Denmark v Scotland: Morten Wieghorst on Christian Eriksen, illness and taking on his adopted nation

Morten Wieghorst still has all the messages of support from fans as he lay motionless in his hospital bed, stricken with Guillain-Barre syndrome.

“I remember it very well, I saw it on video too,” he says. “What I remember most vividly was the reaction of the fans behind the goal, as well as my team-mates. I felt they appreciated what I had been through and I appreciated their support and help. It was a big moment for me. stay. me forever.”

Wieghorst’s affection for Scotland is rooted in the support he had as he battled his condition. The quick thinking of then-Celtic club doctor Roddy MacDonald about the possible cause of his sudden fatigue and loss of coordination; the NHS and club staff who helped him learn to walk and run again; the fans who wrote those encouraging letters.

But it was also the fun he had at Dundee, reaching the League Cup final in 1996, stopping the 10 with Celtic, the friends he made along the way. Now, however, it’s time to face his adopted second country as assistant manager of his native Denmark.

Road to recovery

After a roaring start to Group F World Cup qualifiers in March (winning three out of three, scoring 14 goals and conceding no goals), Denmark reached the Euro 2020 semi-finals as they faced off watching their friend and teammate Christian Eriksen flirting with death after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch in their opening game against Finland.

“I think our head coach Kasper Hjulmand did a great job,” said Wieghorst, 50. “He was very honest and let everyone know that he was also affected, he didn’t have all the answers. But he told the players and staff that we everyone reacts differently in these circumstances, but any reaction is perfectly good.”

“It’s okay to laugh, have fun and enjoy football. But it’s also okay to feel down, feel sorry for your friend, and then when we have to perform and play games, we try to button and turn it on.

“Sometimes it’s hard to think there are things bigger than football, but he made it okay to think that way.”

Eriksen is taking time to recover and as someone who has also had to fight back to be able to play football again, Wieghorst says he will offer his support if and when the time comes.

“I loved coming back so much. Although the improvements were slow, I really enjoyed the process because it’s like getting a new life. It’s like going through all the stages again. You can’t do it as a child remember, but when you get to do that as an adult, you really appreciate the things you take for granted.

“Christian was unaware of what happened to him so it will be harder for his family if he decides to start playing again. These are the dilemmas he will go through, but I’m pretty sure he will play it will miss and that he wants to.” work hard to make it possible.

“There are similarities in the mental aspect. You have to be patient. You don’t want to be a patient, the one who is sick. So yes – if he wants to, hopefully I can help him.”

‘Clarke added flexibility’

For many, watching the Danish squad play reckless football in the name of their sideline captain in an emotionally charged Parken Stadium was one of the great joys of an already entertaining Euro.

The country’s support surpassed anything Wieghorst had seen before, even when Danish football was at its peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Now it’s about maintaining that momentum to qualify for the World Cup in the winter of 2022, as a generation of tech-savvy Danes look to maximize their considerable talents. However, they are wary of Scotland’s recent resurgence.

“They have a talented group, but the most important thing for them is actually the team part of the game,” Wieghorst says. “I think Steve Clarke has added more flexibility and a stronger tactical feel, and that’s what you need at this level.

“[At the Euros] They could have beaten England and had some bad luck against the Czechs. Before the European Championship they got a 2-2 draw against the Netherlands. They have had some very good results and are a difficult team to play against.

“If we look at their data, even in games where they don’t have a lot of ball possession, they put a lot of quality crosses, especially from the left. This is something we are very aware of.”

Wieghorst regrets there will be no Tartan Army at Parken Stadium on Wednesday and enjoyed a return to Glasgow – the city where his daughter Sofie was born – for the away game in November.

Showing his lasting affection for Scotland (as is his kilt and fuzzy Scottish lilt) Wieghorst can’t help but smile as he reminisces about St Johnstone’s defeat on the final day of the 1997-98 campaign, when Celtic left the Rangers stopped winning a record 10th straight title.

“If I could have stayed with Celtic my whole career I would have loved to. The competitiveness was so great and I enjoyed it. We had good times and hard times, but I would do it all again if I could. People – my teammates and the staff of the club, it really felt like a family.

“It was the same at Dundee, so many great people and friends. Even people who weren’t involved in football wherever we stayed, my wife and children were always made to feel welcome.”