal is indicative of how powerful our 'binoculars' are when focusing on the hydrogen atoms that make up the images of an MRI scan." MRI specialist Per Ulrich elaborates further: "A 3.0T scanner has a magnetic field that is up to 60,000 times stronger than the Earth's magnetic field This gives us a much better signal to work with when compared to a 1.5T scanner the SIGNA Architect's magnetic field is very homogeneous which allows the radiography team to produce images that are larger than 40 cm in size This is an advantage for both the patient and for the radiographer." For example we no longer need to compose a full image of the back from three stacks of scans instead we only need two scans reducing the time the patient spends inside the scanner." MRI specialists Per Ulrich and Kim Jensen from Progardia Healthcare holding the flexible and lightweight AIR coils in front of their newly acquired MRI scanner Both Kim Jensen and Per Ulrich have high expectations for their 3.0T MRI scanner Kim has a special interest in the patient experience during MRI scanning: "From my time as a department radiographer for MR imaging at Kolding Hospital I know how important it is to focus on the right environment and on the patients comfort when I participated in the Children Centered Care Project we managed to reduce by 50% the number of children that needed to be sedated prior to an MRI but we can certainly expand on the experiences from the project in Kolding and the SIGNA Architect will allow us to do that," Kim Jensen explains a scanning technique that needs the high signal intensity that the SIGNA Architect machine delivers." a scanning technique that needs the high signal intensity that the SIGNA Architect machine delivers."  which is where claustrophobia may be triggered in contrast to smaller systems that have 60 centimeter openings newly developed technology allows for a significant reduction in noise from the scanner Progardia have added other elements to help deliver a comfortable patient experience using light sources that provide a friendly environment Most places have their scanning rooms in a basement instead Progardia installed the SIGNA Architect on the ground floor of the clinic with a view of lawns and open skies through a large window patients have the option of watching their choice of movies during the examination All of these factors help to reduce any stress the patient may feel before and during their MRI scan we also have high expectations for the scanner as a tool for our daily work," Per Ulrich explains "GE Healthcare has provided us with high-quality training for the scanner's many features it is easy to create an overview when planning your study you touch a graphical depiction of an arm and the appropriate protocols and procedures for scanning an arm automatically appear Progardia is located in the newly restored administration building of the former psychiatric hospital in Middelfart amongst green surroundings and close to the sea They are co-located with seven medical consultants each with their own specialist areas within oncology Learn more about the SIGNA Architect Learn more about AIR technology GE is a trademark of General Electric Company A Danish bank has repeatedly been recognised as one of Europe's best places to work The bank coaches its employees in self directed leadership The strategy is shown to have kept its staff engaged and motivated International arrivals to the Middle East have surpassed pre-pandemic levels except for the S&P 500 which is refreshed every two minutes Chicago Mercantile: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco Standard & Poor’s and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC All content of the Dow Jones branded indices Copyright S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and/or its affiliates Market holidays and trading hours provided by Copp Clark Limited '+n.escapeExpression("function"==typeof(o=null!=(o=r(e,"eyebrowText")||(null!=l?r(l,"eyebrowText"):l))?o:n.hooks.helperMissing)?o.call(null!=l?l:n.nullContext||{},{name:"eyebrowText",hash:{},data:t,loc:{start:{line:28,column:63},end:{line:28,column:78}}}):o)+" \n '+(null!=(o=c(e,"if").call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2PreText"):l,{name:"if",hash:{},fn:n.program(32,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:63,column:20},end:{line:63,column:61}}}))?o:"")+"\n"+(null!=(o=(c(e,"ifAll")||l&&c(l,"ifAll")||n.hooks.helperMissing).call(r,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Text"):l,null!=l?c(l,"cta2Link"):l,{name:"ifAll",hash:{},fn:n.program(34,t,0),inverse:n.noop,data:t,loc:{start:{line:64,column:20},end:{line:70,column:30}}}))?o:"")+" Are you sure you want to block this user and hide all related comments throughout the site Your comment will be visible once approved On Tuesday Denmark take on France aiming to make it to the second round for only the second time in Eriksen’s lifetime and looking to their talismanic playmaker to secure their passage I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice returning home after an acrimonious meeting with King Valdemar IV were murdered by some local fishermen as they tried to find a boat to transport them to Jutland is the last event of real note to have occurred in Middelfart on the western tip of the Danish island of Funen The whale blubber industry began to taper off at the start of the 20th century Middelfart seems to have accepted its fate: a small town in the centre of a small country the sort of place you go in search of the quiet life it’s in the middle,” says Kim Frank Petersen It was his defining display in the play-off against Ireland that secured Denmark’s passage to Russia; now a proud nation is looking to its talismanic playmaker to secure its passage to round two as one might expect to emerge from a sleepy commuter town on the outskirts of nowhere who coached him in the school team for three years “What you miss,” De Boer recalls telling Eriksen, “is the ego to score goals. You always want to give the pass, if there is a rebound from the goalkeeper, or if you see somebody else gives the ball to the striker, you have to support. That, for an offensive midfielder, is important.” In his first six years of international football, Eriksen scored five goals. In the two years since, he has scored 17. And so the killer instinct that would turn him into one of Europe’s most feared playmakers: that would have to come from somewhere else: his father. Thomas Eriksen was a promising left-winger in his youth, until his career was cut short by injuries. And in the subsequent years, it’s tempting to speculate that he invested all his own aspirations in the son he hoped would one day fulfil his destiny. How strict was Thomas? Accounts differ. “I’ve heard the same as you,” says Petersen. “But it wasn’t so bad. It wasn’t as if Christian was crying. But his father could see what he was able to do with a ball, and helped him. He was a very good footballer – I’m only five years older than him, and we played on the same team – but he didn’t reach the level of Christian.” It wasn’t long before Europe’s scouts were descending on Middelfart in hot pursuit. Chelsea invited him for two trials at Cobham at the age of 14 and 15, but immediately Eriksen felt uneasy. “You see how closed it is behind doors,” he later remembered. “Where I came from, everything was open, everyone could go into the training ground. Here you came in through two gates, 24-hour security. That was the first thing that made me pull back a little bit. I was just a quiet kid from Middelfart.” Ironically, given where he would end up, De Boer offered up the example of Rafael van der Vaart and Peter Crouch at Tottenham. “Van der Vaart plays a little bit in the same position at Spurs,” De Boer explained. “But when the ball goes to Crouch, he doesn’t look at Van der Vaart. He’s already on his way to support Crouch. And he scored a lot of goals from Crouch getting the ball and laying it back, or at the far post. That, he had to get in his mind.” “You play with central attackers and wingers. But look at how Christian plays. He often starts out wide, then moves into the centre and keeps changing between those positions. He gets better and better with every year. And from my point of view, he can play everywhere and at any club. With his idea of football, how he reads the game and dictates its pace, he’s a top player.” This is the role Eriksen as taken on for Denmark: not so much a part of the system, but the system itself, an attacker without portfolio, given licence to gather the ball wherever it is and chase it down wherever it might be. His spectacular goal against Australia on Thursday was a prime example: anticipating the move, working himself into position on the edge of the box, and executing a fine left-footed finish from 20 yards. The story of Eriksen, then, is one of a quiet kid from a quiet town who – reluctantly at first – has borne the burden of a nation. At Spurs, he has the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli to help him out. Here, he’s pretty much on his own. “We have the prime minister, the Queen, and Caroline Wozniacki,” says Petersen. “But Christian is pretty near.” Get Denmark to round two, and they may well have to give that a rethink. