2GS The Sunday Times April 24, 2022 9side won, and we have seen a team
invigorated by Eriksen’s vision and
touch. He ran the midfield during
Brentford’s 4-1 victory at Stamford
Bridge three weeks ago and his
dream of making the World Cup felt a
done deal when he scored a wonder
goal for Denmark at the very stadium
where he collapsed during the Euros,
in a friendly win over Serbia.
If this was fiction you would chuck
the novel out of the window for being
overly saccharine, but Eriksen does
not want to be part of a soccer
version of The Truman Show — he
wants to be regarded as any other
professional. This might be why he
ends up at a bigger club this summer.
For him to rejoin Tottenham, as is
being widely touted, would be logical
especially as they have never really
been able to replace him.
“The only thing that has changed,”
he said at his unveiling in West
London in February, “is that I love
my family more than before.”
Brentford are also his family, a
home from home, a club imbued, as
Frank recently told me, with Danish
characteristics of co-operation and
adaptability. Given that they will be
in the Premier League next season
and will continue to play to Eriksen’s
strengths, what better place for him
to prepare for World Cup Group D
and the challenge of facing France?
As Eriksen lay on the Parken
Stadium pitch against Finland on
June 12, 2021, we all held our breath,
not worrying about the match, but
that he would live. In the end we
were given the most beautiful of
stories. Just imagine if the final twist
was Eriksen shining on the greatest
stage of all later this year.
If he does, it will be thanks to
Brentford and that is where he
should remain not just for the
romance of it, but in gratitude.Christian Eriksen had no plans at all
to return to London. He and his
family were settled in Milan. Life was
good. And then he died for five
minutes. The Denmark international
had to rethink everything.
One of the most gripping elements
to the Eriksen fairytale is the 30-year-
old’s determination to continue with
his career, to represent his country at
this year’s World Cup, to convince his
family he will be safe, to be treated as
any other player.
The first thing he said to the
doctors who treated him after his
cardiac arrest at the European
Championship in the summer was
that he wanted to make the squad for
Qatar. This was not, though, going to
be straightforward. He would have to
be fitted with an implantable
cardioverter-defibrillator, train
hard and then find a club prepared to
take a risk on a player who had
collapsed mid-match.
Inter Milan could not keep him
because of health and safety rules in
Italy that prevent participation in
professional football for anyone
fitted with a pacemaker. His dream
of playing at the World Cup was
hanging by a thread. Which leagues
would allow him to compete,
which clubs would welcome him,
which managers would be open
minded, which team-mates would
feel comfortable?
There was speculation in the
winter that Spurs might sign him due
to the connection to both the club
and to Antonio Conte, who was his
manager at Inter, but Tottenham
merely emerged as a possible place to
train with the vague promise of an
open door. Who would offer him
real, immediate football?
The answer was Thomas Frank at
Brentford, who simply picked up the
phone and asked if he fanciedjoining. Frank has known Eriksen for
14 years, having been his coach with
the Denmark under-17s. They could
trust each other and with so many
Danes already at the West London
club, there would be a sense of
belonging.
His integration has been seamless.
They knew and, crucially, believed
he was in excellent shape and
allowed him most of the second half
against Newcastle for his debut. He
then started against Norwich, Frank’sEriksen’s integration
has been seamless –
Brentford have been
invigorated by his
vision and touchEriksen’s World Cup dream is soon
to become a reality thanks to
Brentford – so I hope he stays there
Alyson Rudd
Eriksen yesterday faced his former
Spurs team-mate Harry KaneTottenham’s
outfield players
watch on as
Hugo Lloris tips
an Ivan Toney
header on to
the crossbarGETTY IMAGEStoday but Rüdiger is due to miss the
game with a groin injury.
Chelsea will look to bring in a new
centre back in the summer, possibly
reviving their interest in the Sevilla
centre back Jules Koundé, with only
Thiago Silva, Trevoh Chalobah
and Malang Sarr left as options in
central defence should Azpilicueta
leave too.
The club sold Fikayo Tomori, Kurt
Zouma and Marc Guéhi last summer.Antonio Rüdiger will leave Chelsea at
the end of the season after being
unable to agree terms on a new
contract. The 29-year-old is set to
make a decision soon on where he
will play, with Real Madrid among the
leading clubs interested in signing the
Germany defender.
Chelsea returned to negotiations
with Rüdiger’s representatives indraw. Elijah Adebayo’s deflected
shot put Luton in front after two
minutes but Blackpool equalised
through a Gary Madine penalty.
Sheffield United won for the first
time in four games, 1-0 against
Cardiff City, to remain in the final
play-off position. Iliman Ndiaye
headed the 47th-minute winner.
A Benik Afobe penalty eight
minutes into stoppage time helped
Millwall to a 2-2 draw away to
Birmingham City, leaving them
three points adrift of Sheffield
United with two matches
remaining.
Juninho Bacuna had fired the
home side into a 47th-minute lead.
Oliver Burke equalised before Lyle
Taylor restored Birmingham’s
advantage from the penalty spot.
Middlesbrough are two points
further back after a 1-1 draw away to
Swansea City. Although they have a
game in hand, Chris Wilder’s side
have not won in five matches. Riley
McGree’s deflected effort put the
visitors in front just after half-time.
Michael Obafemi equalised two
minutes later.
West Bromwich Albion’s Karlan
Grant had a penalty saved by Ben
Wilson deep into stoppage time in
the 0-0 draw with Coventry City.
Mark Robins, the Coventry
manager, said: “My disappointment
was the penalty was given in the
first place. No way on this planet
was that a penalty but he [the
referee] couldn’t wait to give it.”
Queens Park Rangers lost 1-0
away to Stoke City, with Jacob
Brown hitting the only goal. It was
QPR’s eighth defeat in 11 matches, a
run that demolished their play-off
hopes.
Relegated Derby County were
defeated 3-1 at home by
Bristol City. Andreas Weimann, the
former Derby player, opened the
scoring.
Antoine Semenyo added a
second before the interval. Craig
Forsyth pulled a goal back but
Timm Klose hit the visitors’ third
goal from a free-kick.January and made an offer of more
than £200,000-a-week, which would
have made him the highest paid
defender in the club’s history, before
UK government sanctions were
imposed on the owner Roman
Abramovich.
It is understood that Chelsea were
not prepared to meet Rüdiger’s
demands, which included a big
signing-on fee and also payments to
his agent, Sahr Senesie, who is also
his half-brother.
The centre back, who joined from
Roma in 2017, will leave in the
summer, meaning the Chelsea head
coach, Thomas Tuchel, is set to lose
at least two central defenders, with
Andreas Christensen due to join
Barcelona at the end of the season.
The captain César Azpilicueta is also
considering his future.
The Times reported in February
that the Barcelona head coach, Xavi,
is keen on adding Azpilicueta to his
options for next season to bring more
experience to his squad.
Chelsea face West Ham UnitedRüdiger to
leave after
talks with
Chelsea are
terminated
Tom Roddy and Paul RowanRüdiger may now be Madrid bound