January 2013 Round-Up:
January 31, 2013
Hallur Hansson signs for AaB Aalborg
Midfielder Hallur Hansson who has been on a loan at AaB Aalborg since September, has now signed a permanent contract for one and a half year.
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Draw for the 2015 U21 European Championship
The draw for the 2015 U21 European Championship was made today and the Faroese team was draw into group six together with Germany, Rumania, Montenegro and Ireland.
Match schedule:
2013
7 June: Faroe Islands – Rumenia
12 june: Montenegro – Faroe Islands
14 August: Faroe Islands – Ireland
6 September: Faroe Islands – Germany
15 October: Germany – Faroe Islands
15 November: Ireland: – Faroe Islands
2014
5 March: Rumenia – Faroe Islands
9 September: Faroe Islands – Montenegro
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Two Faroese withdrawals for the Thailand tour
Captain of the Faroese national team, midfielder Fróði Benjaminsen has pulled out of the squad that will travel to Thailand in February. He has been replaced by NSÍ Runavík midfielder Karl Løkin who has not been capped for the senior team.
Also goalkeeper Jákup Mikkelsen has withdrawn, and he has been replaced by U-21 goalkeeper Hans Jørgensen, who has switched from relegated B68 Toftir to HB Tórshavn.
January 27, 2013
Friendly international against Thailand
The Faroese national team has been invited to Thailand by the Taiwanese football association and the company Kentaro who owns the broadcasting rights for the Faroese home matches.
The training camp will be from 14 to 23 February and will also contain a friendly against the Taiwanese national team on 21 February. Currently, Taiwan is no. 138 on the FIFA World Ranking List while the Faroes are no. 151.
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Update February 6, 2013:
Embarrassing mix-up between Thailand and Taiwan
An observant reader has made us aware of that in last month’s round-up there has been a mix-up between Thailand and Taiwan.
The paragraph states: "The Faroese national team has been invited to Thailand by the Taiwanese football association".
That is of course rubbish, because why should the Taiwanese FA invite the Faroes to play against Thailand. To make it clear, the Faroe Islands will only play against Thailand and not Taiwan!
This website further said: "The training camp will be from 14 to 23 February and will also contain a friendly against the Taiwanese national team on 21 February. Currently, Taiwan is no. 138 on the FIFA World Ranking List..." which of course is also rubbish.
Again, the Faroe Islands will only play against Thailand and not Taiwan. Andit is Thailand who is placed no. 138 on the FIFA World Ranking list.
</End of update>
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20 players have been selected for the squad which sees the recall of Andreas Lava Olsen who hasn’t been in the team since 2009. Also Atli Gregersen has been recalled, getting his first selection under Lars Olsen.
The full squad:
Goalkeepers:
Gunnar Nielsen (Clubless)
Kristian Joensen, NSÍ Runavík
Jákup Mikkelsen, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Defenders:
Atli Gregersen, Víkingur
Rógvi Baldvinsson, Ålgard (NOR)
Odmar Færø, Forfar (SCO)
Pól Jóhannus Justinussen, NSÍ Runavík
Jónas T. Næs, Valur (ISL)
Viljormur Davidsen, Jerv (NOR)
Midfielders:
Fróði Benjaminsen, HB Tórshavn
Símun Samuelsen, HB Tórshavn
Høgni Madsen, ÍF Fuglafjørður
Kaj Leo í Bartalstovu, Víkingur
Pætur Dam Jacobsen, EB/Streymur
Gilli Sørensen, B36 Tórshavn
Forwards:
Jóan Símun Edmundsson, Viking Stavanger (NOR)
Arnbjørn Hansen, EB/Streymur
Páll A. Klettskarð, KÍ Klaksvík
Andreas Lava Olsen, BK Frem (DK)
Klæmint A. Olsen, NSÍ Runavík
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TB Tvøroyri sign Senegalese defender Babacar Ndiour
Having been on trial at TB for a few days, the club has decided to sign Senegalese defender Babacar Ndiour. Ndiour, who turns 25 in a couple of days, has made a few appearances for the Senegalese national team. His latest international dates back to the friendly game against Mexico in May 2010.
Hann er bæði sterkur og kvikur, og harafturat er hansara tekniska støði høgt. Avleveringspælið er frálíkt og taklingarnar knívskarpar,
At TB’s website they describe him as being strong and fast with good technical skills and that his passing is excellent and his tackles are razor sharp.
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Three new players for ÍF Fuglafjørður
ÍF have announced that they have signed 23-year old striker Øssur Dalbúð who also played for ÍF in 2009 and 2010 and especially impressed in the latter year, scoring 11 goals in 9 league games. During the last two years he has been studying in Denmark.
Scoring goals runs in the genes, you could say, as it was his father, Meinhard Dalbúð (current assistant coach at EB/Streymur), who was the league top scorer in 1979 for ÍF who won the title that year.
