‘Norway played like women’

OSLO – Norway have been accused by their coach of playing like “women in high heels” when they lost 1-0 to the Czech Republic in the first leg of a World Cup playoff.

“We were too much like ladies in the game at Ullevaal” stadium in Oslo on Saturday, Age Hareide told NRK public radio. “High heels and soccer boots …we tiptoed around on high heels.”Members of Norway’s women’s soccer team, who won gold at the Sydney Olympics and were runners-up in this year’s European championship, said Hareide was unfair and sexist.The Norwegian Football Association spoke to Hareide about the remarks and concluded he meant no offence.”He always tries to give images to explain what he means and it doesn’t always come out so successfully,” spokesman Roger Solheim said.Lise Klavenes of the women’s team said she agreed with Hareide if he was comparing Norway’s team on Saturday with the soccer standards of women “like my mother or grandmother”.- Reuters”High heels and soccer boots …we tiptoed around on high heels.”Members of Norway’s women’s soccer team, who won gold at the Sydney Olympics and were runners-up in this year’s European championship, said Hareide was unfair and sexist.The Norwegian Football Association spoke to Hareide about the remarks and concluded he meant no offence.”He always tries to give images to explain what he means and it doesn’t always come out so successfully,” spokesman Roger Solheim said.Lise Klavenes of the women’s team said she agreed with Hareide if he was comparing Norway’s team on Saturday with the soccer standards of women “like my mother or grandmother”.- Reuters