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The Danish national player is seen as one of the biggest talents in Danish football as well as English football, but the latest years of scandals surrounding the Sunderland attacker have rubbed the shine of Nicklas Bendtner.
Nicklas Bendtner joined Arsenal from the Danish club KB, aged 16, in 2004. Already from this point, things started going fast for Bendtner. In 2005, he had his debut for Arsenal against Sunderland in the League Cup, aged 17, followed up by a professional contract.
In Denmark, Bendtner was selected to play for the Danish U21 national team during the European Championship in Portugal, only aged 18. Here, he had his debut in 2-0 victory against Spain – both goals made by Bendtner. The instant success from the young Dane resulted in Paul Le Guen trying to bring him to Glasgow Rangers. However, Bendtner decides to join the Championship club Birmingham FC on a 6 months loan, where he was guaranteed first team experience.
Once again, had the Danish talent instant success as he scored in his debut. After the match, Birmingham manager Steve Bruce said:
Nicklas Bendtner joined Arsenal from the Danish club KB, aged 16, in 2004. Already from this point, things started going fast for Bendtner. In 2005, he had his debut for Arsenal against Sunderland in the League Cup, aged 17, followed up by a professional contract.
In Denmark, Bendtner was selected to play for the Danish U21 national team during the European Championship in Portugal, only aged 18. Here, he had his debut in 2-0 victory against Spain – both goals made by Bendtner. The instant success from the young Dane resulted in Paul Le Guen trying to bring him to Glasgow Rangers. However, Bendtner decides to join the Championship club Birmingham FC on a 6 months loan, where he was guaranteed first team experience.
Once again, had the Danish talent instant success as he scored in his debut. After the match, Birmingham manager Steve Bruce said:
Mikael Fossel had his breakthrough when he was on loan from Chelsea, and let us hope the same happens for Nicklas. He is a different type of attacker, but he has great opportunities to go all the way to the highest level, as long as he can keep both feet on the ground.
Shortly after his debut for Birmingham, Danish national coach Morten Olsen selected Bendtner for the A-squad to play in the friendly against Poland in August 2006. Here, Bendtner was in the starting XI and once again scored in his debut. This resulted in a reselection for the friendly against Portugal and the European Qualification match against Iceland. Bendtner was now seen as the next great attacking hope for Denmark. The attacker scores his second goal in his just second national cap and the success is followed with the winning of the player of the month prize in the Championship. The success doesn't seem to, and the media also contributes to the players, already high self-confident, as journalist Hyder Jawad compares Bendtners talent with Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen.Nicklas Bendtner decides to extend his contract with Birmingham for 6 months, and Birmingham is keen to keep the player if they win the Championship and thereby play in the Premier League the next season. At this time, Bendtner is on the shortlist not only in Chelsea FC, but also in Lyon according to the Danish paper Ekstra Bladet.
When the Danish super striker completes his half season in Birmingham by being part of the team of the month in the Championship for November and a position on the Danish Team of the year 2006, AC Milano is reported to be interested. However, Arsène Wenger insures that Bendtner plays for Arsenal next season:
It is fine for Bendtner to be on loan in a club in the next best league (…) I believe in him, so his future lies with us.
It requires a lot from him, if he wants to play for regularly for Arsenal. He can not just play as he wants to, when he wants to, in the Premier League. Sometimes he is too selfish and does everything in his way and only his way.
Nicklas Bendtner returns to Arsenal after 48 matches and 13 goals for Birmingham in 2007, and at the same time signing a new 5 year contract with Arsenal. The player says to the Danish TV2 Sporten that he believes he has the qualities or will obtain them to breakthrough in Arsenal. But the players high self-confidence is a problem for the other Arsenal players, as an anonymous source reveals to Ekstra Bladet:
He believes that he should be on the team for every match. He believes he is better than Adebayor, and he is not afraid to tell people.
Even though, the other players seems to have problems with the Dane and he at this point is not in the starting XI, Bendtner says to the Danish press that he is not going on a loan again. He will play in Arsenal or another club, but not on loan. The players attitude in Arsenal as well as on the national team meets criticism by the Danish national coach Morten Olsen. Even though, he is met with criticism, Bendtner becomes Talent of the year in Denmark 2007.
In the start of 2008, Wenger told the press that he counted on Bendtner this year. However, the attackers year started with a smash on the head. Emmanuel Adebayor smashed his head into Bendtners face during the 5-1 loss to Tottenham in the Carling Cup, after Bendtner had scored an own goal. Once again an anonymous source tells Ekstra Bladet that:
In the start of 2008, Wenger told the press that he counted on Bendtner this year. However, the attackers year started with a smash on the head. Emmanuel Adebayor smashed his head into Bendtners face during the 5-1 loss to Tottenham in the Carling Cup, after Bendtner had scored an own goal. Once again an anonymous source tells Ekstra Bladet that:
It is not a myth. He is unpopular among the other players. They just do not like him. De think he is arrogant and complacent.
