Ajer Dismisses Norway Cabin-Fever Fears Before Iraq Opener

Kristoffer Ajer brushed aside worries that Norway’s long World Cup camp in the United States would turn into cabin fever before the Iraq opener. The Brentford defender said the group’s time together in Greensboro has only made them tighter, not restless.

“The cabin fever the media and others are worried about is not going to happen to us,” Ajer said earlier in Norway’s camp. He added that the squad could have been together for one year and “it’s not a problem.”

Greensboro Camp Routine

Norway have been based in Greensboro during their build-up, after opting to travel early as part of their World Cup preparations. Ajer said the players have become “an incredibly close-knit group, good friends who like spending time together,” and pointed to the different hobbies they can pursue there.

That matters because some back home had wondered whether so much time in the same setting, before the tournament even started, might wear on the squad. Ajer pushed the idea away without hesitation. Asked whether cabin fever could become an issue, he replied: “Never in the world.”

Ajer, Berge and Family Life

The timing of the camp also comes as Ajer has recently become a father for the first time. He said, “We had a nice farewell,” and added, “When I know how well my daughter is being looked after, we know that we are leaving for one of the biggest things we can experience in a career.”

Sander Berge has also welcomed a child in the past year, giving Norway more than football to manage away from the pitch. Even so, Ajer’s comments suggest the long stay in Greensboro has not unsettled the group before Group I begins against Iraq.

Norway’s Group I Start

For Norway, the immediate task is simple: get through the opener against Iraq with the squad’s mood intact after a prolonged stay in one place. Ajer’s answer removes the distraction around camp life and leaves the focus on how Norway handle the first match of Group I.