Ragtag Denmark squad beaten in Slovakia friendly

Denmark's ragtag bunch of lower league footballers, futsal players and warehouse workers were beaten but not embarrassed in their friendly away in Slovakia on Wednesday night.

With Christian Eriksen, Kasper Schmeichel and the rest of the country's stars absent due to an incredible row over image rights, and former Arsenal midfielder John Jensen drafted in at late notice to manage a squad of entirely uncapped unknowns, expectations were low in Trnava.

The floodgates threatened to open after an 11th minute strike from Adam Nemec. But a goal before half-time from Albert Rusnak before substitute Adam Fogt, a futsal-playing political science student, put through his own net in the closing stages saw them leave with just a 3-0 defeat.

Christian Offenberg, a salesman, started up front and captained the side, with student Simon Vollessen, who operates in the fourth tier of Danish football at right-back.

The outfield XI was made up entirely of players in the third or fourth tier, with  Christoffer Haagh, who represented Denmark at the Futsal Euros last year, replacing Schmeichel in goal, who saved a penalty from Luka Modric in their last competitive match at the World Cup in July.

Whether the rookies will be required for Sunday's Nations League fixture against Wales in Aarhus remains to be seen, though it would need a resolve to the impasse between the Danish FA (DBU) and the players.

The DBU have an obligation to fulfil their upcoming Nations League fixtures, but with no manager or first-team squad they have had to bring in alternatives at the eleventh hour this week.

Regular manager Age Hareide, who led Denmark to the last 16 of the 2018 World Cup, has been temporarily relieved of his duties on the premise that he has not picked this makeshift squad.

The stars have refused to sign a new national team agreement in a dispute with the DBU over commercial rights, with Eriksen's personal situation part of the conflict, as reported by Sport Witness and TV2.

It is understood the Tottenham man is the part-owner of an energy drink firm, with his name and image being used to promote the brand. That is in conflict with Carlsberg, Denmark's main sponsor, who also produce their own energy drink.

It comes after major bookmakers rushed to suspend betting following a dramatic plunge in odds for the hosts, according to industry experts Bookmakers.TV.

Thought to be one of the most aggressive in the history of betting, Slovakia - who were quoted as 2/1 outsiders just 72 hours ago - were as short as 1/200 two hours before kick-off.

Denmark’s ragtag XI were quoted at 40/1 to win the game, having been installed as 6/4 favourites when the market opened.

The quote for a trip to Slovakia suggests bookmakers rated Denmark’s amateur side to be on a par with the likes of European minnows like Gibraltar and The Faroe Islands, who have historically been priced at similar levels.

The Daneshave been beset by internal problems over the past 12 months. The national women's team boycotted a World Cup qualifier against Sweden in October 2017 in a dispute over employment conditions.

Sweden were awarded a 3-0 win and UEFA fined the DBU £18,000.

The DBU was also warned that Denmark would be barred from UEFA tournaments if it cancelled another match in the next four years.

It is understood the country's top players are leaving their Copenhagen base to return to their clubs, despite them calling for an end to the dispute.

'We have to solve this now, not just dig the ditches deeper,' Tottenham's Eriksen said.

'We're happy to stretch our hand again, even though DBU put it away in the first try. Let's renew the old deal by one month then we'll have time to negotiate the agreement.

'It does not make sense if DBU does not accept that offer. Sign up and we will sit on the plane immediately. We are ready and we will play.'

Eriksen added: 'We could be home in our clubs who pay our wages — at home by our wives and children. There is only one reason why we are here — and it's not money. It's because we love to play for Denmark.'

Stand-in boss Jensen, who lifted Euro 92 as a player and won the FA Cup with Arsenal a year later, said: 'I see only losers in the conflict, and Danish football losing most of all.

'When I say yes to help here, it's because I feel very strongly for the national team and because the most important thing must be that the games will be played after all.

'I don't consider the matter between DBU and the players. My "yes" is not an expression of it. I just hope to help us through two matches and that the parties find a solution.'