November 2011 Round-Up:
30 November, 2011
AB Argir say farewell to Norwegian striker Stig-Roar Søbstad
1st division club AB Argir, who were pipped for promotion by TB Tvøroyri on the last day of the season, have said farewell to Norwegian striker Stig-Roar Søbstad who has returned to Norway.
Søbstad joined AB in the second half in 2009 and scored 5 goals in his first 7 matches for the club who then played in the Vodafone Division. Midway through 2010 he switched to B36 Tórshavn but failed to make an impact there and then joined B68 Toftir ahead of the 2011 season. Having spent much time on the bench, he returned to AB in the second half of the competition.
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B36 Tórshavn sign Ivorian defender
2011 champions B36 Tórshavn have signed 28-year old central defender Sékou Tidiane Souare from the Ivory Coast to replace Oddmar Færø who has left for Scotland to study.
In 2008/2009, Souare made 12 appearances for Ferencváros in the Hungarian top division and scored two goals. Both before and after, he has been at Sheffield United FC but made no appearances as he had problems getting a work permit and was therefore loaned out to Ferencváros in 2008/2009 and to Chengdu Blades F.C., which is Chinese club owned by Sheffield United.
In 2010/1011 Souare played for Maltese side Sliema Wanderers F.C.
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KÍ Klaksvík extend with Hjalgrím Elttør
In Klaksvík, the KÍ supporters were getting a bit nervous as their star player Hjalgrím Elttør had not yet signed for next season, but he has now.
The forward/winger scored 10 goals in 2011.
Nenad Stankovic leaving KÍ
Serbian midfielder Nenad Stankovic, who has been one year at KÍ, has not had his contract extended for another year. It’s unclear where his future lies.
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Faroese Football history – volume 2 and 3
A year ago, the Football Association published the first volume of Faroese football history, written by Suni Merkistein, about the years from the beginning in 1892 to 1959.
The whole work was intended to be in 3 volumes, but the author has a habit of writing brick-thick books, so the intended 3 volumes are becoming 5 volumes. Volume 2 and 3 will be on sale early in December.
Volume 2 is about the years from 1960-1979 and contains about 400 pages. Merkistein often titles his books very poetically and these books are no exception. Volume 2 is titled "Teir kundu væl listir og leikir". A translation into English is a bit problematic, but it will be something along the lines of: "They mastered well ploys and contests". The title is a line from an old Faroese song "Á leikvøllum funnust í forðum", often referred to as the sports march, written by Mikkjal á Ryggi (1879-1956). Also volume 1 had a line from that song as the title: "Teir reystasu dreingir í Norðum" (approximately: "The Brave Boys from the North").
Volume 3, which is around 300 pages, features the years from 1980-1989 and is titled "Fremjum dystarleik, sveinar og sprund" and would mean something like "Do compete, boys and girls" which is also a line from an old Faroese song: "Førum fram yvir dalar og fjøll", written by Janus H. O. Djurhuus (1881-1948). The books include loads of statistics.
You will likely be able to buy the books from www.ritograk.fo.
(The book are in Faroese only, but you can buy a dictionary from the same place as well:-)
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TB Tvøroyri new pitch
Faroe Islands oldest football club, TB Tvøroyri, have started the work on a new pitch that will be at the other end of the town, at Stópunum in Trongisvágur. This season TB have been playing their matches in nearby village Hvalba (where they have natural grass), because TB’s own pith at Sevmýri, which they called the cradle of Faroese football, was deemed not to be up to standard by the football association.
The plan is that the pitch shall be finished before TB celebrate its 120 anniversary on 13 May 2012.
24 November, 2011
Top scorer Finnur Justinussen join Swedish club J-Södra
Víkingur striker and Vodafone top scorer Finnur Justinussen has signed a 3-year contract with Swedish second-level club Jönköping Södra IF, or just J-Södra, as it’s often called.
Justinussen impressed in a training match for J-Södra last weekend and scored 4 goals – 3 in the first 12 minutes – in their 12-0 win over 3rd tier club Skövde AIK, and additionally made 3 assists.
Last season J- Södra was no. 12 in the "Superettan", as the Swedish second tier is named. Since their promotion to the Superettan in 2006, J-Södra’s end-placing has been between 10 and 14 in the 16-team league.
Just over 100,000 people live in Jönköping. That’s about the double of the entire population of the Faroe Islands.
