31 October, 2015
A ton of transfer new to go through at the end of this month, so let’s jump right into it:
We’ll start with some news regarding the Faroese players abroad:
Gunnar Nielsen continues in Iceland, but with new club
Gunnar Nielsen, who has spent the last year with Icelandic club Stjarnan, has switched to FH Hafnarfjørður, who won the league in the recently ended season. FH have dominated Icelandic football in the last decade where they have won seven league titles since their maiden one in 2004. Stjarnan, who were defending champions from 2014, ended in 4th place this season. Nielsen was not to blame though, and both Stjarnan-supporters and players voted him player of the year for Stjarnan.
René S. Joensen continues at Vendsyssel
René S. Joensen, who joined Danish 2nd tier club Vendsyssel as a midfielder from HB Tórshavn in the summer, has extended his contract with the Danish club so that it runs until the summer of 2017.
Christian Lamhauge Holst retired
Christian Lamhauge Holst, who plays for Danish 3rd tier club Fremad Amager, has announced his retirement from international football and played his last match for the Faroe Islands in the 3-0 defeat to Rumania earlier in the month. Holst played in the Danish Superliga for several years, representing Lyngby and Silkeborg. Holst was capped 50 times for the Faroe Islands and scored four goals. He additionally scored two goals in a friendly against Gibraltar that has not been counted as an official international as Gibraltar are not a member of FIFA.
Finnur Justinussen joins Fremad Amager
One of the top strikers in Faroese football for the last years, Finnur Justinussen, has joined Danish 3rd tier club Fremad Amager, where he will team up with Lamhauge Holst and Heini Vatnsdal. Justinussen left Víkingur late in the season as he went to Denmark to study.
… and then we’ll move back home where we start with AB Argir.
AB Argir
AB Argir have appointed announced Trygvi Mortensen as new coach for the coming season. Mortensen comes from runners’ up NSÍ Runavík where he was coach for the last two seasons. Just recently, AB were in talks with a Dane that had come to make inspections of the club, but that never materialized into more.
AB might struggle again next season as several players have left the club since just avoiding relegation this year – and several left already during the season, mostly because of studies abroad.
B36 Tórshavn
B36 will be without some of the major profiles who contributed to the defence of their title this year. Left wing Hans Pauli Samuelsen has left for Víkingur and defensive rock Odmar Færø, best defender of 2015, will be studying abroad again. But players are coming in too; from FC Suðuroy, B36 have signed central midfielder Høgni Madsen who takes no prisoners, and from AB Argir they have signed forward Jógvan Andreas Skeel Nolsøe, who scored 8 goals this term. Central defender Robert Heðin Brockie (23), who made a breakthrough in 2013, has announced that he’s to make a comeback after two years of absence. Goalkeeper Tórður Thomsen, who had announced that he would leave the club, has made a 180 degree turn and extended his contract for another two years.
B68 Toftir
Newly promoted B68 Toftir have named Páll Guðlaugsson as new coach for next season. The legendary Icelandic, who coached the Faroe Islands in their famous win over Austria in 1990, has been at TB Tvøroyri the last two and a half year.
EB/Streymur
EB/Streymur, who were relegated after having dominated Faroese football for a decade, have announced that former KÍ Klaksvík striker Oddmar Danielsen will be their new coach. EB/Streymur is holding on to most of their players; most noticeable Leif Niclassen maybe. But as mentioned further up the page, Niels Pauli Danielsen – the new coach’s son – has made the move back to his childhood club KÍ Klaksvík, however.
FC Suðuroy
From relegated FC Suðuroy there is not much news to report. As mention in the B36 section, Høgni Madsen has left, but not much has been heard about their three foreign players who include both defensive and attacking players. But it’s unlikely they will stay with a relegated team. Other clubs would undoubtedly be interested in them, but as nothing has been heard, it’s likely they will not return.
HB Tórshavn
For once, HB will not be considered to be one of the top teams next year as they will be relying on their youngsters a lot. Recently, HB announced they had named former player Jan Dam as new coach for the next two years. He’ll be without the service of retired Fróði Benjaminsen as well as defenders Gunnar Haraldsen, Rógvi Holm (studying abroad) and Alex dos Santos who has moved to ÍF Fuglafjørður. But from AB Argir midfielder Tróndur Jensen will return, and possibly also Kristin R. Mouritsen, whose future is depending on whether he will get admittance to his study or not. HB hope he won´t get the admittance, because then he’d stay on to help HB. HB have also signed AB Argir’s reserve goalkeeper Niklas Thomsen to be backup at HB. Where striker Arnbjørn Hansen’s future lies is unclear as he is without a contract. A nasty knee injury, which is likely to require surgery, will likely keep him out of action at least until July or August.
ÍF Fuglafjørður
ÍF Fuglafjørður have appointed former Faroe Islands coach Jógvan Martin Olsen as coach next season. From HB Tórshavn, ÍF have signed left back Alex dos Santos and from KÍ Klaksvík they have acquired midfielder Henry Heinesen. Former goalkeeper Jákup Mikkelsen who released Alexandar Jovevic late in the season will be assistant coach next year.
