“Football is cruel” – Nottingham Forest player receives blow after manager pushed into decision

Nottingham Forest’s Anthony Elanga will have expected to be in the Sweden squad which has just been announced to the country’s media.

Perhaps the 22-year-old had become a little complacent with regards to his national team status, believing if he got regular minutes for Nottingham Forest then a place for Sweden would be the natural outcome.

If that’s the case, then Jon Dahl Tomasson’s latest decision could give him something of a kickstart and a reason to push on again.

Elanga is out of Sweden’s latest squad, with 32-year-old Emil Forsberg, who plays for New York Red Bulls, getting a place in there ahead of the Nottingham Forest attacker.

It’s probably the headline news from this latest Sweden squad announcement, and the manager has been asked why Elanga isn’t involved.

In response, Fotbollskanalen quote Tomasson as saying: “Players come in, players come out of the squad. Football is cruel. There is a lot of competition. Isak is back and Forsberg has done well for the New York Red Bulls, with goals and assists. It’s football. We needed to make a decision.”

Elanga has made 11 appearances for Nottingham Forest so far this season, but isn’t a regular started. He hasn’t scored a goal and has only provided a single assist.