Summer of '92 (Sommeren '92)

In a world where two and two make four

then Denmark will never ever become European champions.

16 MARS 1990

I absolutely believe that we can win the 1992 European Championship.

I also know what you're thinking. "That's impossible."

If we do it completely by the rule book, we will never win.

But if we come better prepared than them, if we know more than them

then we can beat teams that on paper are better than us.

I'm tired of losing.

Not because we play badly, because we absolutely don't.

But because we are too naive. We are too stupid, to put it bluntly.

As a small country, we must decide:

Do we want to win or do we want to look good?

I am tired of…

Richard. -I'm working.

The kids are here now. -I'll be up now.

I'm tired of looking good and losing.

That's just the way it is.

Where are they? -Where are they? They've gone.

Have they left? -Yes.

You were down there for several hours. -Was I?

Now you need to sit down and have a cup of coffee.

It'll be fine tomorrow. -Yes, of course.

And then he shoots. No, he waits. Michael Laudrup!

It's brilliant!

Elkjær can do it himself.

Since the 80s, the Danish national team has been loved

for its charming, unpolished players.

The Danish football club's international breakthrough.

They are led by the best national team coach, Sepp Piontek

and have become known as the world's best loser.

Piontek resigns. Who will be the new national team coach?

Sepp has pointed to his assistant, Richard Møller Nielsen.

Richard, are you the man for the job?

Do you have a minute?

Is it possible for you to replace a coach like Sepp?

Don't you want some? They're very good.

Yeah.

How is it?

Yes, thank you, Frits, I'm fine. How are you?

I'll take one anyway. -You will?

Yes, Richard… Thank you for coming.

We have to replace Sepp, and we have considered it carefully.

I've also been thinking a lot. -Wait a minute.

As I said, we have thought carefully. -Very carefully.

It hasn't been easy. -No, the gods will know.

But what we have come to realize is that…

That it must be a foreigner.

A foreigner? -Yes.

Richard, we Danes are so… -Boring.

Boring and unimaginative.

We believe that the credit for our success can be attributed to that vision

which Sepp brought as a foreigner. The beautiful game we have seen and…

The strange gaze. -The strange gaze.

And it's not because Sepp is a skilled coach?

That… -That too.

But it's also because he's a foreigner.

So we want to thank you for all the wonderful years.

Yes, exactly. And we wish you luck.

Why wasn't it Richard Møller?

We can find someone better.

Richard has led the youth national team through the best qualifying round.

My grandmother could have coached that team and they would have won.

What are you doing? -We need a new kitchen.

What? -We've had the kitchen for 25 years now.

It will be fine.

They don't know anything. And that thing he said about his grandmother!

I know nothing about her qualifications.

She may be a brilliant trainer, but now we need a kitchen.

We can hire some handymen. -What do you say? No, thank you.

It takes a hundred years with them. -Maybe it'll go faster.

We need a list. -Look here.

It says they install everything.

…Wohlers as the new national team coach. They hadn't approved the contract…

I'm just going to… -Frits Ahlstrøm, what went wrong?

We must admit that what happened is a bit unfortunate.

Will Horst Wohlers become the coach? -No, he won't.

Who will it be, then? It's only three weeks until the next match.

We are working around the clock at the moment.

For a while, Richard Møller was Nielsen's favorite. Is he an alternative?

Richard is an experienced coach. He is involved in the discussions.

You say no if they ask. Do you hear that? You say no.

They shouldn't think they can say no and then come running.

You said no the first time too. -They can't.

You don't take it.

No, no, of course not.

Are you going on vacation, Hans? -I've resigned.

I can't guarantee DBU anymore.

Why then?

It's going to go to hell. -DBU apparently believes in me.

Seven coaches were offered your job. That's how much DBU believes in you.

Did your grandmother say no?

Richard. You must be an excellent trainer.

but to the players, you're always the one who washed their underwear.

Our group is Yugoslavia, Denmark, Northern Ireland, Austria and the Faroe Islands.

Only one country qualifies, we are betting on first place.

