February 29, 2008: February Round-Up:
New national stadium – 3rd since 1991
Faroe Islands' soccer association is planning to build a new national stadium with a capacity of 8000. All seats will be covered with roof. The stadium will also be equipped with floodlights, something the two other stadiums, Tórsvøllur and Svangaskarð don't have. The plan is that the stadium shall be completed within 4 years.
The record crowd for an international in the Faroes is 6642 and was set against Malta in Svangaskarð Stadium in Toftir 1997. In comparison, France's world stars could only draw 1800 spectators at Tórsvøllur last October.
The surface in the new stadium will be of artificial grass, which is now approved by FIFA for international matches.
The cost is estimated to be 130 million DKK.
If this project goes ahead, it will be the Faroe Islands' 3rd national stadium since 1991, when Svangaskarð was finished. Torsvøllur was ready in 1999.
That almost sounds embarrassing – 3 national stadiums since 1991. Indicates bad planning, doesn't it?
But note also, that this announcement was made by the current president of the soccer association just 2 weeks before the election of president for a new 2 year period, which is to be held on 1 March. Therefore, critics label it electoral promises.
Super Cup
The start of the 2008 season is getting ever closer, and the first official match of the season, The Super Cup, takes place in Gundadalur Stadium, Tórshavn, on 8 March. The match is between champions NSÍ Runavík and cup winners EB/Streymur. All proceeds from the match will go to the charity organization Lions Club.
The Cup competition 2008
The draw for the cup competition was made on Monday and the first matches will go ahead on 15 March with a preliminary round. The first round proper is 5 days later with some massive games already in the first round. The most noticeable is arguably the one between holders EB/Streymur and champions NSÍ Runavík. See the full draw here.
Club News, Transfers etc.
B36 Tórshavn
Just after last month's update was published, we learned that left back Johan V. Gunnarson had signed a contract with Danish 1st division club Køge Boldklub. Interestingly, the coach at Køge is former Faroe Islands national coach Henrik Larsen. Køge has also signed a contract with right back Jónas Tór Næs. Næs, who is team-mate with Gunnarson in the U21 national team, played with AB Argir last season, but has otherwise been playing in Denmark for a number of years. The contracts with Køge are short, only 6 months and are also on an amateurish basis, as Køge is not allowed to write full professional contracts at the moment because of a bad financial situation at the club.
B68 Toftir
B68 seem to have imported half of Senegal's population:-) 20 year-old defender, Landing, and 21- year old midfielder, Badara have been their for a few weeks and now B68 have invited two more Senegalese players on trial, midfielder Ndende and forward Keita. Unclear at the moment if the latter 2 will stay or not.
B71 Sandoy
B71 have had a Brazilian, Alex Alves, on trial. Alves had originally come to KÍ Klaksvík on a trial, but KÍ were not interested in signing him. After this, Alves has tried his luck at B71, but there hasn't been any news on what the outcome of the trial has been. But judging by B71's last two training matches, B71 have decided not to hold on to the player either. This is not official, but an interpretation from B71's line up from their last two training matches, where Alves was in the line- up on February 17 against VB/Sumba, but a week later, he was not in the team in the training-match against KÍ Klaksvík. So, if 1+1 = 2, then Alves hasn't been asked to stay.
The dispute that was over B71 player Magnus Olsen who had decided to join B36 is still not resolved. On the contrary. B71 accuse B36 of having approached Olsen illegally. B36 deny the claim and say they had contacted B71 and were given the OK to contact Olsen. Status at the moment is that Olsen is training with B36, but his playing licence is at B71. The matter is now waiting for a ruling at the soccer association's disciplinary committee.
EB/Streymur
19 year-old Hungarian Marcell Balog has been on trial at EB/Streymur since early February, and with several goals in training matches, the forward has convinced EB/Streymur to get his name on paper.
HB Tórshavn
21 year-old forward Johan Ejvind Restorff Mouritsen, who made his mark for HB in 2006 (often coming on off the bench), was expected a great future in coming years, but injury wrecked all of the 2007 season for him and he has now decided to play for TB Tvøroyri in the 1st division in 2008. TB's coach is Krzysztof Popczynski, who was HB's coach in 2006 (but was sacked in the middle of the 2007 season), so he knows what he's getting. Johan Ejvind is brother of Christian Restorff Mouritsen, who has a contract with Manchester City. But Johan Ejvind could maybe have reached same standards as Christian, as the talent was there, but a nasty knee injury kept Johan Ejvind away from soccer for several years as a teenager.
ÍF Fuglafjørður
ÍF, who by most pundits are predicted to have a hard time in the Formula Division, have strengthen their team with Serbian forward Sasa Jovanovic (who played for TB Tvøroyri last season) and Hungarian midfielder Balu.
KÍ Klaksvík
KÍ were disappointed when they learned that Argentinean striker Jonatan Tridente, whom they had a deal with (to come on loan), wasn't coming to KÍ anyway, as his Argentinean Club Atlético Los Andes is blocking the move, because the club is now in a good position to win promotion to the top division. Tridente's goals are said to be an important part of that struggle, and therefore they won't release him.
But in a Faroese discussion forum, somebody had warned KÍ supporters about being too optimistic about the move, as they had found some information on the Internet which they feared could be repeated:
TRIDENTE JONATAN
Pasport: Argentina, Italy
Date of birth:23.03.1983. (24)
Place of birth: Avelaneda Buenos Aires
Position:Right Mildfielder, Right Atacker
Leg: Right
Weight: 73 kg
Height: 1.74 cm
Club: Los Andes
Games: 2005/2006: 31
Goals: 2005/2006: 23
OTHERS:
Near to be Transferred To Panathinaikos, Grece 2006; deal was canceled at last moment because of Administrative problems
-----
Well, this poster got it right, it must be said.
However, KÍ have said that it's still possible that Tridente will arrive after the summer-break…
As an emergency replacement, KÍ have instead made a verbal deal with a Brazilian, named Anderson (not the one who played for NSÍ and B36 last season, and B68 previously – He has left the Faroes). KÍ's Anderson is an attacking midfielder and has played for Vasco da Gama, but has been playing in the local Rio de Janeiro-league on loan. KÍ have admitted that they have taken a gamble with this player, as they don't know much about him.
NSÍ Runavík
From NSÍ there isn't much news this time. Maybe it's just an indication that they are well prepared.
Skála
Skála have strengthened their team with two Rumanians, Valeriu Loan Miela and Alin Bálutoiu. They both come from Chimia Craiova in Rumania. Miela (33) is a defender while Bálutoiu (31) is a forward.
Víkingur
Víkingur sadly had to wave goodbye to their newly appointed Brazilian coach Dido, who started in January. Unfortunately, his coaching licence didn't have the right stamp which the soccer authorities require, and therefore he couldn't continue.
Instead it will be Faroese Anton Skorðadal, who was assistant coach, who will now take over as head-coach.
Dido said that he will now try to get the right stamps on his coaching licence, and he didn't exclude the possibility of returning to the Faroe Islands sometime.
But otherwise, everything is going as planned with the new Víkingur club, the merger of GÍ Gøta and LÍF Leirvík, and a few days ago, they announced their new logo – a great looking one. Of course it's an illustration of a Viking. You can see a picture of it here
The transfer window has now closed (on 22 February) and opens again on 16 June and closes again on Juli 21.
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