I should have been facing Hazard in the Euros... but Fulham at the Cottage will do just fine
Coronavirus put paid to Henrik Dalsgaard and his Denmark side’s hopes of shocking superstar Eden Hazard and Euro 2020 favourites Belgium this week. Instead the defender talks to TONY BANKS about Brentford’s bid to reach the Premier League as their Champio
QSO, YOU COULD HAVE BEEN PLAYING AT EURO 2020 RIGHT NOW?
AI try not to think too much about what could have been – instead of the Euros, we’re going to be playing Fulham – that’s where our focus needs to be. Hopefully next summer I can play in the Euros in front of a home crowd in Copenhagen. But we have waited a long time for this. We are competing for a big prize, a place in the Premier League.
QBRENTFORD ARE SCHEDULED TO MOVE INTO THEIR NEW £71MILLION STADIUM NEXT SEASON – BUT THE FANS NOW WON’T BE ABLE TO SAY GOODBYE TO GOOD OLD GRIFFIN PARK. HOW SAD IS THAT?
AWinning promotion in front of our fans would have been the best way for us to say goodbye. It’s very emotional for some of our staff who have been here for many years. I have not given up completely on having a few fans admitted to the stadium for the last games – they have started doing that in Denmark. Hopefully we are only a few weeks away. But it’s up to us to extend the season for as long as we can and give them something to look forward to.
QWERE YOU WORRIED THAT THE SEASON MIGHT HAVE BEEN CANCELLED AND DECIDED BY THE MATHS?
ADefinitely. We had put ourselves in a good position. And they kept extending lockdown. That was mentally hard. We didn’t know when we were coming back, if we were coming back, so it was one of the hardest periods. Just that uncertainty, not knowing when to start again. We are still going for automatic promotion, and if that’s not going to happen we will have more time to get our game going and make sure we are in a good place for the play-offs. But we have not given up on the top two. Fulham will feel the same way.
QYOU’RE FOURTH. SO, IS THIS GAME WIN OR BUST AS FAR AS THE TOP TWO GOES?
AMaybe in any other league than the Championship. If there is one thing I have learned in my three years playing in the Championship it is that nothing is impossible. Even if we lose the first game, it’s definitely still possible. There are so many good teams that West Brom and Fulham will lose points.
QSO WILL THE INFAMOUS ‘BMW’ FORWARD LINE – SAID BENRAHMA, BRYAN MBEUMO AND OLLIE WATKINS – STILL BE AS SHARP AFTER THE BREAK AS THEY WERE BEFORE (46 GOALS BETWEEN THEM SO FAR)?
AWe all look sharp. It’s for all of us to show today what we have shown in training. We are in a good place and it’s for us to find the level. We are definitely ready to go and chase it.
QNO FANS AT CRAVEN COTTAGE TODAY – HOW WILL THAT AFFECT THINGS?
AIt’s going to be a lot harder. It’s up to the older and experienced guys to get the young players going.
QAFTER FULHAM, IT IS ANOTHER TOUGH GAME AGAINST WEST BROM. YOU REALLY HAVE TO HIT THE GROUND RUNNING, DON’T YOU?
AWe will need to be at our best level straight away. That’s why we prepared with two friendlies against Premier League sides, so we should be in a good place and up to speed. We’re ready to take on this battle.