'Never Tired': Norwegian Coach Forecasts Bright Future for N Korean Soccer Team

Jørn Andersen, who stayed in Europe for most of his career as a player and a coach, was surprisingly offered to head North Korea's national team in 2016, a challenge he boldly accepted.

"When I first got the offer, it felt a little strange. But now I am very happy that I made the decision," Jørn Andersen told the Norwegian daily Dagbladet.

During his stay at a suite in a Pyongyang hotel, from where he operates, the 54-year-old has noted a world of difference between European and North Korean players' frame of mind.

"My players are friendly, they work hard and are always motivated to work out. In Europe, I have experienced that players sometimes get tired and do not want to work. Here, the players are never tired. They work around the clock and are eager to learn new things," Andersen said.

Although North Korea failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, Andersen predicts a bright future for soccer in the Asian nation. According to Andersen's forecast, North Korea will soon reach the world cup for the third time in its history (after 2000 and 1966, when they surprisingly upset Italy and drew Chile).

READ ALSO: National Idol: Norway Wants to Adopt Iceland After Its Football Exploits

"The probability that they qualify for Qatar in 2022 is large. If they continue to develop as they did, I think they will be among the top four or five best teams in Asia. The team has taken great strides and there is a positive feeling in terms of the future," Andersen argued.

During his stay in North Korea, however, Andersen experienced some peculiarities that differ greatly from how things are run in a European team. By his own admission, Andersen does not have an assistant coach or anyone with whom he can discuss his efforts to get the North Korean national team on the right track.

"I'm European, so we don't always think the same way. I've become more used to this now and become more willing to listen to them and not just draw my own conclusions.

​While tensions are mounting on the Korean Peninsula, amid a surge in threatening rhetoric from Pyongyang and Washington, Andersen intends to focus on his job of helping North Korea develop as a soccer nation.

"My job is to train a football team. I think sports can help bridge gaps between different countries," Andersen said.

Andersen's career as a player includes proficient scoring for Germany's Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Nürnberg, while his subsequent coaching career includes stints with leagues in Germany, Austria and Greece.