Interview Simon Kjær about new coach Hjulmand

Simon Kjær interview

Simon Kjær, it has been a long break from the national team. What has it been like to be back for the national team gathering?

Simon Kjær: "Just as nice as ever. It is under slightly different conditions. There's a new coach, so it will be incredibly exciting and I am incredibly looking forward to getting started again."

Now you mention this yourself about the new coach. What are your expectations for the collaboration with Hjulmand?

Simon Kjær: "Well I have high expectations. Looking forward to it incredibly much. I had good conversations with Kasper and there will be a busy national team year ahead of us. It's insane, so many matches with the national team but also at club level. So it will be intense, but also positive."



And the Nations League is waiting. Together with Belgium, England and Iceland. What do you expect from your Nations League matches?

Simon Kjær: "Well, now we have moved up in the best group, so that means better opponents and that is what we have always strived for. Meet the best and test ourselves against the best. So I'm really looking forward to that. We have to win football matches, whether it is against some lower ranked team or number one. The goals we have are the same. The conditions may be more difficult, but we're looking forward to it."

Yes, these are just better opponents than the last time you were in the Nations League. What can we expect from you?

Simon Kjær: "Well, we go out on the pitch to win football matches and build on what we have built with Åge the last 4 years. A fantastic journey where we have built on and got fantastic results. So we have to keep doing that. With a lot of ideas and input from Kasper and Morten (Wieghorst), so it will be exciting."

It is Belgium that is waiting in the first instance. What task will it be?

Simon Kjær: "Well it will be an exciting task also considering how far people are in pre-season. They have been going on for a while (in the clubs) but those are the prerequisites. It's the same for everyone. It's actually an incredibly cool start to it all and I'm really looking forward to it."

And England are waiting too. What do you think about that?

Simon Kjær: "Well, it's a bit the same. These are fantastic opponents that we have to face and measure ourselves against the best. This is what we want and strive to reach the level they have shown over a long period of time."

And you play these both matches at home in Parken. At the time England and Belgium were drawn, it was thought to be a big party in Parken. But you have to play these matches without spectators. Is it something that you think about a lot?

Simon Kjær: "No, we must work under these conditions and circumstances. Unfortunately. But of course we follow all the instructions that are made. The precautions that we must take and then we must concentrate on what we always do and that is to play football. And the other things are not to us to decide about. But what happens on the pitch, that's what we can control."