Nils Middelboe: a hassle-free Chelsea foreign import
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By Nick Harris 26 December 2009 Denmark's Nils Middelboe was attached to the Casuals and Newcastle before playing League football for Chelsea from late 1913. Photographs from the time show an awkward, apparently shy man with long skinny arms and a concave chest. But as his lengthy international career and authorship of coaching manuals showed, he lacked nothing in skill or mental application. Middelboe came to the attention of English clubs through his involvement in two Olympic tournaments, in 1908 and 1912. The first was in London, and was won by the hosts, Britain (actually an English team), who beat Denmark – and Middelboe – in the final. By the 1912 Games in Stockholm he was Denmark's captain, playing in the final as his nation lost again to England. While Chelsea were happy to employ him – albeit as an amateur – England’s authorities would take a dimmer view of the Olympics after 1912. The 1924 and 1928 tournaments, both won by Uruguay, were ignored, as was the inaugural World Cup in 1930, also won by the South Americans. By the first decade of the 21st century, English football was a melting pot for the global game, with more than 2,000 foreigners having played in the English league since 1888. A historical review at the end of the 2005-06 season showed France had contributed more players than any nation (247 of them to that date), and the first Frenchman was Eugene Langenove at Walsall, in 1922. Middelboe was the first Dane.
Nils Middelboe: a hassle-free Chelsea foreign import
Nils Middelboe: a hassle-free Chelsea foreign…
Nils Middelboe: a hassle-free Chelsea foreign import
By Nick Harris 26 December 2009 Denmark's Nils Middelboe was attached to the Casuals and Newcastle before playing League football for Chelsea from late 1913. Photographs from the time show an awkward, apparently shy man with long skinny arms and a concave chest. But as his lengthy international career and authorship of coaching manuals showed, he lacked nothing in skill or mental application. Middelboe came to the attention of English clubs through his involvement in two Olympic tournaments, in 1908 and 1912. The first was in London, and was won by the hosts, Britain (actually an English team), who beat Denmark – and Middelboe – in the final. By the 1912 Games in Stockholm he was Denmark's captain, playing in the final as his nation lost again to England. While Chelsea were happy to employ him – albeit as an amateur – England’s authorities would take a dimmer view of the Olympics after 1912. The 1924 and 1928 tournaments, both won by Uruguay, were ignored, as was the inaugural World Cup in 1930, also won by the South Americans. By the first decade of the 21st century, English football was a melting pot for the global game, with more than 2,000 foreigners having played in the English league since 1888. A historical review at the end of the 2005-06 season showed France had contributed more players than any nation (247 of them to that date), and the first Frenchman was Eugene Langenove at Walsall, in 1922. Middelboe was the first Dane.