THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:42 am
Danish football expert Niels Schack Norgaard reveals the story behind Andreas Cornelius's rise to the Premier League ahead of his expected competitive debut against Manchester City
Few players have made such an immediate impact in Danish football as Andreas Cornelius – the first of Malky Mackay’s three club record signings – who is fit and ready to make his Bluebirds debut in their first Premier League home match on Sunday.
Title-chasing Manchester City come to Cardiff City Stadium intent on maintaining their blistering start, while Mackay will ponder whether raw centre-forward Cornelius and experienced hitman Fraizer Campbell can link up and cause problems for Manuel Pellegrini’s men.
Cornelius is in full training having recovered from an ankle injury and Mackay has confirmed he is in the squad for Sunday’s 27,000-plus sell-out match.
While the Bluebirds faithful wait to welcome the young Dane to Cardiff City Stadium, there is a deep frustration at FC Copenhagen that the talented young striker has not been replaced.
Niels Schack Norgaard, a football writer with Danish daily newspapers BT and Berlingske, followed Cornelius during his breakthrough 2012-13 season when he scored 20 goals in 43 matches for club and country.
Cornelius was 19 when he made his Danish Super League debut and Norgaard describes him as a ‘teenage battering ram.’
He also says: “Cornelius excelled with the ball at his feet, showing great technique and a rocket of a left foot.
“Few players manage to leave such extraordinary footprints on a football club in such a short space of time.
“The name of Cornelius, almost two months after his departure, is shouted vehemently in frustration with the club’s failure to properly replace him.
“It is safe to say that he has left a lasting impression with the Copenhagen faithful.
“Cornelius stepped onto the scene with great panache. He had been lurking around in the youth and reserve sides for quite some time when FC Copenhagen had found themselves in turmoil and the sudden emergence of Cornelius was the football equivalent of a Get Out of Jail Free Card for the biggest sporting institution in Scandinavia.
Cornelius has shown a glimpse of his goalscoring power for Cardiff, thundering a header into the net during from a pin-point Kevin McNaughton cross in a pre-season match at Forest Green Rovers.
He has since been ruled out after rolling an ankle in training, but Cardiff’s £8m record signing is now ready for action.
That fee was surpassed by Steven Caulker’s arrival from Spurs, at £8.5m, and by Gary Medel’s £9m move from Seville.
Both Caulker and Medel made their debuts at West Ham and this Sunday it could be time for Cornelius to make his bow.
He certainly showed the knack of perfect timing when he broke through with Copenhagen last season.
They had dominated the Danish Superliga in the new millennium, winning eight championships in just over a decade, but found themselves in an awkward position during the summer of 2012.
They had just thrown away a big lead to rivals FC Nordsjælland, lost the title and missed out on the first-ever direct qualification to the group stages of the Champions League.
Ariel Jacobs, a seasoned Belgian manager from Anderlecht, installed the same summer as head coach, inherited a side low on morale from the season before.
Top scorer and arguably most dominant striker in Superliga history, Senegalese striker Dame N’Doye, demanded a move Jacobs entered the season with uncertainty surrounding the most prolific player at the club.
“I was covering the first game of the season and remember it vividly,” says Norgaard. “Copenhagen played Midtjylland at home in front of a sceptical 11,000 crowd and quickly went 1-0 down. Tim Janssen made it 2-0 after the break and Copenhagen seemingly started to relinquish hope.
“Then Cornelius was sent on. A 19-year-old battering ram. He unsettled the Midtjylland defence and they started to look shaky under the pressure of a big and unknown quantity up front.”
Copenhagen pulled a goal back through Cesar Santin with 15 minutes to go, Cornelius equalised three minutes later, tapping in from close range and his psychically dominant and opportunistic style helped FC Copenhagen turn the game to win 4-2.
“The importance of the rise by Cornelius for Copenhagen cannot be underestimated,” says Norgaard.
“The new coach desperately needed a powerful goalscorer, the club needed a positive story to tell and Cornelius conveyed all the right things for his club.