For Víkingur it will be a bitter blow to lose their top scorer – unless they can replace him with an equally as effective one. That will not be possible with a Faroese striker, so they will need to look outside the Faroe Islands, if they intend to challenge B36 Tórshavn and EB/Streymur for the league title next season.
It’s unlikely that the top 3 next season will be different from this season’s top 3. – At least that was the situation before Justinussen’s departure.
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Christian R. Mouritsen returns to HB Tórshavn from Icelandic Valur
22-year old forward/offensive midfielder Christian Mouritsen, who has been playing at Valur in Iceland the last year, has signed a one-year contract with HB Tórshavn, his youth club.
Mouritsen had been at Manchester City for three years when he returned to HB in 2008. He then switched to B36 in 2009 and went to Iceland in 2010 to play for Valur.
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Pól Jóhannus Justinussen on trial at Danish club AaB Aalborg
Mouritsen’s compatriot at Valur,22-year old Pól Jóhannus Justinussen, has been on a trial at Danish Superliga club AA B Aalborg. According to reports he has made a positive impression, and played 90 minutes in a 2-0 win in a friendly match against 1st division team FC Hjørring.
In addition to Todi Jónsson and Jákup Mikkelsen, it’s been very difficult for Faroese players to establish themselves at the highest level of Danish football. Some have been in the squad, but have rarely been in the starting position.
Justinussen can play as a full back and centre back as well as on the left hand side in midfield.
20 November, 2011
Schedule for the 2014 World Cup qualifying matches agreed upon
Last week, representatives from the Faroe Islands Football Association have been at a meeting in Frankfurt with representatives from the other countries from World Cup Qualifying Group C, to plan the fixture schedule for the qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup.
The outcome was this schedule:
June 2012 (Maybe 6th): Faroe Islands - Austria
7 September 2012: Germany – Faroe Islands
12 October 2012: Faroe Islands - Sweden
16 October 2012: Faroe Islands - Ireland
7 June 2013: Ireland – Faroe Islands
11 Juni 2013: Sweden – Faroe Islands
6 September 2013: Kazakhstan – Faroe Islands
10 September 2013: Faroe Islands - Germany
11 October 2013: Faroe Islands - Kazakhstan
15 October 2013: Austria – Faroe Islands
The June match in 2012 between against Austria is subject to confirmation from FIFA as the match is played before the European Championships in Ukraine and Poland 2012 (upon request from both countries).
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Transfer News
B36 Tórshavn:
B36 have announced that one half of the successful coaching duo, John Petsersen, will not continue next season because of personal reasons. Mikkjal Thomassen will therefore be the sole head-coach. They have appointed an assistant however, former B36 player Fróði Clementsen who has no real coaching experience. Will that have any effect on B36’s performances next season?
Midfielder Súni Olsen has extended his contract by another two years.
Danish forward/midfielder Mahmud Suleiman, who arrived at B36 midway through the season, will not continue next season.
Polish striker and player of the year, Lukasz Cieslewicz, who has committed for two more years for the champions, has revealed in an interview that he has a clause in his contract allowing him to leave if he gets a good offer from a club from a higher level, for example the Danish Superliga, where he would love to play.
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B68 Toftir:
B68 have received even more enforcement from neighbouring club NSÍ Runavík, as they have signed midfielder Jústinus R. Hansen, one of the better midfielders when at his best. He has four caps for the Faroe Islands.
Goalkeeper Tórður Thomsen will not be available for the club next season as he has moved to Denmark.
To replace him, B68 have signed 21-year old goalkeeper Hans Jørgensen from 07 Vestur. Jørgensen made his debut in the highest division for Skála in 2007, only 16 years old, keeping a clean sheet in his first four matches. He then spent 3 years in Danish football before he retunred to the Faroes and 07 Vestur in 2010. Jørgensen has also been goalkeeper in Farose U-17, U-19 and U-21 teams. However, he might not quite have the same level as Tórður Thomsen yet.
From FC Suðuroy comes 21 year old winger/midfielder Henning G. Joensen. Joensen also spent most of the 2007 season as a 17-year old at B68, before he returned home to VB/Sumba (that has later become FC Suðuroy).
B68 have two-year contracts with most of their players and 17 out of 19 have put pen on paper to stay there to the end of the 2013 season.
Senegalese forwards Ahmed Keita and Ibrahima Camara are not expected to be back in action before the second half of the season next year because of injuries. Also B68 captain, Jóan Petur Olsen received a long term injury last term and his future in not quite clear.
