Hareide I think took over just as the 1990s generation were hitting their early 30s so was always going to be a dip in performances. Did have the likes of Carew and Arne Riise but it really wasn't a great squad.
Qualified Denmark to two tournaments out of two when he was there.
Solbakken worse as he's had Haaland and Odegaard making great impact at club level and there's other decent players dotted around the side (Sorloth, Ryerson etc) and also messed up a very qualifiable euros group. Hard to see why you'd just allow him to continue before the World cup group draw has even been made.
Solbakken also been 4 years in the job and there has never been more questions than right now. At first Norway looked slightly better going more direct in Ødegaards absence, and today they have never looked worse without him. And they haven't really been very good with him, and that is not because he has underachieved himself. He has largely performed acceptable. Four years, best personell to pick from since Euro 2000 including one of the best midfielders in the world and a striker no one else has that has delivered basically a goal per game despite your teams underachievment. On their way to another qualifying campaign with no clear idea on how to set up the team. Shambles
I'd agree Hareide came closer with a worse team. And if the format were the same back then he'd definitely qualify.
Semb not getting to the World Cup in 2002, or being a part of a failed qualifying campaign for EURO 2004 (Don't really remember when Hareide came in but assume the qualifying were over since he saw out the season with Rosenborg) puts him in with a shout? He did allright in EURO 2000 allthough he should have done more but the team he had were arguably better than the squad now, and perhaps even better than the 98 squad. Riise, Bergdølmo, Berg, Lundekvam, Dan Eggen, Ronny Johnsen among others as defensive options. A Prem quality keeper in Myhre in goal. Midfield nothing to write home about but some names there. Bakke at Leeds, Svindal Larsen in Bundesliga, Leonardsen played in the Premier league for years. The Rosenborg midfield. Jo Tessem, Alfie Haaland all played in Premier League teams.
Very impressive attacking options for a small nation. Fit and hungry Carew, fit Solskjær, Tore Andre Flo, Steffen Iversen. Årst and Rushfeldt both banging in goals in Belgium and Austria. Remove the star factor of Haaland and Ødegaard and that squad is probably better.
So between two bauld frauds for worst of all time?