Faroes boss Olsen fears Traplash

Faroe Islands boss Lars Olsen tip-toed diplomatically around the subject of Giovanni Trapattoni’s end-game when he fielded a series of questions on the subject ahead of tonight’s World Cup qualifier in Torshavn.

But when asked if he was aware of the pressure under which his opposite number is working, he finally conceded: “Yes, of course I know that. When you lose 6-1 at home in a country like Ireland, of course you will be under pressure.”

And the former Danish international warned his players to expect a strong Ireland reaction in a game which has suddenly taken on significant emotional and symbolic ramifications – as well, of course, as counting for precious qualification points.

“We know Ireland are the favourites but we will try to do our best,” he said. “The Faroe Islands are a small team and almost every team we are playing against will be the favourites against us.

“It’s a new Irish team but the coach, Trapattoni, is a very old guy in the game and I am sure he has told the players, ‘Okay, now we start a new game, you have to do your best’. I am sure we will have a very tough game.”

Olsen, a member of the Denmark team which, against the odds, became European champions in 1992, admitted he was surprised at Ireland’s capitulation against the Germans.

He said: “Yes, a little bit, not that Germany won, but 6-1 is a big victory — or defeat.”

Olsen has been in charge of the Faroes for just three games since taking up his new job eight months ago, presiding over a 2-0 friendly defeat in Iceland, a 3-0 qualifier reverse in Germany and Friday night’s near miss against Sweden, when the visitors needed a 75th-minute strike from Zlatan Ibrahimovic to leave Torshavn with the points.

The former Brondby defender said: “We played a very good match against Sweden, so we have confidence and the gap is maybe a little bit closer than before these last three games.”

Olsen is also committed to improving his players technically – tonight’s game will be only the second to be played on the newly-laid artificial surface at the national stadium. Noting with a smile that former Faroes boss Brian Kerr feels the old less than pristine grass pitch gave the home side an advantage, Olsen said he was looking to get his players schooled in a more possession-based game. And he also pointed out that, at club level on the islands, his players are well used to playing on the plastic pitches which help the domestic league combat the harsh North Atlantic winter.

And as he prepares his team for an anticipated Traplash tonight, Olsen knows from his own playing days that anything can happen in football. “We will not be the favourites in any game,” he said. “But every game – and also against Ireland – when we go on to the pitch, I think we can win. There’s Denmark in ’92 and also I played at Brondby and we were in the semi-final of the European Cup with a small Danish team — so everything can be done.”