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies 26 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Middelfart won 1–0 over AB on Sat The current head to head record for the teams are Middelfart 4 win(s) Have scored 10 goals in their last 5 matches Noah Engell is the competition's top scorer (12) 26 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT?Middelfart won 1–0 over AB on Sat 26 Apr 2025 12:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches Middelfart is playing home against AB on Sat Coaches who have worked with the Denmark midfielder explain what makes him so special – and how he needed a kick up the backside to go from good to great Read moreHansen is speaking inside the smart standing in front of a wall that displays shirts signed the night Eriksen and Denmark will face Panama in a pre-World Cup friendly eyes transfixed on the television opposite On the way in a visitor must walk past the first pitch a five-year-old Eriksen ever used – these days a haphazardly kept quadrangle with small-sided goals dotted around Three decades before him Hansen had begun kicking a ball around on the same turf progressing to play for Middelfart’s first team alongside Eriksen’s father We have a lot of good kids but nobody like Christian played on the left side and made a lot of goals,” Hansen remembers of Thomas a car parts salesman who still lives a few hundred metres away the family home only just out of sight beyond the fields to the back Christian would watch the senior side play – “When we came off he would always say ‘You were good today,’ even when we lost” – but the realisation that he would become a cut above most others who tried their luck in a town much better known for its links to the oil industry came quickly “We have a lot of good kids but nobody like Christian: when he was small everyone could see that he was special,” says Hansen he was the guy who took care of all the others He was the best player from the start but he’d never say it Thomas was one of Christian’s coaches and success was never far away In 2004 Middelfart’s under‑12 side finished fifth in the whole of Denmark; that year his age group also finished unbeaten in the local championship of Funen – the country’s middle island – for the third time in four years “We try and teach them that it’s nice to have the ball nice to do something with it that can get us quickly to the other goal,” says Hansen pointing to a list of “Blue Lines” that spell out the 70-year-old club’s history Eriksen playing football in his parent’s garden in Middelfart with his father Thomas Photograph: Poulsen Lars/Ritzau/Press Association ImagesEriksen was moving in that direction “He was the best technical player I have ever seen sitting in an office at the training ground of Odense BK Everyone could see he was the best individual but he was just as much the best at working for the team.” These days Skjoldemose works in the top-flight club’s commercial department but in 2005 when a 13-year-old Eriksen made the 30-mile journey from Middelfart he was at the heart of their youth operation “Middelfart always have one or two players who are good enough,” he says and that year they were Eriksen and his close friend Rasmus Falk The pair came as a well-established double act the current head of Odense’s academy and a former coach of Eriksen at regional level remembers a match between Middelfart Under-12s and their rivals TPI in which the latter were 4-0 up at half-time “Christian and Rasmus just got on the ball If you ask the guys that played at the time Things continued in a similar vein at Odense where their age group would win the national title in 2006 who coached them directly at under-16 level quickly noticed “some kind of magical atmosphere around that team” Eriksen’s seriousness and maturity setting him apart “He was invited to trials abroad at places like Chelsea and Milan,” he says “When he got back the guys in the dressing room would go: ‘How was it in Milan?’ but he’d just say Are you ready for another session now?’ Every other kid would have been walking in the sky.” Christian Eriksen with Ajax in 2011 ‘They played the kind of football the family wanted,’ one his former coaches says Photograph: VI-Images via Getty ImagesOut on Odense’s pitch No 1 Eriksen would score free-kick after free-kick Hermansen reaches for his laptop and pulls up footage from a technical skills DVD he made for the Danish FA in 2005 one that is still shown in seminars around the continent today “His touch on the ball – 13 years old!” he exclaims but the most familiar-looking piece of footage is of a technically perfect set piece Six of his 41 goals in the Premier League have come that way and there is a thrill in seeing the past presage the future so unmistakably he would have found first-team chances hard to come by at Odense – it was not the fashion “It was very smart of them,” he says of the Eriksens’ choice “I think they knew 100% what they wanted to do with Christian and how Amsterdam is five or six hours’ drive away They’ve always had Danish guys there and they also played the kind of football the family wanted.” Morten Olsen first watched Eriksen play in November 2009, two months before his promotion to the Ajax first-team squad Denmark’s under-17s were playing a friendly against France and Olsen nearly a decade into his 15-year stint as the senior national team’s coach knowing the human being and the footballerMorten Olsen former Denmark coach“After five minutes watching I might as well have gone home,” he tells the Guardian “He was playing against a very physically strong side but the technique From the beginning he was what I call a ‘wow’ footballer.” By the following March Eriksen was in Olsen’s squad; three months after that he would be the youngest player at the World Cup in South Africa appearing against the Netherlands and Japan His path towards becoming the country’s footballing fulcrum was set although there was the occasional bump in the road it was a dose of fire and brimstone; his way from the very beginning had been to let the ball speak but Olsen thought that that was lending itself too much to passivity In October 2014 he fiercely reproached Eriksen after a Euro 2016 qualifying defeat by Portugal saying the player was not managing to control games and that this was “not Ajax any more … not development” “He’s the only guy in the national team I have criticised as much as that after a game,” Olsen says “Normally I do it indoors but I said to myself that he could live with it – and that he had to live with it he needed to learn to live with the responsibility Some people said I was too hard but at the time I had to press another button on Christian Eriksen knowing the human being and the footballer.” It was a carefully calculated kick up the backside. In Eriksen’s next 20 internationals he scored 15 goals, including the hat-trick in Dublin that in effect took Denmark to the World Cup is designed to put him in areas where he can hurt opponents to a degree none of his peers can match “Even on a bad day Christian would run 13 or 14km for the team,” Olsen says “So we can never really say he played a poor game Eriksen celebrates after scoring for Denmark in the play-off against Republic of Ireland which