- National Team Leadership Transfers to FCA Co-Instructor Knudsen from Denmark
Augsburg's assistant coach Lars Knudsen is stepping up to take charge of Denmark's national football team on a temporary basis. The Danish Football Association (DBU) made this announcement due to Morten Wieghorst, the new national coach, experiencing mild stress symptoms. This means he won't be able to manage the team for the upcoming UEFA Nations League matches against Switzerland and Serbia in September. 47-year-old Knudsen will take up the duty, starting in September, with former Liverpool player Daniel Agger supporting him.
FCA (Fußball-Club Augsburg) agreed to release their assistant coach for this interim assignment during the upcoming international break. Marinko Jurendic, the sporting director of FCA, expressed his support for the move, saying, "When the association approached us, we didn't think twice before offering Lars this opportunity and this significant task."
Denmark's UEFA Nations League fixtures against Switzerland on September 5th and Serbia on September 8th (both in Copenhagen) will see Wieghorst missing from the sidelines for the first time in nearly four years. Following Denmark's early exit from the Euro 2020 against Germany, Kasper Hjulmand, former Mainz coach, decided to leave his position. The 52-year-old believed that the team, led by Christian Eriksen, required a fresh start and a new national coach.
Before taking up the position on a permanent basis, the Danish Football Association had planned for Wieghorst to stay till the end of 2026 World Cup. Wieghorst and Hjulmand had worked together before, with Wieghorst serving as Hjulmand's assistant. Since March, Knudsen has been part of Wieghorst's coaching staff.
Germany will be faced with a familiar opponent in Denmark during the UEFA Nations League, as Knudsen takes charge. With FCA's support, Knudsen and Agger are set to lead Denmark in absence of Wieghorst, who had to step down due to stress symptoms.