ÍF have also signed Hendrik Rubseksen and Hanus Thorleifsson
Rubeksen comes from HB, where he has mostly played at the right back position in recent years, although he was a promising striker in his younger years. He has been capped 4 times for the Faroe Islands as a defender.
Midfielder Thorleifsson also comes from HB, where he has been for 4 years, but only played in the 1st division last season. His heydays were maybe for B36 from 2006 to 2009, when he earned three caps for the Faroe Islands, and for Skála before that, where he played originally.
Høgni Madsen returned
Midfielder Høgni Madsen, who has been playing in Malta in the off-season, has returned as planned.
Recent signings should help ÍF in staying away from the relegation zone (that’s maybe pessimistic having their second place from last season in mind), but generally, ÍF don’t seem to be near the force they were last year, and it will be a surprise, should they compete at the top.
07 Vestur
21-year old defender Petur G. Dalbø, who has played some 10 matches for Víkingur’s senior team has moved to 07 Vestur who also have signed 22-year old TB Tvøroyri midfielder/defender Gunleif Olsen. 20-year old midfielder Eli Falkvard Nielsen has returned after a year with HB Tórshavn were he made a handful of first team appearances. Experienced defender Sjúrður Ellefsen has also returned to action after a year off from football.
KÍ Klaksvík forward to HB Tórshavn
22-year old forward/attacking midfielder Bárður J. Heinesen from KÍ Klaksvík has moved to Tórshavn to study and has therefore opted to sign for HB Tórshavn. He has scored 6 goals for KÍ in the top league in 35 matches.
Víkingur sign coach’s son André Olsen
Víkingur have signed midfielder André Olsen from relegated B68 Toftir. Olsen has played 4 matches for the Faroese U21 team as well as other youth teams.
André is son of Víkingur coach and former Faroe Islands coach, Jógvan Martin Olsen.
And some more trivia
Apparantly, the coaches are raising their sons well. As mention above, ÍF striker Øssur Dalbúð is son of EB/Streymur assistant coach Meinhard Dalbúð, and Karl Løkin at NSÍ Runavík is son of NSÍ’s coach Abraham Løkin. Elder brother Bogi Løkin, who has many caps for the Faroes, is currently in Denmark. And at B36 Tórshavn they have Hørður Askham who is son of Heðin Askham, last season’s coach at title winners EB/Stereymur.
January 19, 2013
Midfielder Kark Løkin switches from ÍF Fuglafjørður to NSÍ Runavík
The exodus from ÍF Fuglafjørður continues as midfielder Karl Løkin after three years at ÍF returns to NSÍ Runavík where his father is coach. Løkin was the player in the league last season that had the highest number of assists.
Veteran Bartal Eliasen retiring?
The latest news from ÍF is that 36-year old veteran Bartal Eliasen might not play at all this season because of work (teacher) and because he is youth coach for ÍF’s volleyball teams. At least he will not be attending any football training prior to the 7th April when five rounds of the league have already been played. But let’s guess that he will be persuaded to start then – and who knows, maybe also before if ÍF will be struggling…
Jónhard Frederiksberg from champs EB/Streymur to NSÍ Runavík
Jónhard Frederiksberg, who for the most played on left back for EB/Streymur last season, has rejoined NSÍ Runavík where he will likely play on the right back position.
Arnbjørn Hansen and Hans Pauli Samuelsen continue
At EB/Streymur they have been holding their breath whether big guns Arnbjørn Hansen and Hans Pauli Samuelsen were going to leave the club or not, as there were rumours - and the players had also been in talks with other clubs – but the duo has now decided to continue with the champions as both of them have penned two-year contracts.
After a couple of important players had left the club - Sorin Anghel to AB Argir and Jónhard Frederiksberg to NSÍ Runavík - and Pauli G. Hansen had retired, it was doubtful if EB/Streymur would be able to field a team that would be capable of competing at the top, but now it looks like the defending champions have a decent team. But the bench is “thin” and they could be hard hit if they should get injuries or suspensions.
Captain for many years, central defender Egil á Bø, is not expected to continue, however. But there are those who imply that he will change his mind when the hard pre-season fitness training is over…
Defender Rógvi Egilstoft Nielsen to EB/Streymur from 07 Vestur
On Friday evening, EB/Streymur announced that they had signed 20-year old defender Rógvi Egilstoft Nielsen from 07 Vestur. Nielsen has been capped 4 times for the Faroese U19 team.
As a curiosity, it can be mentioned that he is the current senior chess champion of the Faroe Islands, just like his father was also three times. So who is his father? Well, he is none less than Torkil Nielsen who scored the goal when then the Faroe Islands beat Austria in 1990!