KÍ Klaksvík
Heðin á Lakjuni, who early in the season became the player with most appearances in the Faroese top division, has retired from football on the highest level. Forward Kenan Hajdarevic from Bosnia-Herzegovina, who scored six goals during the campaign, will stay in the Faroese competition. KÍ will also be without Senegalese centre-back Ndende Adama Gueye, who has returned to TB Tvøroyri. In addition to new goalkeeper Kristian Joensen, KÍ have midfielder Niels Pauli Danielsen back in their fold after several years at EB/Streymur. However, KÍ coach Mikkjal Thomassen has said that KÍ would be adding several players to squad for next season.
NSÍ Runavík
NSÍ are not expecting any more arrivals, but have waved goodbye to veteran Jónhard Frederiksberg who has returned back home to newly promoted Skála, where also Hungarian goalkeeper Andras Gango has gone. But NSÍ have still not appointed a new coach for Trygvi Mortensen whom they did not extend the contact with despite an excellent 2nd place this year and a lost cup final. It might have been a safer choice than gambling with a new coach.
TB Tvøroyri
Faroe Islands’ oldest club TB Tvøroyri have appointed Dutchman Robert F. Roelofsen as coach for 2016. Roelofsen has been coaching in Holland and Germany where he comes from a coaching job as head-coach for Hansa Rostock’s U23 team and assistant coach for the senior team. TB informs that he previously also was coach for the German club’s U17 team where he was coaching none less that Toni Kroos. In 2006/2007 he was assistant coach for Klaus Augenthaler at VfL Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga. Another of his merits it that he has been instructor for the Dutch football association for three years. So it seems like TB have found a coach with high credentials.
Senegalese Ndende Adana Gueye, who was at KÍ Klaksvík this season, has returned to the club he played for in 2013 where he is expected to play in his preferred position in midfield rather than in central defence where he played at KÍ. It’s not clear what the future is for Dutch striker Albert Adu who scored 10 goals this season. Neither the future of Faroe Islands U21 player Jonas G. Hansen is known; currently he trains with Danish first division club AB, but has not ruled out a return to the Faroes. But it’s certain that defender/midfielder Martin Tausen, one of their better players this season, will not be available for TB as he has signed for 07 Vestur in the 2nd tier. And even more serious is it that TB have lost their Serb goalkeeper Ivan Stojkovic who has moved north in the country, and some rumours link him to ÍF Fuglafjørður, who could need an experienced top keeper.
Skála
Newly promoted Skála have tried to gather some experience into their team and have gotten back 35-year-old Jónhard Frederiksberg from NSÍ Runavík. Also 35-year old midfielder Pauli G. Hansen, like Frederiksberg also a part of Skála’s heydays in 2004 and 2005 (runners up), has been lured out of retirement. From NSÍ they have acquired Hungarian goalkeeper Andras Gango. And from ÍF Fuglafjørður comes Fritleif í Lambanum who has some 230+ premier division matches in his legs.
Víkingur
Víkingur have signed midfielder Hans Pauli Samuelsen from B36 Tórshavn in the quest for glory next season. Samuelsen scored 9 goals and made 18 assists this season. One man Víkingur hope will turn some of those assists into goals next season as well is Jón Krosslá Poulsen whom they have signed from relegated FC Suðuroy. Poulsen scored 11 goals this season and always score many goals for the Suðuroy team, but had a less successful season for HB Tórshavn where he had a go in 2011. His power-style might be a bit too simple for a team that has title-ambitions. Sometimes the temper boils over which has cost him 11 red cards since 2007 and three! this season.
The transfer window, which opened on 26 December will close again on 16 March 2016 before it opens again on 15 June and stays open until 13 July.
08 October, 2015
Faroe Islands coach Lars Olsen selected his Faroese squad for the qualifiers against Hungary and Romania was selected on 27 September:
Goalkeepers: Gunnar Nielsen (Stjarnan), Teitur M. Gestsson (HB Tórshavn), Tórður Thomsen (B36 Tórshavn)
Defenders: Jónas Tór Næs (B36 Tórshavn), Atli Gregersen (Víkingur), Sonni Ragnar Nattestad (FC Midtjylland), Rógvi Baldvinsson (FC Fredericia), Odmar Færø (B36 Tórshavn), Viljormur Davidsen (Vejle BK), Gilli Rólantsson Sørensen (AaB Ålborg)
Midfielders: Réne S. Joensen (Vendsyssel FF), Pól Jóhannus Justinussen (NSÍ Runavík), Róaldur Jakobsen (B36 Tórshavn), Kaj Leo í Bartalsstovu (Levanger FK), Christian Lamhauge Holst (Fremad Amager), Sølvi Vatnhamar (Víkingur), Árni Frederiksberg (NSÍ Runavík), Fróði Benjaminsen (HB Tórshavn), Hallur Hansson (Vendsyssel FF), Brandur Hendriksson Olsen (FC København)
Forwards: Klæmint A. Olsen (NSÍ Runavík), Andreas Lava Olsen (Víkingur), Jóan Símun Edmundsson (Vejle BK)
Midfielders Fróði Benjaminsen, Hallur Hansson and Brandur H. Olsen are all serving suspensions for the match against Hungary on Thursday, 8 October.
Assistant coach Jóannes Jakobsen has already confirmed that the starting line-up against Hungary on Thursday evening will be as follows:
Gunnar Nielsen
Jónas Tór Næs, Atli Gregersen, Sonni Ragnar Nattestad, Viljormur Davidsen.
Rógvi Baldvinsson Sølvi Vatnhamar Róaldur Jacobsen
René S. Joensen Kaj Leo í Bartalsstovu
Jóan Símun Edmundsson