Why Van Dijk can look to Glenavon ace Doyle in bid to stop Haaland
IF the world’s best defender is looking for any advice on how to stop Salzburg tonight, he could do worse than getting on the phone to Mourneview Park and centre back, Andrew Doyle.
Erling Braut Haaland is one of the most sought-after strikers in Europe, attracting the likes of Manchester United, Arsenal, Barcelona and Real Madrid.
One of the main reasons he tops the scouting lists of some of the biggest clubs on the continent is his eye-popping goals record in Uefa competition.
The teenager has started eight Champions League and Europa League matches in his fledgling career. He has scored 10 times and failed to net only twice.
But Liverpool centre-back Virgil van Dijk could do with stopping him, given the Reds most likely need a result at the Red Bull Arena if they’re to avoid dropping into the Europa League.
Preventing Haaland finding the net would be a feather in the cap for any defender, Ballon d’Or runner-up or otherwise.
Little wonder that Glenavon’s Doyle is still enjoying the achievement of keeping Haaland quiet in Lurgan.
“It’s something I’ll live off for a good while,” he laughed, casting his mind back to July 11 last year when Glenavon stunned Molde 2-1 at Mourneview Park.
Back then, Haaland was plying his trade for the Norwegians under the stewardship of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. The Norwegian side arrived in Co Armagh highly fancied to leave with a convincing first-leg win and Europa League progression all but secured.
Expected to be at the centre of it was Haaland, son of former Manchester City star Alf-Inge.
In the build-up to the match, and still weeks shy of his 18th birthday, the rumours of United’s interest were gathering pace as Haaland had netted six goals in his previous two Eliteserien matches. Glenavon had been well warned of his abilities.
“We watched the highlights of their previous few games and I was absolutely bricking it,” continued Doyle. “He was so powerful and had scored four goals in the match before we played them. We were watching that and really it was all about him.
“We had a laugh and the boys were giving me a bit of banter.”
Those smiles were even wider come the full-time whistle at Mourneview, as goals from Rhys Marshall and Josh Daniels secured the win with Haaland’s name tellingly absent from the scoresheet. And it was all down to Doyle, a UPS employee getting the better of one of Europe’s leading lights.
“It was me and Caolan Marron in central defence and we managed him really well,” he said. “There were a few times I went up against him one-on-one and managed to get the better of him. I must have had a bit of luck.
“It wasn’t his night. The pitch was dry and a bit bobbly — maybe he just didn’t fancy it.”
In fact, it’s unlikely Haaland would have been lacking in motivation given that it was no secret that a shed-load of scouts had descended on Lurgan. Representatives from Liverpool, Newcastle, Celtic, Arsenal and more could make an early exit as Solskjaer withdrew his star man eight minutes from time, such was Doyle’s dominance.
“It’s something I’ll be able to say throughout his career, no matter where he gets to,” said a rightfully proud Doyle. “I played against him and he didn’t score. It is a nice thought when you see him scoring hat-tricks in the Champions League now and wanted by all those top clubs.
“He was so young but he was a big lad even then and better put together than me. It was very impressive for a 17-year-old guy.
“He had such a big presence. Near the start of the game, I tried to throw the shoulder into him to knock him off. I’m well enough built to be able to do that in our league and impose myself but I bounced off him. He didn’t even move. He was scary big and that’s over a year ago,” added Doyle.
Haaland did respond well from his Doyle disappointment, it’s fair to say. He is the second top scorer in this season’s Champions League, with eight from five games. The likes of Kalidou Koulibaly (twice) and Van Dijk himself have already failed to stop him finding the net.
The season hasn’t even hit halfway and already he has 28 goals in all competitions, including four hat-tricks.
So what’s the secret behind what is an increasingly impressive feat — stopping him?
“We didn’t have much of a specific plan to deal with him,” Doyle said. “I normally play pretty aggressively, get at people and put them off their game. That’s just what I tried to do and was maybe saying a few wee things in his ear to try and distract him.
“But Van Dijk’s good so I don’t think he needs any advice.”
Glenavon would go on to exit the competition after a 5-1 defeat away in Molde, Haaland not playing due to a call-up to Norway’s Under-19 squad.
“I wish I could say it was because he was scared to face me again,” laughed Doyle. “They were brilliant but we did a good job against them. It was 3-1 until the final few minutes over there, meaning another goal could have put us through on away goals.
“I remember Josh Daniels going for an overhead kick and he caught it so well but it was straight at the keeper. Had it been either side, it had a good chance of going in. Then they scored two and that was that.
“I remember Ole saying that he couldn’t believe we weren’t full-time. It was a match we’ll always remember.”
Doyle and Glenavon have fresh concerns. The centre-half is due to sit out tonight’s game against Carrick and this weekend’s trip to Institute after sustaining a calf injury in Saturday’s defeat to Larne.
Having struggled this season for consistency, this is a game Glenavon badly need to win.
“It’s a similar squad to the one that night against Molde,” said Doyle. “So we’re hoping things change for us in the second half of the season with our injured players coming back.”
It’s all a far cry from upsetting one of Europe’s top marksmen.
But Doyle would still make time for a quick call from Virgil.