I did not go to the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen yesterday, even though it seemed like a perfect occasion. National team football doesn’t have the same attraction as in the beginning of the century, but the start of a World Cup qualifying campaign is always something special.
At the same time, the weather was spectacular with an Indian Summer at its best, and with Brian Riemer’s men facing Scotland - who have dropped to 47th in the world rankings - there was a great chance for a comfortable Danish win and a great atmosphere in the stadium.
The preview for the game was also very promising, with Danish and Scottish fans setting a friendly atmosphere in the green areas around the Parken Stadium, which is so much preferable to the concrete jungles that often surround arenas in Europe, with San Siro in Milan possibly being the worst.
Ever since Christian Eriksen's dreadful heart attack at the 2021 European Championships, there has been a new special bond between the Danish fans and the national team.
After years where the atmosphere in Parken went rather flat, the Danish FA realised that something had to be done to create something reminiscent of Brondby's South side stand or FC Copenhagen's Section 12, and the result was 'the Red Wall', which was launched in October 2019 to honour a wish from hardcore Danish fans.
To be honest, the 'Red Wall' had made a tremendous difference for the Danish national team and repeatedly acted as a '12th man' to turn the Parken stadium into the fortress it has become.
Danish fans have been queuing up around the ticket counters to become 'part of something greater', the slogan which the Danish FA prides itself on, and the effect has been clearly visible in the statistics, with Denmark having no less than 10 wins to show in the last 13 matches in Copenhagen with only two draws and one defeat (against the mighty Spain).
The spectator show leading up to the start of the match was also promising, with volunteers revealing a spectacular tifo and fans joining in to create a sea of red and white as the national anthems provided the perfect lead-up to the anticipated kickoff.
But from then on, everything went flat. When Riemer's odd tactics - leaving in-form Victor Froholdt out of the side - failed to provide the much-needed breakthrough for the home side, the Danish supporters gradually realised how hard the task was going to be, and they completely lost their voice.
10 minutes into the second half, you would have found more excitement at a retirement home at nap time, with chances few and far between. It was ironic that when Riemer's men needed their fans the most, they totally ignored them.
Scotland coach Steve Clarke had said before the match how difficult it was to get anything from a World Cup qualifying match in Copenhagen, but the former Chelsea defender must have been puzzled by how little the Danish faithful got behind their team when push came to shove.
The unconditional support which the Scots often provide for their team, regardless of the result, was well ahead of the Danes, and as the game drew towards an agonising close for the hosts in their desperate search for a winning goal, the Scottish fans mocked the Danes by chanting 'you only sing when you are winning'.
It was a fitting end to a frustrating match where Riemer's men, as well as the Danish fans, failed desperately. Do I need to say that I had no regrets staying at home?
