TWO unknown defenders from a farming town helped transform Erling Haaland into the Premier League’s deadliest striker.
The Manchester City forward, 22, is enjoying a staggering first season in England.
He has blasted in a whopping 47 goals in 40 games across all competitions for the Citizens, adding his latest pair in the 3-1 win over Leicester at the weekend.
Incredibly, 40 of those have been scored with just one touch – taking the ball early and often smashing it past helpless goalkeepers.
And a large part of that was learnt as a kid in the academy at boyhood club Bryne in southern Norway.
Haaland was bumped up a year aged seven as he was too good for his peers – that meant he went up against defenders Tord Johnsen Salte and Andreas Ueland in each training session.
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The duo were in the year above and, with Haaland not having a growth spurt until 15, dominated the striker physically.
That forced Haaland to have to deal with aggressive centre-backs from an early age and find different ways to score.
Bryne youth coach Alf Ingve Bernsten told the Daily Mail: “He really struggled in the training sessions.
“We didn’t coach him at all, we just let him play.
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“Against those defenders, he had to be clever. His opponents were quite good.
“We could not develop Erling, he had to do that himself. It’s better for Erling to learn for himself rather than an old man like me telling him where to run.
“He always plays on instinct and that is based on experience. It’s not all due to his strength and power, it’s technical ability and smarts, fooling defenders.
“When I see old videos of him at 13, his movement is quite similar to now. It’s funny but it’s the same.
“Normally when you meet better opposition you stop developing, but Erling has always adapted to the next level and that’s not normal.”
Unlike Haaland, who moved to Molde, Red Bull Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and then City, Salte and Ueland have not kicked on to have the same fame.
Norway youth international Salte had a spell with Lyon’s youth set-up but is now back in his homeland with third-tier Arendal.
Ueland moved to America on a scholarship at the University of Virginia.
He was selected by New England Revolution in the MLS SuperDraft in December but appears to be without a club after departing the club two months later.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