And speaking of captains, Óli Olsen, who is often referred to as "the fisherman" because that is actually what he does, is likely to be available when he is at home between trips.
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B71 Sandoy:
There is still no news from relegated B71.
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EB/Streymur
Not too much news from the cup winners, but in an interview with Danish website Bold.dk, midfielder Daniel Udsen said he was open to suggestions.
37-year old defender and captain Egil á Bø is still undecided whether he will continue or retire, but the last time the media reported, the signs were positive for another season for the veteran.
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HB Tórshavn:
At HB they are still very quiet and little or no new news is coming from them.
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ÍF Fuglafjørður:
ÍF have appointed former Danish international forward Flemming Christensen as coach for 2012. He has been coaching in Denmark during the last 18 years at different levels, also in the top division. As a player he played for Danish clubs AB and Lyngby (where he picked up two national titles), as well as St. Etienne (France) and FC Aarau (Switzerland).
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KÍ Klaksvík:
On his 23rd birthday, KÍ’s top scorer this season with 14 goals, Kristoffur Jakobsen, signed a new contract which keeps him at the club for another season.
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NSÍ Runavík:
NSÍ have named former Faroese international Kári Reynheim as their new coach for 2012. Reynheim played in the legendary “Landskrona-team”, as it’s often called – the team that beat Austria in 1990 in Landskrona in Sweden. The now 47-year old Reynheim played for HB Tórshavn and B36 Tórshavn in his prime and also a year (or two) in Norwegian football (for Gran IL, if memory is correct).
Reynheim’s only experience as coach from the highest division is for B71 Sandoy in 2001 when they were relegated after losing the play-off’s against Skála.
His other coaching jobs have mostly been for minor clubs and as well as youth teams. With several players gone, Reynheim will have a difficult task on his hand and will find it difficult to equal the 4th place of 2011.
Striker Christian Høgni Jacobsen is moving to Denmark, but will likely return to the club sometimes during next season, but it’s unclear when.
Some report has also said that experienced right back Jónhard Frederiksberg has retired.
And as mentioned above, midfielder Jústinus Hansen has left for B68 Toftir (as has left back Einar Hansen, as mentioned earlier this month).
NSÍ could struggle next season…
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Víkingur:
Víkingur will keep Ivorian midfielder Evrard Ble for another season while Símin Hansen is not continuing. Hansen came from B71 where he was their big player, but he didn´t quite have the same influence at Víkingur. His future is unclear.
The future of midfielder Sam Jacobsen is also unclear, as he might move to Denmark.
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FC Suðuroy:
Winners of the 1st division, FC Suðuroy, have announced that they will hang on to their coach Pól F. Joensen for next season also.
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TB Tvøroyri
TB, who will be in the top division for the first time since 2005, have appointed Serbian Milan Kuljic as new coach. He’ll take over from Jón Johannesen who doesn’t have the necessary papers to coach a top division team.
35-year old Kuljic came to the Faroe Islands to play for VB Vágur in 1998 (in midfield) where he won the title with them in 2000 and stayed there to 2005 (with the exception of two years) and then joined HB Tórshavn in 2007, where he was for four seasons, picking up two titles along the way before he joined AB Argir in the first division this season as a playing assistant coach and scored 20 goals.
It hasn’t been revealed whether Kuljic will only stay on the sideline or if he will be player/coach. They could surely need his service on pitch as well, as TB will likely find it difficult in the top flight.
TB haven’t revealed any new players yet, but they have confirmed that the Serbian trio of Ivan Stojkovic (goalkeeper), Dimitrije Jaankovic (defender) and Bojan Timic (midfielder) will stay for next season also. However, it is expected that TB will have an African player on trial soon.
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07 Vestur:
As mentioned above, goalkeeper Hans Jørgensen, originally from Skála, has joined B68 Toftir.
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08 November, 2011
Lars Olsen appointed coach of the Faroe Islands
50-year old former Danish international Lars Olsen has been appointed new coach of the Faroe Islands, the Faroese football association has confirmed. The contract will officially be signed tomorrow, on Wednesday. So far, the length of the contract has not been mentioned, but it’s likely to be the “standard” two-year deal.
