Norway boss Stale Solbakken says he is hopeful that he will be able to call upon the services of Martin Odegaard for next month’s internationals.
The Arsenal skipper hasn’t played for the Gunners since August 31st, his season curtailed after picking up an injury while playing for his country in September.
However, Solbakken told Norwegian media that the 25 year old is on schedule for a return when they play Slovenia and Kazakhstan on the 14th and 17th of November respectively.
“Everything indicates that things are going according to plan,” he said.
“So it’s about the last steps when you have to train with opponents and in team training. It depends on how he responds to that, but we have a legitimate hope that he is ready.”
Writing his captain’s notes for the game against Shaktar Donetsk this week, Odegaard provided an update on his recovery, saying, “I’m feeling better and better each day, but when it’s an ankle injury you have ups and downs as well.
“Some days you feel really good, and then sometimes you can have a little reaction. But in general it’s getting better and I feel like I’m getting closer now.”
It remains to be seen exactly when he might make his return, but being fit and ready for his club would give Norway a legitimate reason to include him in their squad.
On the one hand, it might be seen as another risky endeavour after his injury, but on the other – having been sidelined since then – it could be a way of getting useful competitive minutes under his belt, something which could be beneficial to Arsenal.
No doubt Mikel Arteta will have his own opinions on this, and we’ll just have to wait and see how it transpires once Odegaard is back on the pitch in red and white.
No way!
No fucking way now, nor way later.
Ode my dead body
The comment section of Arseblog does it again! 👏
No way, I will be Ode guard.
Unbelievable, it like borrowing a mate’s phone and breaking the screen. Once your mate has repaired it, asking to borrow it again.
WTAF Tell them to piss off !!
I have my own opinions about this. Namely, keep your grubby paws off him this time, Norway!
If you can’t beat Kazakhstan without him–can’t your mutant cyborg robot striker help with that?–then you should just quit international competitions for the next couple years, anyway.
Nope. Big nope. P*ss off, Norway. You have your Kung-fu robot up front already. Surely he’s enough?
Jog on Norway
Such news make me appreciate Benjamin White more and more.
OhDearGaad, what is Norway’s coach smoking up there?
Fuck, No!
I know he got injured playing for norway, but I’d love for him to get some competitive minutes without having to play for EPL points
Come with the real name Norway coach
Fuck entirely off, Norway
Fuck. Right. Off
I’d like to join this universal chorus and also say, fuck, right, off. Even if they were playing on the pristine lawns within the palace of buckenham against Dan Marino on his own, I’d still be inclined to say fuck, right, off.
What about The ninja, the pinto, and the dan marino?
San Marino autocorrect?
Nope a go at irreverent humour, probably shouldn’t quit my day job…
I will be shocked if Arsenal allowed this.
One more time: it’s up to the player. A club *must* release a player in the scheduled international periods. I am sure Ødegaard’s decision will include a realistic assessment of his physical condition and consultation with Arsenal’s medical team. So, if he decides to play, it would mean that Arsenal–in other words, Arteta–pressured him not go when he wanted to. There is zero chance of that.
We should send them a cardboard cutout, hopefully they won’t break that too…
That guy Steel Sunhill (translated from Scandinavian) is not well liked here in Denmark where I reside. Not a very sympathetic person; close to Moaning Maureen for me. But then again, I’m not a fan of FC Copenhagen.. And he didn’t seem to be too bothered about Martin Ø’s injury- that was the last nail in Steely’s coffin.
I think it’s a pretty unanimous NO/fuck off from the Arsenal fanbase.
Martin seems to be one of those players that doesn’t need many minutes to be right at it again, buzzing around the midfield and making those telling contributions.
Keep him home. He doesn’t need those international minutes.
Norway can fuck off, well their footy team, at lesst.
Say no to Norway.
To quote Sexy Beast “No, no, no, no, no, no…..”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDLpKrTVJKc
Look eh…. Martin stays home
They can f$ck right off.
Hello ever so nice Norway coach.
Now regarding Martin … F U C K O F F
Have a nice day!
Click bait alert!!
Oops….done like a kipper
November 14th is only just over three weeks away, there’s no way Martin should be playing for his National team, even if his ankle is better he won’t be match fit and you can guarantee he’ll be asked to play every minute of two stupid games, against Slovenia and Kazakhstan, in three days. That Norway manager needs to shut the fuck up, concentrate on his cyborg and leave Martin alone. This could easily turn into a Ramsey situation, injured, get fit, go away and get injured again etc. etc. Norway aren’t going to win anything anyway. I can appreciate that… Read more »
Couldn’t bring myself to read further than the headline. I can say with full confidence though that “ you can fuck right off!” Should be Arsenals response to any such request.
Here’s a big Fuck off to Norway
Get real you bunch of Vikings. Go hunt some whales, yeah?
Not worth the risk with his coming back from being out so long.
Fuck off Norway
I just came here to say fuck right off, but it seems that one or two people beat me to the punch.
Im from Sweden and i hate norway. Except Martin of couse. On the other hand i hate Sweden too. And internationals. Its about time national teams paid comprensations for the wages if a player is injured on duty. Let amateurd play for their fucking country and leave our players alone.