Senegalese international on trial at TB Tvøroyri
23-year old Senegalse defender Babacar Ndiour will be on trial at TB Tvøroyri this month. Ndiour has several caps for the Senegal. He was planned to play for B68 Toftir last season, but problems with the paperwork spoiled that plan in the end.
TB currently have two other Senegalese in their team, Ndende Adama Guéye and Joseph Bassene.
Goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen on trial at SønderjyskE
Goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen, whose contract with Manchester City recently ended, has been on trial at Danish Superliga club Sønderjyske. Both parties are currently considering the outcome.
There has also been interest from another Superliga club, Silkeborg, as well as from clubs in Sweden and Norway.
Skála striker Brian Jacobsen to 07 Vestur
21-year old striker Brian Jacobsen, who scored 18 goals for Skála last term and was the second most scoring player in the 2nd tier, has moved to 07 Vestur.
B36 Tórshavn acquire Danish defensive strength and a couple of Faroese to widen the bench
B36 Tórshavn have signed a deal with 29-year old Martin Pedersen who was part of AaB Aalborgs Danish title winning team in 2008 and played in 28 of AaB’s 33 matches. In total he has played 125 matches in the Danish top division. He has also made 28 appearances for Denmark’s U-21 team.
After Pedersen not had his contract with Aalborg extended in 2009, he has been around a bit, Vejle BK, Valur (Iceland), FC Hjørring and lastest at FC Fredericia.
B36 have also signed 23-year old offensive minded Høgni Midjord who made a few appearances for HB Tórshavn last season before he later joined relegated FC Suðuroy on loan. Midjord is a B71 player by origin.
30-year old Niels Joensen has returned after studying in Denmark since 2006. Joensen made his debut for B36 in 2000 and played some 50 games for the first team until 2006 when he moved abroad.
The latter two are likely to spend some time on the bench…
Pre-season friendlies
The training matches are starting now and the first match was played on Thursday where newly promoted AB Argir beat B36 Tórshavn 5-3.
We'll try to trace down the results of the training matches as usual and list them here - link is available from the Faroese footbal homepage.
On Saturday 26 January the coaches association is holding a tournament where 8 of the top flight clubs will be present and 3 1st division teams. The teams are allocated into 3 groups of 4 teams. The matches will be just one half of 35 minutes. There will be semi-finals and a final. The tournament will be played in Tórshavn.
The groups are:
A: AB Argir, ÍF Fuglafjørður, EB/Streymur and HB Tórshavn
B: KÍ Klaksvík, NSÍ Runavík, B36 Tórshavn og Víkingur.
C: B68 Toftir (1div), B71 Sandoy (1div), FC Suðuroy (1 div) and HB Tórshavn (1div)
January 06, 2013
Top scorer Finnur Justinussen returns to Víkingur
2009 and 2011 league top scorer Finnur Justinussen has returned to Víkingur after an unsuccessful year at Swedish 2nd level club Jönköping Södra IF. After getting an injury early in the season, he struggled to make the team and win the confidence of coach.
The 23 year old striker has earned one cap for the Faroe islands; making his debut in the friendly away to Iceland last September.
Bárður Olsen signs for HB Tórshavn
27-year old Bárður Olsen, who is equally as good in central midfield as on the right back position, has signed a one-year contract with HB Tórshavn.
Olsen was an integral part of the youthful group of talents that made EB/Streymur champions in 2008. In 2010 he moved to B36 Tórshavn where, where he also played in 2012. In 2011 he played the second half of the season for AB Argir and the first half for EB/Streymur.
When in top shape, Olsen was one of the very best midfielders in the Faroes, but maybe that is behind him.
Olsen had made three appearances for the Faroe Islands; the last one in 2010.
Senegalese Joseph Youssoupa Bassene returns to TB Tvøroyri
25-year old Senegalese attacking midfielder Joseph Bassene has joined TB Tvøroyri, whom he originally joined in 2008. After 3 successful years at TB, who then played in the second tier, Bassense moved to B71 Sandoy in 2011 where he played the first half of the season before joining 07 Vestur in the second part of the season. Incidentally, both clubs were relegated at the end of the season. In 2012 Bassene played for Víkingur where he often was used as a substitute.
Dánjal á Lakjuni to Icelandic football
ÍF Fuglafjørður will likely lose out on another of their players in the coming season, as right wing Dánjal á Lakjuni looks set to be playing for Icelandic 2nd tier club Leiknir, where á Lakjuni was on trial in December. The official signing hasn’t been made yet, but apparently only the formalities are missing.
Rói Danielsen to AB Argir
Central defender Rói Danielsen, who will be 24 when the season starts, will return to newly promoted AB Argir, after playing for Danish 3rd tier club Skovbakken. In 2011 he played 8 matches for HB’s first team before moving to Denmark.
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There are rumours about some high-profile transfers, but we'll leave it with the rumours...