Rivals' pity highlights Brøndby gloom

After stepping down as Brøndby IF coach at the start of the year, René Meulensteen said: "Brøndby is a very sick patient requiring immediate attention." At the time, no one took the former Manchester United FC assistant manager's warning seriously, but with the club second from bottom of the Superliga, people are starting to believe Meulensteen may have had a point.

Poor start
Danish fans accustomed to seeing Brøndby involved in the annual dogfight for the title with FC København have been bitterly disappointed with the club's form this season. After ten games, they have picked up just six points - 15 fewer than league leaders København - with the replacements for the raft of players who have departed in recent years not coming up to scratch.

Derby disappointment
Brøndby's parlous state was underlined on Sunday in the first New Firm game of the season at Brøndby Stadion. A crowd of 19,686 - about 10,000 fewer supporters than usual for games against København - was a disappointment for Brøndby, as was the 1-0 win that put their rivals top of the table. Tellingly, the game was also avoided by the major national TV networks.

København concern
FCK fans might be enjoying the dark spell, but club director Dan Hammer is not. "There is no doubt the ongoing rivalry between Brøndby and us has been good for both clubs financially, and for Danish football in general," he said. "If Brøndby's crisis goes on for too many more seasons we will have to find a new rival, and that will take time."

Schmeichel bid
Brøndby have had no shortage of suggestions when it comes to reversing their slump - a consortium led by former Danish international goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel recently offered to invest €35m on the condition that the former Manchester United star could become Brøndby's sporting director. The current administration rejected the move.

Too good
The continued interest in his club has certainly rattled Brøndby coach Tom Køhlert who characterised the Danish press's criticisms of his team as "impudent". Meanwhile, København coach Ståle Solbakken offered his counterpart a crumb of consolation after Sunday's match. "You can't talk about relegation given the way Brøndby played," he said. "They are far too good to be relegated." Brøndby have won the title ten times since 1985 and prior to ending last season in sixth place had not finished outside the top two since 1994. That relegation is being mentioned at all says everything about their plight.