And the former Arsenal striker, Alan Smith also tells they paper about the problem:
I am not saying that he has said too much, but if you brag or has exaggerated self-confident and do not perform, the older players will regard it as something wrong.
But the players’ self-confidence is not to be touched as he says to the Danish magazine Idrætsliv, that his goal is to become one of the world’s best strikers and that he will reach that goal. Arsène Wenger boost the player by saying that he has the talent to reach the top, but former Arsenal player John Hartson has another view as he tells the website setanta.com that Bendtner is nowhere near the top players in Premier League.
Before the Scandinavian clash between Denmark and Sweden in 2009, Bendtner speaks to the Danish paper BT claiming that he will be better than Zlatan Ibrahimovich. He will finally have his breakthrough in Arsenal within the next season and then overtake Ibrahimovich.
However, Bendtner may have the ambitions, but his lack of star potential are shown when he is photographed with his pants falling down while being escorted out of a night club, after Arsenals defeat to Manchester United in the Champions Leauge in May 2009. The embarrassing picture results in a fine from Arsène Wenger.
Nicklas Bendtner signs a new 5 year contract with Arsenal in September 2009, paying 25 million a year. Bendtner reveals that the next five years are to be used for bringing him to the top of Europe. Thomas Bendtner, the father and agent, to Nicklas reveals that big European clubs have been trying to him. But the clubs seem to lose interest as Bendtner is once again involved in a scandal.
On the 9th of September, only seven days after he signed a new contract, the Dane crashes in his Aston Martin with 160 km/h on his way to the training ground. The crash injures Bendtner and brings him out of the game in a short time.
When Bendtner is back from his injuries, he is once again met by criticism. This time from Danish national player Martin Jørgensen who says to Danish press that the young player has problems with submitting to the hierarchy on the national team. Bendtner replies that he will only submit because he does not want to be punished. At the same time, Bendtner reveals that he will not play for the Danish U21 team in World Cup, in Denmark, even though he is seen as one of the key players. Nicklas Bendtner now sees himself as a part of the senior team.
Bendtner ends the year winning Player of the Year in Denmark 2009, because of his impressive performances on the national team. After receiving the prize, Bendtner reveals his plan to become top scorer in the World Cup in South Africa 2010 and the Premier League. His self-confident is once again shown.
2010 started great for the Arsenal player, and he was nominated as Player of the month in March by the clubs fans. But in the summer 2010, Bendtner wanted to leave Arsenal if he was not to be used more often. However, he refused to leave the club on a loan.
This was more than enough for former Arsenal striker Ian Wright how, according to the Danish newspaper BT, said:
Before the Scandinavian clash between Denmark and Sweden in 2009, Bendtner speaks to the Danish paper BT claiming that he will be better than Zlatan Ibrahimovich. He will finally have his breakthrough in Arsenal within the next season and then overtake Ibrahimovich.
However, Bendtner may have the ambitions, but his lack of star potential are shown when he is photographed with his pants falling down while being escorted out of a night club, after Arsenals defeat to Manchester United in the Champions Leauge in May 2009. The embarrassing picture results in a fine from Arsène Wenger.
Nicklas Bendtner signs a new 5 year contract with Arsenal in September 2009, paying 25 million a year. Bendtner reveals that the next five years are to be used for bringing him to the top of Europe. Thomas Bendtner, the father and agent, to Nicklas reveals that big European clubs have been trying to him. But the clubs seem to lose interest as Bendtner is once again involved in a scandal.
On the 9th of September, only seven days after he signed a new contract, the Dane crashes in his Aston Martin with 160 km/h on his way to the training ground. The crash injures Bendtner and brings him out of the game in a short time.
When Bendtner is back from his injuries, he is once again met by criticism. This time from Danish national player Martin Jørgensen who says to Danish press that the young player has problems with submitting to the hierarchy on the national team. Bendtner replies that he will only submit because he does not want to be punished. At the same time, Bendtner reveals that he will not play for the Danish U21 team in World Cup, in Denmark, even though he is seen as one of the key players. Nicklas Bendtner now sees himself as a part of the senior team.
Bendtner ends the year winning Player of the Year in Denmark 2009, because of his impressive performances on the national team. After receiving the prize, Bendtner reveals his plan to become top scorer in the World Cup in South Africa 2010 and the Premier League. His self-confident is once again shown.
2010 started great for the Arsenal player, and he was nominated as Player of the month in March by the clubs fans. But in the summer 2010, Bendtner wanted to leave Arsenal if he was not to be used more often. However, he refused to leave the club on a loan.
This was more than enough for former Arsenal striker Ian Wright how, according to the Danish newspaper BT, said:
Every time Bendtner goes through a period, where he is not in the starting eleven, he is starting to moan.