Olsen captained the Danish side that won the European Championships in 1992. After six years at Brøndby IF where he won 5 Danish championship titles, he spent 4 years in Turkey, Belgium and Austria, before he returned to Brøndby where he retired in 1996 after yet another Danish league title.
In 2003 he became coach of 2nd tier Randers FC whom he guided to top league football for the 2004/2005 season. However, the club was relegated the year after, but was once again promoted to top flight football in 2006/2007 with Olsen at the helm.
However, in 2007 Olsen went on to coach OB Odense who became runners-up in 2009. But after lack of results in 2010, he was sacked and has been without a coaching job since.
Olsen is the 3rd former Danish international to coach the Faroe Islands since getting FIFA and UEFA recognition. The other two were Allan Simonsen and Henrik Larsen.
04 November, 2011
Players and coaches are on the move as clubs are preparing for next season. We’ll take the clubs in alphabetical order (we won't mention all players who just continue at their present club, as it’s very common to sign one-year contracts):
07 Vestur
Prolific Brazilian striker Clayton Soares has switched to ÍF Fuglafjørður. He scored 14 league goals during the season which earned him 4th spot on the top scorer list. That’s not bad playing for a relegated team. Soares has earlier played for B71 Sandoy for six seasons and two for FC Vágar, which now - more or less – is the same as 07 Vestur.
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B36 Tórshavn
Danish centre back Jonas Flindt Rasmussen has extended his contract with the newly crowned champions with another year. The Dane, who turns 23 next week, scored 4 goals during campaign - over a series of 6 matches midway through the season.
Rasmussen’s colleague in central defence, 22-year old Odmar Færø, will not be available for the club next season as he has moved abroad to study. His football future is still unknown. But B36 are actively searching for a replacement for the defender.
We have earlier written that Polish forward lukasz cieslewicz has committed to B36 for another two seasons.
Midfielder Ingi Højsted, whose career has been threatened by injuries so many times will also continue for B36 next season, but he will however (of course) have yet another operation now the season has ended. As a youngster, Højsted was at Arsenal’s youth academic, but spent large parts of his time sidelined through injury. He also spent some months at Birmingham 2005/2006.
Bárður Olsen, who appeared for B36 last season (scoring 5 goals), will return to B36 from AB Argir in the 1st division where he played the second half of the season after switching from EB/Streymur where he has played for his whole career, except from his season with B36 last season and the half-season with AB this term. Olsen is a creative midfielder, but has also been used much at the right back position. Powerful from long range, B36 could have a very dangerous pair of full backs as Símun Joensen at left back scored an impressive 8 goals during the season.
B36’s coaching duo of Mikkjal Thomassen and John Petersen is likely to continue next season, although it was a bit doubtful with Petersen due to personal reasons.
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B68 Toftir
B68 coach during the last 5 years, Bill McLoud Jacobsen, has been replaced by Pauli Poulsen who has been head coach at NSÍ Runavík since 2009 after serving as assistant to Johan Nielsen in 2007 and 2008 (NSÍ won the championship in 2007).
From NSÍ, B68 have also signed 23-year old Faroe Islands international left back Einar Hansen who has a wealth of experience from Faroese top flight football. Expect a couple of goals from him on free kicks again next season.
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B71 Sandoy
Not much has been heard from B71 Sandoy since they were relegated. It’s doubtful if any of their foreigners will continues and it’s not clear whether they will extend the contract with Polish coach Piotr Krakowski. As AB Argir are strong favourites for one of the promotion places in next season’s 1st division, B71 will have to fight it out with just relegated 07 Vestur for the other promotion-spot. B71 might not return to the Vodafone Division immediately.
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EB/Streymur
EB/Streymur have announced that their coach Heðin Askham will take another season with them.
There have been rumours that some players might be leaving, but so far nothing is confirmed.
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HB Tórshavn
Troubled HB have announced that Sigfríður Clementsen will also be in charge of HB next season. Clementsen took over from Julian Hansen midway through the season. However, results didn’t improve, but at HB they have seen prospective elements of the youngsters who have been given the opportunity to play, which has been a rare thing at the club for several years. Clementsen has earlier guided B36 Tórshavn and EB/Streymur to the title.
It’s expected that HB will wave goodbye to a couple of players who didn’t make the expected impact this season.
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ÍF Fuglafjørður
As mentioned above, ÍF have signed Brazilian forward Clayton Soares from 07 Vestur.
The future of Nigerian striker Chris Muomaife, who scored 12 goals despite being injured for large parts of the season, is unknown.