“He was a product of the club’s academy and, needless to say, the club did not buy a replacement for iconic striker N’Doye.
“Copenhagen’s play was quickly designed around Cornelius, utilising his aerial strength through crosses from right-back Lars Jacobsen and others.
“In his first full season he racked up 18 goals in the league and one for the Danish national side where became established following the demise of Nicklas Bendtner.
“Cornelius also excelled with the ball at his feet, showing glimpses of great technique and a rocket of a left foot.”
Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay is pictured with new signing Andreas Cornelius
Towards the end of the season Copenhagen played champions FC Nordsjælland away in another battle for the title.
Cardiff City’s chief scout Mark Stow was in the stands to watch the big striker, who had a quiet game until the 78th minute when he scored an impressive winner to secure FC Copenhagen their ninth championship in 13 years.
“That display was enough to earn him a record transfer bid from Cardiff, even though he had a goal drought in the second half of the season, scoring only once in his last eight games,” says Norgaard. “That was mainly put down to the fact that teams had started double marking him more efficiently, although part of the explanation probably is that it was his first season at top level and fatigue must have played a role.”
Mackay is searching for a top-class winger to help provide ammunition for Cornelius, while he will also encourage both full-backs to get forward and fire in crosses for the big man.
“That will suit Cornelius perfectly as it was roughly the same set-up that ensured his breakthrough with Copenhagen,” says Norgaard.
“With his record-breaking move, Cornelius has repeated the feat of Daniel Agger when
the Danish defender was sold to Liverpool.
“Both had played only one full season before their big transfers to the Premier and hopefully Cornelius can emulate the success that Agger has enjoyed at Anfield.”
Norgaard got to know Cornelius a little off the pitch. “His nickname is ‘Corner’ and he’s a quiet, but confident guy,” said Norgaard. “He seems to thrive under pressure and expectations. After his move to Cardiff he was asked if the £8m fee made him nervous and he said ‘To me that just means they must think I’m pretty good.’
“I remember talking to him a couple of months after his breakthrough and asking if we was surprised with how fast it had all gone.
“He was a 19-year-old high school student back then and answered with gusto ‘No, not really. I mean, I knew I was good.’
“That isn’t arrogance. Cornelius simply believes in himself to be a success.”
Few players have made such an immediate impact in Danish football as Andreas Cornelius – the first of Malky Mackay’s three club record signings – who is fit and ready to make his Bluebirds debut in their first Premier League home match on Sunday.
Title-chasing Manchester City come to Cardiff City Stadium intent on maintaining their blistering start, while Mackay will ponder whether raw centre-forward Cornelius and experienced hitman Fraizer Campbell can link up and cause problems for Manuel Pellegrini’s men.
Cornelius is in full training having recovered from an ankle injury and Mackay has confirmed he is in the squad for Sunday’s 27,000-plus sell-out match.
While the Bluebirds faithful wait to welcome the young Dane to Cardiff City Stadium, there is a deep frustration at FC Copenhagen that the talented young striker has not been replaced.
Niels Schack Norgaard, a football writer with Danish daily newspapers BT and Berlingske, followed Cornelius during his breakthrough 2012-13 season when he scored 20 goals in 43 matches for club and country.
Cornelius was 19 when he made his Danish Super League debut and Norgaard describes him as a ‘teenage battering ram.’
He also says: “Cornelius excelled with the ball at his feet, showing great technique and a rocket of a left foot.
“Few players manage to leave such extraordinary footprints on a football club in such a short space of time.
“The name of Cornelius, almost two months after his departure, is shouted vehemently in frustration with the club’s failure to properly replace him.
“It is safe to say that he has left a lasting impression with the Copenhagen faithful.
“Cornelius stepped onto the scene with great panache. He had been lurking around in the youth and reserve sides for quite some time when FC Copenhagen had found themselves in turmoil and the sudden emergence of Cornelius was the football equivalent of a Get Out of Jail Free Card for the biggest sporting institution in Scandinavia.
Cornelius has shown a glimpse of his goalscoring power for Cardiff, thundering a header into the net during from a pin-point Kevin McNaughton cross in a pre-season match at Forest Green Rovers.