sealed a World Cup berth Photograph: Lars Ronbog/FrontzoneSport via Getty ImagesWhether or not they do Eriksen will almost certainly be back in Middelfart later this summer staying with his parents and dropping in on old friends He will see the pitch Middelfart Boldklub constructed with the £35,000 they received on his move from Ajax to Tottenham; perhaps he will also pass by his old school whose “Cruyff Court” bears his name and was bequeathed during his time in the Eredivisie An unassuming town and its equally demure offspring have served one another well “It would be great to have one like him every 10 years but nobody can promise that,” Hansen says The regret is a trifling one at most; his club has already delivered a talent for the ages The RBNY Academy product and (briefly) Homegrown player is moving up the leagues in Denmark By the summer of 2016, Thorsheim had landed with Danish third-tier outfit Middelfart (stop it). And now he has converted that experience into a step up: Nykobing FC has announced Thorsheim's signing on its official Facebook page The club revealed the player's contract will run to the end of the Danish 2017-18 season Thorsheim joins a team currently placed eighth in Denmark's 12-team First Division (the second tier of Danish soccer) but only four points off the top spot in a crowded table On Facebook, Nykobing's sporting director, Claus Jensen, described Thorsheim as "technically gifted" with "great offensive qualities". Nykobing returns from its winter break at the beginning of March the development seeks to demonstrate how sustainable housing development can be combined with ambitious afforestation ‘as humanity is facing its greatest challenge ever with the imminent threat of climate change, habitat loss and depletion of natural resources — not to mention the ongoing pandemic — we need to rethink the way we live together on this planet but across all species and ecosystems,’ EFFEKT tells designboom discussing how the project responds to the biennale’s theme — ‘how will we live together?’ responding to denmark’s goal of covering 20% of its landmass with forest by 2100, EFFEKT developed the project in collaboration with the town of middelfart will be densely planted with a mix of native tree seedlings — an approach based on interviews and insight from industry experts anders busse nielsen and björn wiström ‘with a project like ‘naturbyen’ we try to address the growing need for more housing while also restoring natural habitats in close proximity to our cities increasing biodiversity and through afforestation sequester carbon over time,’ EFFEKT explains the initial planting in the nutrient rich agricultural soil is very dense and creates an optimal micro-climate that stimulates growth the trees are progressively thinned out and new sub-layers of vegetation are planted to retain the micro-climate and increased biodiversity within the system the architects explain that this method greatly accelerates the establishment of the woodland this is compared to the 100-200 years it takes a forest to regenerate in nature the new forest will provide food through edible crops such as fruits this means that future residents will be able to use the forest not only for recreational purposes local composting and small livestock will enable residents to nurture the forest ‘by rethinking use of land and the concept of private/shared/public we can make room for more biodiversity right at our doorsteps — in this case an urban food forest creating a healthy living environment for all species,’ the architects tell designboom ‘this strategy creates a long series of positive side effects such as protecting our groundwater increasing biodiversity and encouraging social interaction between residents.’ the new district comprises a variety of different housing typologies and ownership models in addition to traditional owner-occupied housing and community housing — resulting in a diverse mix of residents the new homes within the forest are arranged in clusters of 15-25 units around a shared courtyard each of these homes has direct access to two smaller private terraces — one located towards the courtyard and one towards the forest the shared landscape and the spaces between the houses are intended for recreational and social purposes ‘nature is so crucial to our well-being as humans — but indeed also to the well-being of our planet,’ continues sinus lynge ‘with cities rapidly expanding we must find a way to make more space for nature while also securing more homes for our growing population by combing the latest forestry research with an urban planning strategy for suburban areas that focus on sharing outdoor areas and optimizing infrastructure we can live with the same density but make room for more ‘nature’ who does not want a forest right outside your doorstep?’ the project prioritizes natural materials and energy efficient construction the homes have been designed to be small but efficient with a focus on high quality construction and functionality while freeing up space for biodiversity and the natural environment the homes will be built from natural and recyclable materials with a particular emphasis on timber the project strives to create a CO2-negative solution for future housing supply CO2-negative buildings actively contribute to reducing carbon dioxide emissions associated with construction and operation this can only be achieved by a combination of CO2 storage through afforestation CO2 storage in materials (wood and biomass) as well as through the energy communities (smart grids) the more than 200 new homes will be connected through a local energy grid that provides clean renewable power to the new inhabitants and leads excess energy back to the grid the development seeks to provide a valid alternative to traditional ‘parcel and row’ housing options which are still the predominant form of housing in denmark the project hopes to attract citizens who want to get closer to nature ‘with a project like ‘naturbyen’ we help raise the bar for future residential neighborhoods and strengthen the competencies within sustainable construction and urban planning so we can reduce CO2 emissions and be an inspiration for others both nationally and internationally,’ says mayor of middelfart municipality the municipality is currently in discussions with potential developers and stakeholders with the project expected to move through planning in late 2021 behind the scenes from the production of EFFEKT’s contribution to the 2021 venice architecture biennale name: naturbyen (nature village) typology: masterplan, residential location: middelfart, denmark year: 2020 – status: in progress client: middelfart municipality EFFEKT design team: sinus lynge AXOR presents three bathroom concepts that are not merely places of function but destinations in themselves — sanctuaries of style Things you buy through our links may earn Vox Media a commission She met Trump in 1998 at the Kit Kat Club in New York Their courtship story is as chaste as its backdrop is louche: Donald saw Melania but Donald had arrived with another woman — the Norwegian cosmetics heiress Celina Midelfart — so Melania refused you giggled when you first read her name.) while the nuances of Norwegian humor might be lost in translation In a 2008 interview with Norwegian newspaper E24, Trump spoke fondly of her, saying that Midelfart is “a wonderful person and businesswoman.” And in a March interview with TV2 Norway Midelfart said she’s following Trump’s run and the 2016 election with “excitement and wonder like many others,” which is certainly one way to put it Whether Celina actually dated Trump or it was all just a product of the rumor mill being able to say “First Lady Midelfart” remains forever a lost opportunity Celina Midelfart at a 2013 dinner in Stockholm the night before Princess Madeleine of Sweden and Christopher O’Neill married Password must be at least 8 characters and contain: you’ll receive occasional updates and offers from New York the world’s first ‘biological house’ has opened its doors to the public setting a new high standard for eco-friendly buildings the modular structure is made from upcycled materials the biological house uses agricultural industry residual products like grass straw and seaweed and upcycles them into valuable building mediums the biological house by een til een takes pride in processing materials that would be normally considered waste and burned for energy and turns them into the bulk of the raw materials needed for construction this avoids the environmental impact that burning them would cause and gives them a second life the property can be easily adapted to each customer the building can be removed and rebuilt anywhere the design and construction of the project involved a rigorous process where innovative techniques were tested and developed along the way. for example, the building sits upon screw piles instead of a traditional concrete foundation. additionally, it uses kebony for cladding due to its environmental credentials and we have all certainly learnt a great deal over the course of planning and construction,’ says kim christofte ‘it has been a pleasure to watch the team find so many clever solutions to the problems encountered along the way and we are delighted to finally open the doors to share this unique house with the public.’ GoSail Middelfart and the International Melges 24 Class Association (IM24CA) announce the publication of the Notice of Race for the 2023 Melges 24 World Championship powered by the bunkering company Bunker One to be hosted in Middelfart from 24 June to 1 July 2023 Online Registration for the regatta is now open at the event website where full logistical and supporting information can also be found Event Chairman and CEO of the GoSail Søren Laugesen – “Melges 24 Worlds 2023 will be hosted in Middelfart Denmark just like we did in 2015 when we raced here with 96 participating boats We are happy to welcome Melges 24 teams back into our waters and we will do our very best to host a great Championship What a great way to celebrate the 30th anniversary of racing this beautiful boat!” In 2023 the Melges 24 World Championship will be sailed for the 24th time and to prove the longevity of the boat and the loyalty of the sailors the Class is hopeful to see some of the class stalwarts racing in Middelfart Having said that among the very first entries we’ll find the Estonian Lenny team of Tõnu and Toomas Tõniste along with crew member Tammo Otsasoo who were racing at the very first Melges 24 Worlds in Torquay were winning their second Melges 24 Corinthian World Championship title in Middelfart back in 2015 Another Class stalwart has made his entry already­–Italian Andrea Racchelli with his Altea team is no stranger to the first Worlds nor to the Middelfart waters where he sailed to the second stage on the overall podium at the Worlds in 2015 International Melges 24 Class Association is thrilled to be celebrating 30 years of racing the Melges 24 We are excited to see our class stalwarts in Middlefart but also looking forward to having many newcomers and excited sailors on beloved Melges 24s on the starting line IM24CA Chair and owner of Dark Energy USA-864 is expecting to welcome as many as possible Melges 24 owners and sailors­ in Middelfart – from Europe and overseas “Join us for a celebration of this outstanding one-of-a-kind one-design boat by attending and racing at the Worlds in Denmark We are expecting top teams from across Europe and beyond to compete for these coveted titles “Having hosted a previous Worlds and boasting upgraded facilities and excellent wind conditions we can all take pride and confidence that this will be a great event for our class – worthy of the 30th year of the boat this is an excellent opportunity to experience the fun and intensity of a World Championship!” The event will be hosted by GoSail in collaboration with Fredericia Sailing Club in Middelfart and sailed out of Middelfart Marina The maritime market town Middelfart at the Little Belt is a mecca for water sports and unique angling and scuba diving opportunities Middelfart offers first-class maritime experiences Denmark is a nation where sailing is a sport worshipped by tens of thousands and a hugely important part of Danish outdoor life Sailing is as much a way of life in Denmark as a sport and Denmark has a long tradition of sailing and competing The sport combines two great Danish loves – one is the actual sailing and the other is the social life ashore – both being equally important and not least visitors and vacationing families can enjoy the view from the cafés at the beautiful waterfront shop on the pedestrian street with the many different shops or go exploring the galleries Surrounded by water and unique countryside Middelfart is the perfect base for a holiday – and a Melges 24 event Middelfart offers several accommodation options–whether you choose a castle you are so close to the Little Belt that you are almost rocked to sleep by the waves Special offers for the Melges 24 Worlds participants are available for booking through the event website Saturday 24 to Monday 26 June: Registration and Measurement Monday 26 June: Practice Race and the Opening Ceremony Tuesday 27 June to Saturday 1 July: 2023 Melges 24 World Championship April 1 – Early Bird Entry Fee deadline June 17 – The closing date for the registration of Corinthian entries Melges 24 Worlds 2023 website and Official Notice Board Notice of Race Entry list Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription Sign up to receive awesome content in your inbox We don’t spam!Read our privacy policy for more info We keep your data private and don't spam. Read our full Privacy Policy © Copyright © 2005-document.write(new Date().getFullYear()) Live Sail Die Limited The views and opinions expressed on this web site are soley those of the original authors and other contributors These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of official sailing agencies Live Sail Die is a recognised member of the NZ Marine Industry Association.Live Sail Die drone pilots are CAA Part 102 Certificated Yellow confetti is raining down on the shoulders of the slim Christian Eriksen looks up at the source momentarily as yellow scraps of paper continue to fall around him He takes his place between Rasmus Lindgren and Kennedy and stares straight ahead The noise from the opposition supporters doesn’t bother him he was about to play his first senior game as a professional footballer It was only the day before that coach Martin Jol flirted with the idea of letting him start when he saw his name on the Ajax tactics board before the game but he was already so good that I thought it would be wrong not to have him start,” recalls Jol that Eriksen later recalls being impressed by the sheer force of it Today’s game isn’t just a milestone achievement for the Dane Shortly before kick-off at the nearly sold-out NAC Stadion The Uruguay international and current Barcelona superstar sporting long hair and the number 16 on his shirt whispers words of encouragement in his ear Eriksen nods in appreciation of his captain’s advice It’s the touch that marks the true beginning of his senior career – and the start of a remarkable and formidable rise Eriksen was already a young talent during his time in the Netherlands and his early promise would eventually shape his years as an extraordinary playmaker first in Amsterdam Goal and SPOX have talked to former team-mates and coaches of the Dane who helped transform him from a promising youth player for Middelfart in Denmark into a member of football’s elite A toddler gazes into the camera with wide-eyed wonderment “My story started in Middelfart,” wrote Eriksen on Instagram in July 2016 “where I dreamed of becoming a professional footballer Middelfart is the place where everything began Middelfart is located in the south of Denmark on the island of Funen the town boasts a population of 15,000 and doesn’t even rank in the top 20 largest municipalities of the Syddanmark region The Middelfart senior men’s team and academy train across eight different fields Six hundred children and young adults between the ages of five and 17 are active with the club whose senior team currently play in the Danish third division The club’s endless square metres of green the cafeteria and recreational centre were Eriksen’s home for about a decade It was here that he spent his formative years as a kindergartner to a teenager and where he learned the