Serbian players Alexandar Jovevic (midfield) and Nenad Saric (attacking midfielder)have had their contracts extended with another two years.
But the coaching question is unanswered at the moment as Rúni Nolsøe, one half of the coaching duo, has announced that he will nor continue due to personal reasons. It’s not clear how it is with the other part of the duo, Símun Eliasen.
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KÍ Klaksvík
After three years with Alexandar Djordjevic as coach, KÍ have replaced him with no other than legendary Páll Guðlaugsson, the coach of the Faroe Islands when they beat Asutria in 1990 in their first ever competitive international. Guðlaugsson was only 31 at that time (3 days short of 32).
Guðlaugsson, Icelandic of origin, was goalkeeper for GÍ Gøta who won their first title in 1983. He returned to coach GÍ in 1996, taking over from Johan Nielsen, and guided them to their 4th title in succession. He later went back to Iceland to coach Leiftur, among other teams. Guðlaugsson has also been coach at several other Faroese clubs before that.
20 year old forward Páll Klettskarð, who has spent 2 years at Víkingur, has returned to his childhood club. Klettskarð currently plays for the Faroese U21 side and has been part of different Faroese youth teams from U17 and up.
From ÍF Fuglafjørður, KÍ have signed winger Andly Olsen. Olsen was sidelined for most of the 2011 season, but has otherwise had some very successful years at ÍF after switching from NSÍ Runavík midway through the 2008 season.
Defender Monrad Holm Jacobsen, who was on loan from NSÍ Runavík, has returned back home. The 20-year old only had some 30 minutes of top division experience before he joined KÍ midway through last season, but at KÍ he quickly earned a place among the starting 11.
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NSÍ Runavík
NSÍ Runavík have published a list of many of the players they have extended the contracts of for next season, but so far, none of their foreign players are on that list as well a many of their Faroese profiles are not listed yet; for example Christian Høgni Jacobsen. But there is still plenty of time left.
Update - correction: Christian Høgni Jacobsen last year extended his contract so that it runs to the end of the 2014 season
One of the players on the list is 18-year old goalkeeper Kristian Joensen, who has been on loan to 07 Vestur where he replaced the injured Hans Jørgensen. Joensen had a fine season there and also impressed in the goal for the Faroese U21 team in the 0-0 draw against Northern Ireland. He’s too good to only sit on the bench in the Vodafone Division, and one could ask if NSÍ’s 4th place justifies a foreign goalkeeper. Not that Andras Gango wasn't good, but they would most likely have reached that 4th spot in the table anyway. Speaking of goalkeeper Gango, he’s one of those who are not on the published list – at least yet… We’ll see what happens to the list in the future.
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Víkingur
Víkingur have announced that they have extended their contract with their coach Jógvan Martin Olsen with another year. This will be Olsen’s 4th season with Víkingur after stepping down as national coach in 2008 after 3 years at the helm.
New player at the club is 25 year old midfielder Fritleif í Lambanum who comes from NSÍ Runavík where he played the second half of last season after coming from ÍF Fuglafjørður where he had played all of his life, making his debut in the top flight in 2004.
As mentioned above, forward Páll Klettskarð has gone to KÍ Klaksvík. Klettskarð had large part of last season ruined because of injury.
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From FC Suðuroy and TB Tvøroyri, who earned promotion, we have no news.
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Faroese Under-21 team for the qualifier against Macedonia
The Faroese under 21-team play a qualifier away to the former republic of Macedonia on 11 November. The players have been selected for the squad:
Víkingur: Erling D. Jacobsen, Páll Klettskarð, Kaj Leo í Bartalsstovu
B36 Tórshavn: Høgni Eysturoy, Róaldur Jakobsen
HB Tórshavn: Rógvi S. Holm, Teitur Gestsson
ÍF Fuglafjørður: Karl Løkin, Dánjal á Lakjuni
07 Vestur: Hans Jørgensen
B68 Toftir: Andre Olsen
FC Suðuroy: Heini Vatnsdal
KÍ Klaksvík: Sørmundur Kalsø
NSÍ Runavík: Klæmint A. Olsen
TB Tvøroyri: Gilli Sørensen
FC Fyn (DK): Viljormur Davidsen
AB Copenhagen: Gunnar Zachariasen
Newcastle United: Jóan Símun Edmundsson
Faroe Islands Football News
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