He has since been ruled out after rolling an ankle in training, but Cardiff’s £8m record signing is now ready for action.
That fee was surpassed by Steven Caulker’s arrival from Spurs, at £8.5m, and by Gary Medel’s £9m move from Seville.
Both Caulker and Medel made their debuts at West Ham and this Sunday it could be time for Cornelius to make his bow.
He certainly showed the knack of perfect timing when he broke through with Copenhagen last season.
They had dominated the Danish Superliga in the new millennium, winning eight championships in just over a decade, but found themselves in an awkward position during the summer of 2012.
They had just thrown away a big lead to rivals FC Nordsjælland, lost the title and missed out on the first-ever direct qualification to the group stages of the Champions League.
Ariel Jacobs, a seasoned Belgian manager from Anderlecht, installed the same summer as head coach, inherited a side low on morale from the season before.
Top scorer and arguably most dominant striker in Superliga history, Senegalese striker Dame N’Doye, demanded a move Jacobs entered the season with uncertainty surrounding the most prolific player at the club.
“I was covering the first game of the season and remember it vividly,” says Norgaard. “Copenhagen played Midtjylland at home in front of a sceptical 11,000 crowd and quickly went 1-0 down. Tim Janssen made it 2-0 after the break and Copenhagen seemingly started to relinquish hope.
“Then Cornelius was sent on. A 19-year-old battering ram. He unsettled the Midtjylland defence and they started to look shaky under the pressure of a big and unknown quantity up front.”
Copenhagen pulled a goal back through Cesar Santin with 15 minutes to go, Cornelius equalised three minutes later, tapping in from close range and his psychically dominant and opportunistic style helped FC Copenhagen turn the game to win 4-2.
“The importance of the rise by Cornelius for Copenhagen cannot be underestimated,” says Norgaard.
“The new coach desperately needed a powerful goalscorer, the club needed a positive story to tell and Cornelius conveyed all the right things for his club.
“He was a product of the club’s academy and, needless to say, the club did not buy a replacement for iconic striker N’Doye.
“Copenhagen’s play was quickly designed around Cornelius, utilising his aerial strength through crosses from right-back Lars Jacobsen and others.
“In his first full season he racked up 18 goals in the league and one for the Danish national side where became established following the demise of Nicklas Bendtner.
“Cornelius also excelled with the ball at his feet, showing glimpses of great technique and a rocket of a left foot.”
Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay is pictured with new signing Andreas Cornelius
Towards the end of the season Copenhagen played champions FC Nordsjælland away in another battle for the title.
Cardiff City’s chief scout Mark Stow was in the stands to watch the big striker, who had a quiet game until the 78th minute when he scored an impressive winner to secure FC Copenhagen their ninth championship in 13 years.
“That display was enough to earn him a record transfer bid from Cardiff, even though he had a goal drought in the second half of the season, scoring only once in his last eight games,” says Norgaard. “That was mainly put down to the fact that teams had started double marking him more efficiently, although part of the explanation probably is that it was his first season at top level and fatigue must have played a role.”
Mackay is searching for a top-class winger to help provide ammunition for Cornelius, while he will also encourage both full-backs to get forward and fire in crosses for the big man.
“That will suit Cornelius perfectly as it was roughly the same set-up that ensured his breakthrough with Copenhagen,” says Norgaard.
“With his record-breaking move, Cornelius has repeated the feat of Daniel Agger when
the Danish defender was sold to Liverpool.
“Both had played only one full season before their big transfers to the Premier and hopefully Cornelius can emulate the success that Agger has enjoyed at Anfield.”
Norgaard got to know Cornelius a little off the pitch. “His nickname is ‘Corner’ and he’s a quiet, but confident guy,” said Norgaard. “He seems to thrive under pressure and expectations. After his move to Cardiff he was asked if the £8m fee made him nervous and he said ‘To me that just means they must think I’m pretty good.’
“I remember talking to him a couple of months after his breakthrough and asking if we was surprised with how fast it had all gone.
