Ólafur Örn Bjarnason Explained

Ólafur Örn Bjarnason
Birth Date:1975 5, df=yes
Birth Place:Grindavík, Iceland
Height:1.88m (06.17feet)
Currentclub:AaB (Head of Coaching)
Position:Centre-back
Youthyears1:1994
Youthclubs1:Grindavík
Years1:1992–1997
Years2:1998–2000
Years3:2000–2003
Years4:2004–2010
Years5:2010–2012
Years6:2013
Clubs6:Fram
Caps1:63
Goals1:2
Caps2:23
Goals2:2
Caps3:72
Goals3:16
Caps4:151
Goals4:11
Caps5:51
Goals5:1
Caps6:13
Goals6:0
Pcupdate:28 September 2013
Caps(Goals)1:-->
Nationalyears1:1996–1997
Nationalyears2:1998–2007
Nationalteam2:Iceland
Nationalcaps1:4
Nationalgoals1:1
Nationalcaps2:27
Nationalgoals2:0
Manageryears1:2010–2011
Managerclubs1:Grindavík (player-manager)
Manageryears2:2014–2016
Managerclubs2:Fyllingsdalen
Manageryears3:2017–2018
Managerclubs3:Egersund

Ólafur Örn Bjarnason (born 15 May 1975) is an Icelandic former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He is currently the Head of Coaching at Danish Superliga side AaB.

Club career

He started his career in Grindavík, and returned there after two years in Swedish club Malmö FF. In 2004, he moved from Grindavík to SK Brann in Bergen, Norway. His first season was successful, and he played every league match. In 2006, he formed one of Norway's strongest centre back duo with his countryman, Kristján Örn Sigurðsson, together named Örneredet (en: eagles nest).[1]

He returned to Grindavík in August 2010 in a player/manager role. With 213 official matches for Brann, he's the most capped foreign player, and 11th most capped player in the club's history. Before the 2013 season he signed for Fram.[2]

International career

Ólafur has been capped 27 times for Iceland. He made his début in a friendly match in June 1998 against South Africa as a substitute for Sverrir Sverrisson.

Coaching career

On 24 June 2010 returned to Grindavík and was named as their new head coach, he replaced Milan Stefán Jankovic.[3] After the 2011 season he quit as manager, but decided nonetheless to play for them in the 2012 season.[4] On September 9, 2013, Ólafur confirmed that he was hanging up his boots.[5]

In early 2014, Ólafur became manager of the Norwegian club FK Fyllingsdalen.[6] He held this position until the end of 2016, when he became manager of Egersunds IK from New Year 2017.[7] Ólafur retired from Egersund in the summer of 2018 and shortly after got a job in the Norwegian Football Federation in the Agder region, in a role as KA Coach Development.[8] He held this role until May 2023.

In the winter of 2023, Ólafur started working as Head of Academy at Stabæk.[9] He left that position in July 2024 when he accepted a job as Head of Coaching at Danish club AaB.[10]

Honours

Norway

2007

2004

Notes and References

  1. http://infobettor.com/en/news/view/1018/olafur_orn_bjarnason_set_to_leave_brann/ Olafur Orn Bjarnason set to leave Brann, News | Infobettor
  2. Web site: Ólafur Örn til liðs við Fram.
  3. http://www.grindavik.is/v/5600 Ólafur Örn Bjarnason ráðinn þjálfari Grindavíkur - Samkomulag í höfn við Brann
  4. Web site: Ólafur Örn hættur sem þjálfari Grindavíkur.
  5. https://www.visir.is/g/2013130929948/olafur-orn-leggur-skona-a-hilluna Ólafur Örn leggur skóna á hilluna
  6. https://www.visir.is/g/2014975894d/olafur-orn-varar-norsk-felog-vid-ad-fylla-lidin-af-islendingum Ólafur Örn warns Norwegian clubs against filling their teams with Icelanders
  7. https://www.aftenbladet.no/sport/i/VRy45r/brann-helten-har-faatt-ny-trenerjobb Brann-helten har fått ny trenerjobb
  8. https://www.fotball.no/kretser/agder/om-kretsen/artikler/201/olafur-orn-bjarnason-er-engasjert-som-ny-ka-trenerutvikling-i-nff-agder/ Olafur Ørn Bjarnason er engasjert som ny KA Trenerutvikling i NFF Agder
  9. https://www.stabak.no/nyheter/lykke-til-videre-olafur LYKKE TIL VIDERE, OLAFUR!
  10. https://aabsport.dk/nyheder/2024/juli/olafur-bjarnason-bliver-head-of-coaching-i-aab/ Olafur Bjarnason bliver Head of Coaching i AaB