The Danish football mess rumbles on.
To cut a long story short (you can find out more here), Denmark’s players and the DBU have been in talks for months over a new deal on their cut of commercial rights and ability to take on their own sponsorships.
With no agreement, there’s no squad for the upcoming matches against Wales and Slovakia.
The DBU have been trying to bring together an alternative squad of players from Danish football’s second and third tier, the top division is proving difficult because the player’s union has taken the side of national stars and they hold more sway there.
Letters have been sent to second and third tier clubs asking if their players will be available, but the current national stars don’t want that to happen.
Christian Eriksen, who is at the forefront of it all, has put out a second public message on the situation, and the Tottenham player seems to be pressuring footballers to knock back the chance to represent their country.
Danish newspaper BT quotes the Spurs star as saying: “DBU expects it’s easy to find brand new players for the national team.
With the player’s union encouraging the offer is rejected, Eriksen said: “I think it’s a thought that’s far away from football players. Who wants to play an international match just because there is a conflict?
“We know that all players understand that we are looking for a collective agreement for Danish football. We are fighting in our negotiations for our fundamental rights also for future national team players – and not for more money.”
It does all boil to money, any which way its spun, whether that’s a bigger cut from the DBU’s commercial deals or the freedom to take on personal sponsorships which may go against the national team sponsors.
Eriksen is on a huge wage at Tottenham, he’s a huge star in his country (of course, partly because he’s a national player), and probably isn’t usually too bothered bothered with second and third tier Danish football.
It may be a bit much to pile the ‘solidarity’ pressure on, and if a third division footballer, who may not even be full-time, gets a once in a lifetime chance to represent his country then it’s going to be a tempting prospect… unless the current stars continue to pile the pressure on.