Nicklas Bendtner also made a final decision not to play in the U21 World Cup for Denmark, as he wanted to spend time with his son. However, Danish press later revealed that Bendtner had actually spent his time in USA with his friends. The fact that the player rather wanted to spent time with his friends, than playing for his national team in Denmark made him a very unpopular man amongst the Danish football fans.
In May ’11 Bendtner decided that it was now time to leave Arsenal, and asked the club permission to be sold, but the club refused to sell him. Agent Thomas Bendtner told that his son was worth 100 million Danish crones (approx. £110.000) and that he was only interested in a club playing, in the Champions League. Several clubs were reported interested including Inter Milano, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lissabon, Stoke and Everton. However, most of the clubs later denied being interested. Instead, Arsenal tried to exchange Bendtner for Boltons Gary Cahill, according to the Bolton News, but this was also rejected.
At some point, Bendtner opened the door for staying in Arsenal, until the last day of the transfer market when Sunderland brought him to the club where he was to be reunited with Steve Bruce. The new Sunderland player wanted to bring the club to the top of Premier League and become top scorer. However, the goals were to be waited for.
In the winter 2011, Bendtner was once again involved in scandals. After a national match, started Bendtner a fight in a Hotel in Helsingør, in Denmark. When the fight was announced in the Danish Press, Bendtner promised in a letter that he would change. This was the last time Bendtners name was mentioned in a scandal, he claimed. But on the fourth of December he was caught laughing during a memorial ceremony for Gary Speed. This resulted in hatred from English football fans, and Sunderlands fans demanded that he should not wear their shirt anymore. Then on the 16th of December, was Bendtner and Lee Cattermole was arrested in suspicion of damaging cars after a match against Newcastle. To end a year of scandals, Bendtner lost his driver license in December after being charged for speeding.
Bendtner is still in Sunderland, and the new coach Martin O’Niel is asking for more goals from the attacker. The question is now, if the attacker stays in Sunderland after this season or if he will find a new club. Bendtner has said that he misses Champions League and wants to play for a Champions League club next year. He also opened for a transfer to Russia.
The future will show if Bendter is to be playing for a Champions League club again. One thing is almost certain. His time in Arsenal is over. I am afraid that Bendtners ego is bigger than his talent will ever be and with all the scandals surrounding him, it is going to be hard for him to find a new club. Unless he can make 20 goals in the last part of this season. The scandals have changed him from the Danish hope for the future, to the country’s black sheep. After the latest scandals, Danish football fans have expressed anger with him and wanted him off the Danish national team. It will take a lot for Bendtner to convince, not only Denmark, but the world that he is the superstar he wants to be. Time will show if he is capable of doing so….
In May ’11 Bendtner decided that it was now time to leave Arsenal, and asked the club permission to be sold, but the club refused to sell him. Agent Thomas Bendtner told that his son was worth 100 million Danish crones (approx. £110.000) and that he was only interested in a club playing, in the Champions League. Several clubs were reported interested including Inter Milano, Borussia Dortmund, Sporting Lissabon, Stoke and Everton. However, most of the clubs later denied being interested. Instead, Arsenal tried to exchange Bendtner for Boltons Gary Cahill, according to the Bolton News, but this was also rejected.
At some point, Bendtner opened the door for staying in Arsenal, until the last day of the transfer market when Sunderland brought him to the club where he was to be reunited with Steve Bruce. The new Sunderland player wanted to bring the club to the top of Premier League and become top scorer. However, the goals were to be waited for.
In the winter 2011, Bendtner was once again involved in scandals. After a national match, started Bendtner a fight in a Hotel in Helsingør, in Denmark. When the fight was announced in the Danish Press, Bendtner promised in a letter that he would change. This was the last time Bendtners name was mentioned in a scandal, he claimed. But on the fourth of December he was caught laughing during a memorial ceremony for Gary Speed. This resulted in hatred from English football fans, and Sunderlands fans demanded that he should not wear their shirt anymore. Then on the 16th of December, was Bendtner and Lee Cattermole was arrested in suspicion of damaging cars after a match against Newcastle. To end a year of scandals, Bendtner lost his driver license in December after being charged for speeding.
Bendtner is still in Sunderland, and the new coach Martin O’Niel is asking for more goals from the attacker. The question is now, if the attacker stays in Sunderland after this season or if he will find a new club. Bendtner has said that he misses Champions League and wants to play for a Champions League club next year. He also opened for a transfer to Russia.
The future will show if Bendter is to be playing for a Champions League club again. One thing is almost certain. His time in Arsenal is over. I am afraid that Bendtners ego is bigger than his talent will ever be and with all the scandals surrounding him, it is going to be hard for him to find a new club. Unless he can make 20 goals in the last part of this season. The scandals have changed him from the Danish hope for the future, to the country’s black sheep. After the latest scandals, Danish football fans have expressed anger with him and wanted him off the Danish national team. It will take a lot for Bendtner to convince, not only Denmark, but the world that he is the superstar he wants to be. Time will show if he is capable of doing so….
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