foundations of what would turn him into one of the greatest playmakers of his generation The Eriksen family live just a stone’s throw away from club grounds and Christian’s parents Thomas and Dorthe still reside there starting in the garden of his parents’ home “Football has always been a big thing in my family,” says Eriksen His little sister played football as well was so talented that he nearly became a professional footballer himself “From the very start,” says Eriksen “I’ve always played football I played badminton and even won a tournament but it was all about football for me.” It was clear that Eriksen was special even from a very young age “Our neighbour’s son was about three years older and one day he was just playing football with his friends,” recalls Thomas in an interview with Jyllands-Posten “Christian ran over to them and joined in we saw that he was as good as someone twice his age.” “He slept in bed snuggled up with the ball until he was 10 years old The ball was his stuffed animal,” says Eriksen’s father It was also his father who taught him one of the most important lessons still ingrained in Eriksen’s footballing DNA: that you must always be aware of your ego and have humility “His father trained him as a child and told him that a single footballer is worth nothing It’s stayed with Christian to this day,” recounts Glenn Riddersholm who coached Eriksen in the Denmark Under-17 team Thomas was the coach of one of his son’s most talented youth sides In a 2004 U12 tournament that featured the best clubs in the country the team competed in the local championships without falling to a single defeat “We tried to teach them that it’s good to have the ball and do something with it,” Thomas told the Guardian His father was also the one who would immediately discuss areas of improvement in the car ride home from the match A friend who was always at Eriksen’s side is Rasmus Falk who is currently under contract at FC Copenhagen and a player who Eriksen has known since he was five when Middelfart were 4-0 down at half-time who coached the team after Eriksen’s father remembers how the clever duo took the game to the next level: “Christian and Rasmus got the ball constructing makeshift goalposts in the garden and emulating his childhood idols Francesco Totti and Brian and Michael Laudrup Eriksen still plays an important part at Middelfart His shirts adorn the club’s facilities and his story has inspired countless young Danish talents to follow in his footsteps and push them to make their dreams come true as well the name Middelfart is important,” Claus Hansen “The kids think: ‘Christian Eriksen is from Middelfart it was time for Eriksen to leave the nest and move on he moved to the Odense youth academy in order to stay as close as possible to his hometown It was here that he matured from talented C-list youth star to Danish talent of the century and it wasn’t long before he was hunted by top clubs and watched by millions Riddersholm coached just one player he rarely had to criticise “You have to keep in mind that he was 17 years old and yet so eager to develop I didn’t even have time to take him under my wing,” the 46-year-old remembers Riddersholm currently coaches Danish first division side Sonderjyske He continues: “My time with Christian was something that I experienced with no other.” Riddersholm was Eriksen’s coach for the Denmark U17s and he still fondly recalls the time when ‘Christian Eriksen: Middelfart youth prodigy’ became ‘Christian Eriksen: international superstar’ “I knew that there was this boy who was so good that everyone just talked about him constantly,” he says He reads games cleverly and sees things that the others don’t and he’s by far the best I’ve ever trained.” No matter who you talk to about the young Eriksen everyone is in agreement; they had never come across such a sensation before “He’s definitely one of the most gifted players I’ve ever watched,” says former Netherlands midfielder Urby Emanuelson who handed Eriksen his first senior start in the Eredivisie the young Eriksen worked hard to realise his journey as a footballer At the core of Eriksen’s philosophy was valuing modesty “Christian was always down to earth,” says Riddersholm “His colleagues would always be aiming for recognition and fame but Christian never saw himself as anything particularly outstanding everyone around him raved about his skills and praised his abilities But Christian remained calm and unbothered He worked hard and was always critical about himself.” Riddersholm asked him during training if he was aware of just how good he was He continues: “He was a very quiet boy and would do simple things in games that were just quietly spectacular.” the Danish youth side took part in a junior tournament Eriksen missed an early penalty in an important game “He didn’t hang his head up in shame for a second He ended up scoring a brace to win the game 3-1,” recalls Riddersholm “This game showed how gifted he was He wasn’t only physically skilled – he was mentally intelligent as well.” Eriksen won the U16 championships with Odense alongside his team-mate and friend Rasmus Falk the interest extended past the Danish borders Scouts from afar came to watch Eriksen play and they were treated to sights of the young playmaker making dream pass after dream pass the Danish Football Association still show videos of Eriksen taking free kicks in training and everyone knew that it was time for the young talent to leave the comforts of his home country and start to make history elsewhere One such rule is that youth players are required to undergo a trial before negotiations even begin Ajax had made their interest in Eriksen known to his father Thomas and his former club Odense and they asked him to come to Amsterdam for a trial But Eriksen’s father refused their request “Christian has moved so many times and he’s already played for the U17 national side He also has to go to school,” Thomas Eriksen said in an interview with Jyllands-Posten and one that could have shaped the course of Eriksen’s future – for better or for worse There was one man in particular who understood the seriousness of the case: John Steen Olsen once a professional footballer and Denmark international started working as a scout for Ajax in 1995 and specialised in identifying talents from Scandinavia He spearheaded the transfer of Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2001 and is known for having a special eye for singling out young The 76-year-old was so excited by the prospect of Eriksen that he was able to convince Ajax sporting director Danny Blind to accompany him to Denmark and attempt to persuade Eriksen’s family to change their minds When Eriksen first arrived at the Odense youth academy in 2005 he had already attracted the interest of top European clubs There were times when scouts observed the Odense players almost daily and there were representatives from the likes of Barcelona “My buddy Rasmus and I went to Chelsea for a trial,” Eriksen says “I played three games for their U18 side West Ham and another club whose name I can’t think of right now I saw people like Jose Mourinho and Didier Drogba walking around and famous players all having lunch together Eriksen was equally surprised as he was irritated by the elite professionalism and discretion shown on the Blues grounds It was the first time he had truly encountered quite an established football club it wasn’t like anything he had experienced back home Anyone could enter the training ground and do whatever they liked,” he recalls there were two gates that were guarded by security staff 24 hours a day It made me realise just how huge the club was it was a completely different world.” Eriksen also completed a trial in Catalonia spending five days with the Barcelona youth side “We played against the Catalan national team and I touched the ball three times in 90 minutes,” remembers Eriksen “I ran around for 90 minutes chasing the ball I don’t know what happened to me that day but during the game I thought to myself: ‘I won’t be here anyway.’ Maybe it was because everyone was speaking in Spanish.” trials became a formative experience for Eriksen at the club for which his idol Brian Laudrup once played for “We spent a week at Milan when Christian was just 16,” says his father Thomas They had a good training ground and good staff and we talked to the youth coaches who also were interested in Christian But Odense demanded a fee that was much too high.” confirms: “He had just as much fun training with Odense again the next day That’s where his mental strength comes in It didn’t affect him that these big clubs kept showing their interest in him.” Eriksen’s level-headedness was apparent once again when he moved to Ajax it was the move that proved to be the most crucial The game against Breda ends in a disappointing 1-1 draw It’s an underwhelming result for powerhouse Ajax against a minnow of a side The gap between themselves and PSV is already at nine points you usually don’t want to be too adventurous with the ball so you don’t make mistakes He always took risk after risk,” says Jol on Eriksen following his senior debut which was met with praise from the Dutch press Some journalists even branded him as the ‘new Wesley Sneijder’ the Ajax icon who left for Real Madrid in 2007 “What I’ll never forget,” remembers Jol Christian was not one who laughed out loud there was always that smile of his after the match.” After he promoted Eriksen to the first team and handed him his debut on that cold January day Ajax remained unbeaten for 23 Eredivisie games in a row They hadn’t won the Eredivisie in a while They were going through a bit of a dry spell The squad was made up of current Spurs stars Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld as well as former Barcelona players Oleguer and Gabi and the now ex-Manchester United player Daley Blind (who has since returned to Ajax) possibly the best number nine in the world today it was an elite collection of star players who had already established themselves at the top level “We didn’t have a number 10 at the time We played in a 4-3-3 system with a number six and two eights but I wanted a true number 10,” Jol recalls Eriksen was already showing so much promise at the tender age of 17 that Jol simply had no choice but to sign the youngster Eriksen was included in 14 of the 16 remaining league games they won 15 of their 17 league games (drawing the other two) but at the end of the season it wasn’t good enough to clinch the title Ajax started decently again - winning 10 of 17 games Eriksen only contributed a minor part during this period Jol was dismissed from his post and managerial duties were handed over to U19 manager Frank de Boer De Boer took over as Ajax coach on December 6 just two days before the game that changed everything The traveling Ajax fans took their seats at the sold-out San Siro guests at the legendary ground that Milan called their home and it was an atmosphere that invited goosebumps – as well as the biggest names in football Massimo Ambrosini and Mathieu Flamini were among the Milan players who started the game Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kevin-Prince Boateng would come on as substitutes later on On the opposite side of the pitch stood 18-year-old Christian Eriksen Eriksen didn’t have a particularly memorable game but he played with the confidence of a seasoned world-class talent The young Dane shot and passed from distance Eriksen won his physical duels and fed Suarez more balls than any other player One of the most dangerous shots from the Uruguay international came from an Eriksen pass and it soared high above Milan goalkeeper Marco Amelia and over the crossbar Ajax won the game 2-0 thanks to goals from Demy de Zeeuw and Alderweireld who maintained a 93 per cent pass accuracy who was already familiar with Eriksen from the U19 side the Dane started all the remaining league games of the 2010-11 season He completed the full 90 minutes a total of 15 times out of 17 games Eriksen was key in making sure that Ajax didn’t struggle when captain Suarez left for Liverpool that very January – and it was later that season that they finally became Eredivisie champions once again “It was the first title in seven years so you saw how much that meant to everyone in the club That was a big deal,” recounts Eriksen The next two seasons brought Ajax two more title wins Eriksen was crucial in their Eredivisie-winning campaigns he racked up 30 assists (the second-best total in the Eredivisie after Dries Mertens with 31) maintained the best pass accuracy and had the most assists from dead-ball situations who is five and a half years older than Eriksen and was recalls: “After the departure of great playmakers in Rafael van der Vaart and Sneijder Eriksen filled their shoes quickly.” It’s the natural ease of Eriksen’s play that sets him apart from his peers “He played as if he were on the bench or in the park as if there was no pressure at all,” says Jol he thinks fast and also seems to have his eyes in his back he’ll spot you anyway,” says De Boer Eriksen’s former team-mate Lesly de Sa remembers: “The main difference between Eriksen and the other players is that he didn’t change his game after moving from the youth academy to the senior team It’s also a testament to his mentality as a player His confidence in his own abilities is what makes him unique.” He had great awareness and tactical intelligence and was a gifted goalscorer He could decide the course of a game with a single touch,” says De Sa Eriksen is able to assimilate to his new surroundings quickly he became fluent in Dutch and was able to communicate with his team-mates easily,” recalls De Sa Emanuelson adds: “Eriksen used to joke around but only when the time was right for it.” Jol says: “His mind was football You never had to tell him what he had to do Of course we had fixed training schedules and weight room sessions But Christian also had his own individual goals spend more time in training to work on his shots and knew exactly what he wanted to achieve for himself.” Eriksen was directly involved in 24 goals in 33 league games (10 goals He was also directly involved in five goals across six Champions League matches (one goal four assists) and led Ajax to a European victory against Manchester City If anyone needed any more proof that Eriksen was ready for bigger challenges they were still reeling from the events of the previous night It had only been a few hours since Dortmund players Marco Reus and Felipe Santana scored injury-time goals against Malaga in the Champions League quarter-finals when Klopp got the call It was the news that would change everything “I hadn’t expected it at all Michael Zorc told me at the training ground: ‘We have to talk Mario is going to Bayern Munich.’ I turned around drove home and got into bed,” recalls Klopp in a conversation with DAZN “We had plans to attend the premiere of Wotan Wilke Mohring that evening My wife was all dressed up and ready to go but I just said: 'I can’t do anything tonight.’“We had plans to attend the premiere of Wotan Wilke Mohring that evening but I just said: 'I can’t do anything tonight.’ It’s only football I wasn’t prepared to get hit like that after the high-flier against Malaga and qualifying for the semi-finals I had to let that settle for a bit.” the discussions at Dortmund’s training ground in Brackel began over how they should replace their star player Dortmund were involved in intense discussions with three players in particular They were interested in Henrikh Mkhitaryan Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke and director Zorc were able to observe Eriksen closely on two occasions BVB played against Ajax twice in the Champions League group stage of the 2012-13 season the club’s senior staff were able to identify a certain young midfielder with unbelievable talent who seemed to completely control the course of the game was born in 1992 and was blessed with similar technical brilliance and a skilled eye They were both accurate passers of the ball and their slim stature allowed them to move nimbly and freely He’s an extremely important player for Tottenham,” says Gotze about Eriksen because of his playing style and his success at Ajax Eriksen was on the market when Dortmund were looking to replace the German Although Klopp personally approached De Boer to inquire about Eriksen they weren’t convinced that the Dane was the right player for Klopp’s heavy metal football There were doubts