Can Richard make the stars align?

They know him as the assistant. Can he earn their respect?

I'm looking forward to this. These are world-class players.

who are used to having the freedom to develop.

Bastufest!

That's it, guys.

Is that the welcoming committee?

Oh my! There it sat.

Oh my! There it sat.

Oh my! There it sat.

First goal ever by a Faroese team in an international tournament.

The question is whether the 22…

Come in.

I can't decide if we should play with three in the back line.

It's the Faroe Islands. -I'm leaning towards three.

But one thing is absolutely certain: There will be changes.

We have too many dribblers. We have many who can improvise.

We have too few people who can follow a plan.

They get fixed tasks. I don't care if they have a nice haircut.

It may take some time to implement a new system.

It's okay. We have all day tomorrow.

Forward and press! Come home!

That's your man, that one. -Hold the lines.

Push back. -That's good!

Michael. Michael.

Keep your selections.

Brian, come back with me!

Brian! Come back with me! Come back with me!

It's impossible when they don't do what I say.

Keep your… Keep your markings!

Michael Laudrup thinks, he's waiting too long.

It doesn't look like top football, what we are currently witnessing.

Loose play. The pace is not high enough.

Michael Laudrup. Is Brian in?

Play ball and don't make it harder than it is.

Nothing will succeed.

What's it like to be in that situation?

when you know you are a better team and better player?

Embarrassing.

Then it was over.

Well deserved, but a disappointment for Richard Møller Nielsen.

Out with you all. Michael and Brian, you stay a while.

Do you understand what I'm trying to do with this team?

No. -No.

No? If we're going to win the group, we have to play more disciplined.

It seems a bit primitive. -Primitive?

We do nothing but run around. What's the point?

Football must be worth watching.

We might as well play curling.

I have nothing against curling. In Canada it's called chess on ice.

They played with stones found in the river.

They were angular. It was random where the stone landed.

I understand… -Later you start grinding them.

They are specially made, so that the game is the same for everyone.

Better brooms were made, and you could play as a team.

It is one of the best and most sophisticated team games available.

It requires strategy, precision, and cooperation.

It takes discipline. There is no other way the game can work.

Richard! I don't want to play by your system.

No, we will not play according to your system.

I'm not the guy who washes your clothes.

I am the coach of the Danish national team, and you play according to my system.

Otherwise, you will be replaced by someone who does.

Remember to throw the clothes in the laundry.

NORTHERN IRELAND - DENMARK

It's a terrible mess. -Michael! Michael!

Michael, work a little harder!

The frustrations that have existed leading up to the match...

Pause! -They've been infected by the game.

Brian Laudrup is taken out in favor of Lars Elstrup.

Pace! Hold the mark.

No one really knows where they will be.

They are good players. But they are not showing it right now.

I think it's Michael Laudrup who is being taken out.

The Laudrup brothers finish on the bench.

Quite unusual.

One might be tempted to think that Richard wants to set an example.

This is a game we have to win to advance to the playoffs.

It is clear that it is a disappointment.

It's good. -It's strong.

This potato salad is delicious. -Are you checking?

It's Jonna who made it. But for the hell of it.

I think it's too late. -No, no.

I see flames.

Is that one you bent yourself? -It's home-bent.

The ladies go crazy when you watch football.

I just wanted to see what it says.

What does it say? -2-1.

Michael Laudrup, why did you make that decision?

I play football for two reasons.

For my sporting ambitions and because I love the game.

None of that is fulfilled by playing for the Danish national team.

Should we turn it off? -No, no.

I don't want to play for the national team as long as Richard is the coach.

I have no respect for him at all.

What went wrong?

Richard has failed to make the team work.

The players don't respect him. The Danes don't respect him.

A survey shows that 58 percent want Morten Olsen

35 percent want Sepp Piontek, only five percent want Richard.

The demand on Richard is quite clear:

Denmark must qualify for the European Championship, otherwise he must be replaced.

And there the referee's whistle is heard for the last time.

Yugoslavia has qualified for the playoffs next summer.