Q&A With Crystal Palace Defender Brede Hangeland

Photo credit: Julian Finney

On Sunday, the struggling Premier League club faces Watford with a place in the FA Cup Final on the line. Palace’s American-born Norwegian defender spoke with Jack Bell of NASL.com about the club’s challenging season in England’s top league, the fight to avoid relegation, the chance for redemption in the Cup Final and his days playing with a bunch of Americans at Fulham.

Bell: Since Boxing Day (the day after Christmas) through the beginning of April, Palace went more than a dozen league matches without a victory. How have you dealt with that?

Hangeland: The whole season has been very up and down. It was fantastic up until about Christmas, but it’s been pretty poor in the league since then. We’re trying to put things right.

Bell: Where did things go wrong?

Hangeland: I think a few things. We had some injuries to some key players in January and February, and also there’s such a small margin for error in this league. It’s so tight. We’ve just been on a bit of a bad run. The difference between winning and losing is so small.

Bell: So is the goal now in the league simply to stay up?

Hangeland: I think in this league that’s the goal for most teams in any given season, and we’re one of them. If you had asked me that question in middle of December I would have said we were hoping to qualify for the Europa League. As it stands now, we definitely want to stay in the league for next year. It’s the priority. Of course, it would also be nice to win the Cup.

Bell: With the semifinal coming against Watford, and a potential final against either Manchester United or Everton, is the focus on the FA Cup?

Hangeland: It’s a bit of a strange situation. Of course there’s a lot of attention on the Cup, it’s fantastic for a club like us to be in the semifinals. But the league is our bread and butter and the remaining games are absolutely vital. In a way, every game for us is a Cup Final now.

Bell: Has the Cup run been a distraction?

Hangeland: I don’t think so. I can only speak for myself. It’s a massive occasion, but the thing is there’s not much breathing space between us and the bottom three [after Sunday’s draw with Arsenal, Palace is nine points from the drop zone with four to play] and everyone is aware how serious the challenge is, how much pressure there is.

Bell: When I was reading about you, I was surprised to see that you were born in Texas. Is there a backstory?

Hangeland: My dad was an oil worker and my parents were in Houston for two years. I was born [in June 1981] toward the end of their time in the U.S. I feel very much Norwegian, having grown up in Norway. It was definitely my choice when I got to the national team level. To be honest it was an easy choice – I’ve lived for 20 years in Norway – but I do have that connection with America for sure. I haven’t really been back much because the problem in this game is that you don’t have much time off. I had a really nice time when I was with Fulham and the chairman took us to Jacksonville, that was last time I was in the U.S. [Shahid Khan owns Fulham FC and the Jacksonville Jaguars of the NFL]. I played once with Norway against the U.S. In many ways I’m looking forward to retiring, and maybe in the U.S.

Bell: Was there ever any thought of playing internationally for the U.S? Ever any contact?

Hangeland: I don’t think so. I was playing back home in Norway. The U.S. was never on the radar, it came up later in my career, after I had started to play in England. But the choice had been made.

Hangeland has played for the Norwegian national team 91 times. Photo credit: Cornelius Poppe

Bell: Have you thought about coming to play in the U.S?

Hangeland: I have thought about it a few times. A lot of players here are talking about going to America. It’s something to consider toward the end of my career. U.S. leagues here are now more popular and it’s easier to follow them. I can see why it’s attractive to play in the U.S., you get to live in a great country and help raise the profile of the game. It’s a possibility for a lot of players.

Bell: Does it come down to a choice between leagues, NASL or MLS, or is there more to it?

Hangeland: I think from my perspective I would like to go to America to play, but it’s more for the experience than necessarily for the money or to play at the highest level. If I was considering a move those would be my main thoughts.

Bell: Do you have a preference for where you might want to play in the U.S.?

Hangeland: The usual suspects – New York, California. I have an obvious affinity to Texas, though I’ve never been back there, which is a bit embarrassing.

Bell: You played at Fulham for more than six years. Did you have much of an interaction with the club’s chairman, Mr. Khan?

Hangeland: I only met him a couple of times when he took over the club. He came across as a really nice guy, but as a player you don’t have much contact with the owner or chairman. It was way above my head. I still feel a strong connection and just hope they manage to stay in the League Championship [the Cottagers have lately moved out of the drop zone].

Bell: So you were at Craven Cottage with a handful of Americans. What was your impression?

Hangeland: I played with quite a few in my time, I know [Clint] Dempsey best, we were part of the best Fulham team ever. I think there are a few common traits in American players. They are always really fit, have a great attitude to work, a good, winning mentality, and good skill as well. I can see soccer in America going to new levels in the future. It could be a superpower in the future if the players have the right mentality.

Brede Hangeland and U.S. international Clint Dempsey spent a frutiful spell at Fulham. Photo credit: Mike Hewitt