http://www.wearewearside.com/articl...d-doubts-england-keeper-ahead-of-world-cup-qf We Are Wearside Ex-teammate of Jordan Pickford slams Sunderland & doubts England 'keeper ahead of World Cup QF David Moberg Karlsson was a teammate of Jordan Pickford when the pair were youngsters at Sunderland. In an interview to preview tomorrow's World Cup quarter final showdown, the Swedish midfielder hasn't anything positive to say about either the England goalkeeper or his former club. by Brandon Rawlin Saturday, 7th July, 2018 06:34 a.m. David Moberg Karlsson spent a year at Sunderland and was a teammate of England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford when the pair were youngsters making their way through the Black Cats academy. Moberg Karlsson was signed by Sunderland for a fee reportedly approaching £1.5m from IFK Goteborg. Then a 19-year-old Swedish U21 international, the attacker failed to make the grade in England and has been forthcoming about the difficulties he had settling into a new country as a youngster. The Swede has been speaking to the media in his home country ahead of tomorrow's World Cup quarter final about his experiences on Wearside and his thoughts about the Three Lions goalkeeper, and he hasn't really anything positive to say about either. please log in to view this image Pickford's penalty save against Colombia In an interview with football magazine Offside, the midfielder, who now plays for IFK Norrköping in Sweden's top tier, suggests that he has been surprised by Pickford's rise to become the third most expensive goalkeeper in history and England's number one at the age of just 24. Moberg Karlsson also suggests that he hated his time on Wearside and aims a few digs at Kevin Ball, the Sunderland stalwart who coached the pair at the Academy of Light. please log in to view this image Moberg Karlsson in his interview for Offside Here's a selection of quotes from the interview. On his impression of Pickford's abilities when the pair were at Sunderland... But honestly, he did not impress me. He was a third goalkeeper in Sunderland and I did not check if he was good or not. He was, at least, loaned [to Carlisle] soon. It's as if the goalkeepers are in their own world. I really did not think he would be a national team goalkeeper, not then at that time. But that was not my focus. I had difficulty seeing that he would go for 30 million pounds three years later and start in the World Cup. On some of the criticism suggesting Pickford's parrying could put England in danger... He's not holding [the ball]. Sweden wins. Shoot hard at the crossing. On his general impression of Pickford as a youngster... He was a typical British guy, very kind. He looks very British as well. I met him at a restaurant once. Then he was with his girlfriend, who I think he is still with. So he seems to be a little family man. On his first encounter with Kevin Ball... The U21 coach came over, and the first thing he said to me was "you're too bad for the A team, you're going to the U21s". I had been talking to Tottenham in the preseason and thought that I was king, so I replied "I'm not sure who the hell are you?". He was the club legend Kevin Ball, who had played 400 games for Sunderland. DMK on Kevin Ball and his time in the Sunderland academy... He [Pickford] blended in, did what people told him to. Well, Kevin Ball liked it. He is a coach who gladly takes the plaudits when a player becomes something without he himself actually doing anything special. He [Kevin Ball] talked about Jordan Henderson all the time. I lost all the joy. I hated football. I was 19 years old and sat alone in an apartment. When I came to the training, I only heard that I was the worst, rude, and should move home. Especially from that coach [Kevin Ball]. I was totally broken down then talking to my dad about moving home. On whether he simply had a worse attitude than Pickford... Clearly, I had. I did not manage to straighten myself out but I opposed everything until I gave up mentally and just happened to it. I asked my dad if I could break the contract [with Sunderland] and only play division four football at home in Mariestad [Norway]. They never asked that of Pickford's dad. On Sweden's chances against England on Saturday... They are a good team but it does not feel like a backline that is impenetrable, like when they had Rio (Ferdinand) and (John) Terry. In addition, they are quite offensive and it will allow Sweden to attack them. The strong belief in the Swedish national team will be hard to beat. I really think Sweden will win, the English are too arrogant*. *Pot and kettle springs to mind. What a jumped up little tosspot.
He’s a nobody. No idea why they’re even speaking to him. Couldn’t hack it so it sounds like sour grapes to me.
Sounds like he expected to be treated like a star and when Ball laid down a few home truths he couldn't take it.
Slagging Pickford off, yet -- '' I did not check if he was good or not ''. Little gobshite. Seems like we swerved another troublemaker
He sounds quite self-analytical there and seems happy to admit that his attitude wasn't the best "I had been talking to Tottenham and thought that I was king". Clearly recognises he was too big for his boots. He's not particularly slagging Bally off, just saying they didn't get on. As for the rest of it, he's just bigging Sweden up as you'd expect any Swede to do. The interview might have been relevant wherever it was originally done but sources reproducing it here are just looking for sensationalism and to **** stir. He didn't enjoy his time at Sunderland and he wants Sweden to win later. So what?
I am being fair. He's admitted his attitude wasn't good. He's said he didn't like Kevin Ball- who cares? He's said Pickford was a nice bloke- fair enough. He's said he didn't think Pickford was any good but that he wasn't really paying attention to him- so He's not a good judge of ability. Don't see that it was even worth We are Wearside or Roker Report even bothering to mention it.
He is a bit of a tool this guy and is full of sour grapes. Got a big chip on his shoulder because JP made the big time and he faded into obscurity. Oh, and that's not a pic of the penalty save
Not the first or will he be the last, kid to struggle, on his own, in a foreign country. So he's gone home, he's now a happy soul but still needs a focus for his past disappointment. Hope he feels better, though after the result and Pickfords showing, even he must doubt some at least of his analysis.
If you read the original Swedish article, remembering that your browser has (badly) translated it, and bear in mind that the interview was conducted by a journalist clearly trying to get the player to say something negative about Pickford and English football ahead of their game against us, you can see that Moberg Karlsson actually isn't 'slamming' Pickford at all and is only slightly negative about Ball.
What on earth are you blithering on about? If you attempted to read the original article you would understand that not only is a lot of it lost between the translation from Swedish to English but also that a lot of what was said was quoted out of context. The other day you were upholding everyone's right to free speech on Twitter and now you are complaining because You think someone has said something nasty about some footballers you like. Free speech or not hurting your feelings, which is It?
Here we go again... There's bloody quotes there ffs, so he obviously said it. Then i don't agree with it. He says his opinion, i say mine. Tell me where there's a refusal on my part that he's not allowed to say what he thinks at all? ****ing hell, do you just look for bites from me, so you can start an argument?
If you don't want to debate things, don't start posting your opinion on a football forum. You clearly don't like what you think he's said in a article which is rehash of an original article which has been translated from the language it was originally conducted in. Otherwise you wouldn't have posted it, would you? The article says that he 'slammed' Ball and Pickford but if you dig a little deeper it becomes obvious that that is not quite the case. I was just pointing that out. I can't help it if you'd rather be spoon fed information and not wonder whether the source of that information has an agenda.
You're not debating the point though, you're having little digs at me. Talk about the thread title, not the poster. You'll figure it out eventually