about Eriksen’s qualities without the ball he intuitively makes runs into spaces and exploits others he can anticipate his opponent’s moves better than others,” says Riddersholm there were two other candidates that Dortmund were interested in Eriksen toyed with the idea of making the switch over to the black and yellow army During Ajax’s Eredivisie celebrations in May 2013 he said that he was open for a new challenge Joining Borussia Dortmund “wouldn’t be bad,” said Eriksen at the time “We played against them twice and lost twice but that would be a great club to join.” he said in an interview with NUSport: “Dortmund is a club that I would like to play in Eriksen also revealed that Ajax and Dortmund had spoken with his agent to discuss the interest There were signs that pointed towards a move to BVB Dortmund didn’t try hard enough in their pursuit of the player – at least that’s according to talk around the club the whole of Denmark had their eyes on their number 10 Shane Duffy’s shot flew past goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel and 50,000 Ireland fans erupted in ecstasy It was 1-0 after just six minutes for the hosts this would be the qualifying game that determined whether or not Denmark would be playing in the 2018 World Cup finals in Russia it would take a tremendous amount of effort to win against the Irish – on home turf – in order to fulfil their dream of playing in a World Cup It was a huge amount of pressure on one set of shoulders in particular 29th minute: Eriksen is freed on the left wing and links up with Pione Sisto Andreas Christensen somehow fires the ball in 32nd minute: Eriksen right-foots the ball into the left corner 63rd minute: Eriksen slots the ball in from 17 metres Eriksen!” yells the Danish television commentator wildly Eriksen flies in at full speed and dribbles the ball into the box Another goal He sends the Denmark supporters into a frenzy The Irish security guards are struggling to keep a handful of Danish fans from storming onto the field to lift Eriksen high up on their shoulders So he stands a few metres in front of them “King Christian sends Denmark to the World Cup,” Danish daily paper Ekstrabladet wrote afterwards describing what Eriksen has been since November 2017: the football king of an entire nation One who can also fill the big boots of the very Danish greats who had shaped him so greatly Morten Olsen had no other choice but to call Eriksen up to the national team at just 18 years of age Anyone could immediately see how exceptional a talent he was who coached the Danish team from 2000 to 2010 Olsen watched Eriksen live for the first time In March 2010 he awarded him his debut against Australia They could see just how modest Eriksen was during the South Africa tournament he had a healthy arrogance about him,” says Olsen Comparisons were made between Eriksen and the Laudrup brothers Eriksen started to be on the receiving end of endless praise he was involved in another major international tournament at the European Championship in Poland/Ukraine the coach noticed a skill that was missing from Eriksen’s game during those years “When you have a player of this quality you have to tease the rest of the potential out criticising a player in private does the trick but sometimes you have to do it publicly to coax out what’s hiding,” he recalls Olsen told the public that Eriksen was unable to control games and that he no longer played by Ajax’s standards Eriksen scored 15 goals in his next 20 games for Denmark It was only a few months later that he was named captain for his country for the first time Denmark failed to qualify for the 2016 Euros after losing to Sweden in the qualifiers the two-legged tie ending 4-3 to Sweden on aggregate But Eriksen stepped up to the plate during the road to the 2018 World Cup he played the game of his life against Ireland – and became the king of Denmark Danish people watched the 2018 World Cup enthusiastically though their campaign ended with a loss to Croatia in the round of 16 along with Lasse Schone and Nicolai Jorgensen failed to score their penalties in the shootout against goalkeeper Danijel Subasic “The fans were thrilled regardless of the outcome,” Olsen told Jylland-Posten “You can be proud of yourselves.” it’s similar to Ronaldo and Messi in that he also has to carry his national team “Everyone compared him to Michael Laudrup There’s no patience for young players in modern football Everyone just immediately expects top performances from young footballers,” Olsen says on the phone before pausing and then following up with a short phrase that describes the Dane quite well: “For Christian this wasn’t a problem at all.” It’s a mild November evening in London’s borough of Brent It’s another game in the unpopular temporary abode of Wembley Stadium which isn’t the true home of the Lilywhites Only 57,132 fans have shown up to watch the game that has the potential to shape the rest of their season: Inter in the Champions League It was in London that Eriksen embarked on one of the most decisive and important journeys of his career After his arrival at Tottenham in August 2013 he needed a period of four months to settle in England and get accustomed to the Premier League the Dane finally emerged from the woodwork and scored against West Brom and Manchester United At the end of this first season in North London – his progress halted momentarily by injuries – he scored seven goals and registered eight assists in 25 games Tim Sherwood was replaced by Mauricio Pochettino era in which Eriksen has become his side’s key player Tottenham have established themselves as a top team in recent years “When the opponent retreats and leaves little to no space But that’s also the strength of the Spurs team and that’s all because of Christian and he’s always looking for risks and challenges Eriksen has made more assists than any other player he didn’t always have 70 or 80 touches of the ball and he’s omnipresent,” says Jol I watch almost every Tottenham game and Christian is the best number 10 in the world – alongside Manchester City’s David Silva and he and Christian play at roughly the same level – though Christian is better with his weak foot.” Eriksen’s skills as a playmaker have been well-documented but nobody uses the term “world class” to describe the Dane But Christian has managed to evolve even further “I let him play on the left side for Ajax a couple of times He’s almost a complete player now,” says Jol Eriksen’s physique is also impressive Jol adds: “Christian is incredibly strong He’s doing crazy numbers in the Premier League running around 12 and a half or 13 kilometres per game because he’s so quick and light on his feet.” The move to White Hart Lane was “exactly” the right move “But now he’s ready to play for an even bigger club Christian could play a key role in any team in the world.” It’s not only Emanuelson who thinks so Almost everyone who is asked about Eriksen agrees that the modest introverted young boy from Middelfart is now ready to take the next step The only blemish of Eriksen’s career so far is a lack of silverware “Of course he’s good enough to play at Real Madrid or Barca he’ll do so for at least €100 million,” Jol says too: “He can do it at any club in the world He’s such an intelligent player that he can play the game at the highest level – even at Barcelona or Real.” the two Spanish giants are indeed interested in the player Just like they were when he was growing up This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden Esbjerg and Aarhus have all decided against opening their traditional outdoor ice rinks this winter as a result of high energy prices The ice rinks are normally open throughout the winter and provide an extra leisure attraction in the towns during the festive season “Ice rinks like these are an expensive pleasure we want to send a political signal,” said Jakob Lose chairman of the municipal culture and leisure commission in Esbjerg Lose said that an outdoor ice rink typically racks up 30,000 kilowatt-hours over a season The average Danish household uses around 4,500 kilowatt-hours in a year “That’s a large amount of money when energy prices are at the level they currently are,” Lose said “There won’t be as much activity or joy