Former Nottingham Forest midfielder Alf-Inge Haaland has bizarrely told Talk Sport that his son Erling used to support the Reds during his days as a child.
Alf played 75 games for the Reds during a four-year spell at the City Ground and developed a strong rapport with the club’s supporters.
The former Forest man has made the claim that his son basically followed whoever he played for at the time; citing Manchester City and Leeds as club’s he also admired as a youngster.
What is perhaps surprising about his claim that Erling had a soft spot for Forest is that he wasn’t born until 2000. By that point, Haaland hadn’t been a Reds player for three years.
(Photo by Francesco Pecoraro/Getty Images)
Haaland Jr is now one of the hottest properties in world football and is developing quite a reputation with his goalscoring exploits.
The 19-year-old is in red hot form this season smashing 23 goals from 17 appearances in all competitions.
Haaland spoke on his son during the Alan Brazil Sports Breakfast and Forest got a mention.
He said: “He was a Leeds fan and a City fan and a Nottingham Forest fan – he followed me obviously, but that is what you do in your youth.”
Given his substantial reputation, Haaland was also quizzed on where his next destination might be when he does eventually depart Red Bull Salzburg.
He was in doubt where the sensation would like to head when the opportunity to leave does arrive.
Haaland continued: “At one stage he would like to play in the Premier League, but when that will happen, I don’t know. It’s a very tough league.
“He is built for the Premier League, but whether that will happen now or at a later stage, we don’t know. He is at Red Bull, a fantastic club playing Champions League so in a way he is in no hurry.”
Bizarre
Haaland’s error of judgement in saying that his son was a Forest fan as a youngster will at least cause some amusement among the Reds supporters.
(Photo by Markus Tobisch/SEPA.Media /Getty Images)
The man who could play in defence and in midfield proved a decent player for the club during his time at the City Ground.
Upon leaving he became a regular Premier League player with City and Leeds and was respected by supporters of each club he featured for.