“He was a 19-year-old high school student back then and answered with gusto ‘No, not really. I mean, I knew I was good.’
“That isn’t arrogance. Cornelius simply believes in himself to be a success.”
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:52 am
set pieces will be important for us, so we must make sure our deliveries are much better than at west ham.
we banged in around 17 or 18 headers last season and this is one of cornelius's strong points.
with a quality winger we should get the best out of him.
we banged in around 17 or 18 headers last season and this is one of cornelius's strong points.
with a quality winger we should get the best out of him.
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:26 am
Andreas will score sunday.
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:42 am
He sounds like the real deal, my only concern is that he will not get the service he needs to do the job. We need wingers with pace to burn, and I hope Malky has his eye on a couple of new additions before the window closes, ideally before Sunday. 
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 10:04 am
Really excited about him, could be crucial to us.
He impressed me at Cheltenham.
He impressed me at Cheltenham.
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:56 am
if malky keeps insisting on using hoofball tactics then I guess its worth a go when Cornelius is around
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 12:04 pm
He will be a class signing for us he won't get off the mark instantly but he'll compliment the striker and then start grabbing goals
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 6:00 pm
I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:15 pm
rhondda 1015 wrote:I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
Alex ferguson has spoke highly of cornelius. Fergy knows what he's on about and that's why fergy is fergy and that's why your mate is a local football manager
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 9:29 pm
Grange End Red wrote:rhondda 1015 wrote:I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
Alex ferguson has spoke highly of cornelius. Fergy knows what he's on about and that's why fergy is fergy and that's why your mate is a local football manager
This really.
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:18 pm
rhondda 1015 wrote:I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
This is hilarious. What a silly post
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Thu Aug 29, 2013 5:06 pm
Daniel bryan wrote:rhondda 1015 wrote:I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
This is hilarious. What a silly post
Maybe not so hilarious now...let's wait and see, hope my friend was wrong...
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Thu Aug 29, 2013 5:11 pm
Us fans expect the world from first apperances. I remember Kimbo was "shit" "too small" "needs too much time on the ball" etc all the same crap, how he's loved...... I won't judge him till after Xmas
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Thu Aug 29, 2013 5:18 pm
bluebird7291 wrote:Us fans expect the world from first apperances. I remember Kimbo was "shit" "too small" "needs too much time on the ball" etc all the same crap, how he's loved...... I won't judge him till after Xmas
How much did Kimbo cost to Cornelius?
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Thu Aug 29, 2013 5:23 pm
Regardless of price. He's only 20 it's citys fault they paid that much. Like I said I will give any player till xmas (if they are from abroad)
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:15 pm
Grange End Red wrote:rhondda 1015 wrote:I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
Alex ferguson has spoke highly of cornelius. Fergy knows what he's on about and that's why fergy is fergy and that's why your mate is a local football manager
Sadly, it looks like my mate was right all along...
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:22 pm
rhondda 1015 wrote:Grange End Red wrote:rhondda 1015 wrote:I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
Alex ferguson has spoke highly of cornelius. Fergy knows what he's on about and that's why fergy is fergy and that's why your mate is a local football manager
Sadly, it looks like my mate was right all along...
I wish malky watched him in a game or two like your mate, well done your mate he knows his stuff unlike moody and malky.
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:53 pm
Will your mate replace Moyes then?
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:03 pm
rhondda 1015 wrote:Grange End Red wrote:rhondda 1015 wrote:I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
Alex ferguson has spoke highly of cornelius. Fergy knows what he's on about and that's why fergy is fergy and that's why your mate is a local football manager
Sadly, it looks like my mate was right all along...
Re: THE RISE OF ANDREAS CORNELIUS
Wed Jan 29, 2014 7:36 pm
rhondda 1015 wrote:I hope he's the real deal, but a local football manager friend of mine was invited to watch them training a week ago...while I appreciate he wasn't fully fit, his words were 'he's shite', and one of the many ccfc personnel there was heard to say' how much did we pay for him, he's shocking'...fingers crossed that it was his injury that caused the problems !
Wow! How prophetic