Twice-capped Jonas Knudsen is hoping an ex-Norwich player can help him to become a regular choice for the Danish national team.

Former Norwich and Manchester City player Ã…ge Hareide has succeeded the long-serving Morten Olsen, who stepped down this week after 15 years in charge following the Danes’ failure to qualify for next summer’s Euro 2016 finals in France.

Hareide, a 62-year-old Norwegian, was previously in charge of Swedish club Malmo, leading them through the qualifying rounds to claim a lucrative place in the group stage of this season’s Champions League before departing last week.

Knudsen said: “They have appointed a new manager and I want to impress him. A new manager often means a new chance and maybe this is my one. If it is and I am given an opportunity I want to take it because I am just like every other player in that I want to play for my country.

“The previous manager didn’t pick me for the Euro qualifiers and the play-off games but he was a good manager and he gave me my debut in the national team.

“But I also joined Ipswich and everything was new to me. I got into the team quickly and played a lot of games so when it came to the international break it was fine for me to have some days off.

“I also had the Euro U21 tournament in the summer and that meant I only had one week off in the summer.

“When I wasn’t picked I thought to myself ‘What can you do better?’ I realise I have to improve and do enough to catch his eye.

“It is a new start for him as well so I hope he decides to come to England and see me playing. If he does it will be up to me to show him what I can do.”

Knudsen turned 23 in September and has time on his side as he seeks to make the step-up to senior international level after winning caps with the Danish U18, U19, U20 and U21 sides — and with two caps already in the bag he is sure to feature on new manager Hareide’s radar.

Meanwhile, the left-back has spoken of his frustration at still waiting to claim his first Town goal and at the fact none of his long-throws — he was known back home as ‘the new Rory Delap’ — have so far directly paved the way for a colleague to stick the ball in the net.

Knudsen added: “I wish I had scored at least one goal for Ipswich. In each of the last two seasons I scored twice for my old club, Esbjerg, and I also want to do it here.

“Hopefully, as I gain more confidence, it will happen. I had a chance in the last game when I went into the box.

“When I played left-back in Denmark I didn’t go into the box as often as I do now. It is something the manager is encouraging me to do and I hope and think some goals will come. Maybe from freekicks, we’ll see.

“I really don’t know why my long throws have not led to goals. At my old club we scored goals from it and it was the same in the national team. When we played in Euro U21 qualification games it also happened.

“In the very first game we scored from my long throw after 80 minutes to win what was a very tough game.

“It was the same in Slovenia and after we drew 0-0 at home to Iceland we went there for the second game. In extra time we scored from my long throw. I think it will come — in fact it has to come — because I think we have had some chances from it.

“Maybe people will think it is not going to happen but I really feel we can score goals from it and I want it to happen like it has happened before in my career.

“We work on it on the training ground but you have to remember that I came straight into the team after just one week at the club, which means we have been playing so many games that we haven’t had a lot of time to work on it.”

Photo: Action Images

Seasider added 17:49 - Dec 11 I wonder if Jonas would benefit from a rest,if as he says he only had one week off in the summer.Of course if he was still in Denmark he would be looking forward to a month or so off now during their winter break. From the interview he gave on the Ipswich website(player)he will miss being at home with his family,and as it is his first season over here;bearing in mind the above,perhaps it would be a good thing all round. It would also give Jonny Parr a chance,as I am sure lot of us feel sorry for Knudsen's fellow Scandiniavan who has done nothing wrong;and with some of the current incumbents games being indifferent at left back it should give Jonathan a lift to feel that he is still valued by McCarthy who 'bigs'up some players all the time.

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