as usual down at the city square in Esbjerg And neither can we rule out a knock-on effect on shopping,” he conceded “But we could stop the installation [by making a decision now] Representatives in Middelfart said that operating the ice rink this year would have lacked a sense of priority we can’t spend a load of money on having an expensive ice rink running,” Mette Ahlmann event manager with operating firm Brobygning Middelfart cultural organisation Sport & Fritid confirmed the decision in a statement on its website We as a municipality must take the lead and make a contribution to get through the crisis,” said Rabih Azad-Ahmad an official with the city’s Culture and Citizens’ Service The government asked local authorities to consider energy saving measures at a September 8th briefing at which it announced thermostats in public buildings would be set to lower temperatures this winter to save on heating External illumination of public buildings will likewise be cut READ ALSO: Denmark to reduce temperature and turn off illumination at public buildings Please log in here to leave a comment IRELAND'S rudest place name has been revealed and it's worse than some crude names such as Middlefart and Bendova This summer, drivers looking for a giggle have been encouraged to take on Europe's rudest road trip, and surprisingly one of the worst-named places is in Ireland Spunkane in Co Kerry has drawn much attention over the years due to its unusual name The small town on the West Coast of Kerry is a popular holiday destination with stunning ocean views However, it has now been named as a stop-off location for those embarking on Europe's rudest road trip the rude road trip takes drivers across several countries to catch a glimpse of all of Europe's crudest spots France, Switzerland and Italy are just three countries motorists will tick off as they embark on the road trip to hunt down these wacky locations they will travel to a beautiful seaside location that boasts some of Europe's best emerald-coloured waters which is crudely pronounced 'piss-in-arse' The UK is also home to some of the worst names, with Brown Willy in England, Three Cocks in Wales and Twatt in Scotland causing many curled lips as road trippers travel through.  Fugging in western Austria was recently renamed from F****ng after it became a popular stop-off point for both the media and tourists to ridicule where the residents are known as f***iners said dozens of their signposts were stolen resulting in local authorities having to erect new signs in theft-resistant concrete A spokesperson for StressFreeCarRental.com said: "Those looking for the most eccentric road trip this summer should look no further "We have created the rudest road trip in Europe which is bound to be the wackiest drive you'll ever take Europe delivers on providing outrageous locations to give the traditional road trip an extreme edge "With some councils already having to change the names of places deemed offensive many of these places may soon have to get rid of their quirky names "Stick on your cheesy playlist and visit these crude spots all across Europe - make sure to take a selfie with the rudest signposts for the perfect social media post "Europe's rudest road trip starts in Scotland and finishes in Sweden; reaching 15 different countries taking drivers eight days and covering 14,854 km if driving non-stop." the road trip covers over 14,800 miles and is estimated to take over 190 hours calculated using the distance to each location if driving non-stop The National League side sold the sponsorship rights to local estate agents Gilbert & Rose meaning it's now called the 'Gilbert & Rose West Stand' What club officials didn't realise was that includes the name of the English serial killer who murdered alongside her husband Fred While it doesn't get much worse than that Southend can take some solace from the fact that they aren't the only football club to make an outrageous change to their ground Daily Star Sport is taking a look at 10 of the worst stadium names READ MORE: Southend rinsed for announcing 'official turmeric sponsor' day after Rose West blunder The name Wankdorf Stadium is bad enough as it is but it's even worse that Swiss side Young Boys play their home matches at the ground The original stadium was used in the 1954 World Cup and the 1961 European Cup final But the new one is best remembered for the ESPN headline it sparked in 2005: 'Young Boys Wankdorf erection relief' Which stadium have you been to with a horrible name? Let us know in the comments section. Young Boys play their home matches at the Wankdorf...(Image: Getty Images)Cashpoint ArenaIf Austrian minnows SC Rheindorf Altach played in England they'd be ripped apart by opposition fans for their god awful stadium name "Is this an ATM," presumably one of the chants that would ring out from the away end Originally known as the Stadion Schnabelholz the ground has been renamed the Cashpoint Arena not because of anything to do with pin numbers but because it's sponsored by a betting company with said name Sponsorship deals have seen non-league side Witton Albion change the name of their Wincham Park home on several occasions with its current moniker The Help For Heroes Stadium That is a massive improvement on what it was called before - The Bargain Booze Stadium Not exactly promoting the family friend feel Livingtone's ground has been known as The Tony Macaroni Arena since 2015(Image: SNS Group)Sometimes something is so bad that it actually turns good which might be the case for the increasingly iconic Tony Macaroni Arena Some fans even refer to it as 'The Spaghettihad' Viewers of Soccer Saturday instantly know something has happened with Scottish Premiership side Livingstone when they hear the ground's name which has been in place since 2015 when restaurant chain Tony Macaroni bought the rights Those with a more immature sense of humour will appreciate MLS club Colarado Rapids playing their home matches at Dick's Sporting Goods Park Fortunately for those who don't want to admit that's where they're heading there on a Saturday afternoon the name can be shortened to the much more innocent abbreviation of DSG Park have a KitKat was presumably York City's motto(Image: Alamy Stock Photo)‌Everyone loves a KitKat but that doesn't necessarily mean you want your football club to name their ground after the chocolate bar The only thing in common between them is they both have a break (ba dum tss) When Nestle sponsored York City that's exactly what happened with Bootham Crescent renamed KitKat Crescent from 2005 to 2010 Unlike most of the names in this list, the Middelfart Stadium hasn't picked up it's unfortunate name from sponsorship. It's actually a town in Denmark where Manchester United new boy Christian Eriksen is from. Second division side Middelfart FC play there. Although it's also a common surname in the Scandanavian country, they might consider selling the rights on this occasion. When a football club is verging on the edge of survival, needs must - and that was the case for Irish side Drogheda United after they entered administration in 2008. They were saved, but at the cost of renaming their ground after crisps company Hunky Dorys. They've fortunately since managed to ditch it, with Head In The Game Park their current stadium name. The naming of the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium didn't end well(Image: Getty Images)The story behind the Arnold Schwarzenegger Stadium is actually quite a heartwarming one. Well, it was. Sturm Graz wanted to honour their hometown hero so named their new ground after him. However, his fellow Austrians were outraged when the then-governor of California refused to stop the use of the death penalty in a case in LA. So the name was quickly terminated in 2005. While others have chopped and changed their stadium name, Lewes FC have played at The Dripping Pan since their inception in 1985. It's not exactly something you'd go around shouting about, though. It's thought the title comes from the fact local monks from the priory used to pan for salt at the bowl-like base it's built on. Despite its downright grim name, it was came out on top in the author Mike Bayly's book ‘British Football’s Greatest Grounds’ in 2020.