NORWAY coach Stale Solbakken has urged the Norwegian Football Federation to provide faster ball boys and girls for their remaining World Cup qualifying matches.
The national team is chasing its first World Cup appearance since 1998 and currently holds a perfect record in Group I with four games remaining.
Solbakken believes quicker ball retrieval could prove decisive in maintaining match tempo and securing qualification.
“It does affect the rhythm when we cannot find the ball boy, the ball girl or the ball itself,“ he told Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
The coach referenced Thursday’s 1-0 friendly victory over Finland where the game’s pace noticeably dropped whenever the ball went out of play.
He has specifically requested training for ball attendants ahead of Norway’s upcoming home fixtures.
“There must be training because we cannot waste half a minute here and there,“ Solbakken emphasized.
Norway faces bottom-placed Moldova in their next qualifier on Tuesday as they continue their push for the 2026 World Cup in North America. – Reuters
