Alex Nørlund Explained

Alex Nørlund
Fullname:Alex Nørlund Andersen
Birth Date:28 January 1975
Birth Place:Denmark
Currentclub:Vejle Boldklub II (manager)
Position:Midfielder
Youthclubs1:Jelling IF
Years1:1993–1999
Years2:1999–2001
Years3:2001–2002
Years4:2002–2004
Years5:2004–2006
Years6:2006–2009
Clubs1:Vejle Boldklub
Clubs2:Viborg FF
Clubs3:Vejle Boldklub
Clubs4:Aarhus GF
Clubs5:Viborg FF
Clubs6:Vejle Boldklub
Caps1:117
Caps2:54
Caps3:31
Caps4:38
Caps5:62
Caps6:56
Goals1:20
Goals2:7
Goals3:9
Goals4:3
Goals5:6
Goals6:4
Nationalyears1:1995–1997
Nationalteam1:Denmark under-21
Nationalcaps1:6
Nationalgoals1:2
Manageryears1:2013
Managerclubs1:Odder IGF
Manageryears2:2014–2018
Managerclubs2:Hedensted IF
Manageryears3:2019–
Managerclubs3:Vejle Boldklub (II)

Alex Nørlund Andersen (born 28 January 1975) is a Danish former football player in the attacking midfielder position. He played 229 games for Vejle Boldklub, and also represented Danish Superliga clubs Viborg FF and AGF, winning the 2000 Danish Cup with Viborg. He played six games and scored two goals for the Denmark national under-21 football team.

Biography

Norlund started playing youth football for Jelling IF, before becoming a part of the youth team setup at Vejle Boldklub (VB). He made his debut for VB in a June 1993 game against the Zambian national team, and was called up for the Danish under-21 national team in March 1995. With VB, Norlund attempted to gain promotion for the top-flight Danish Superliga. This was accomplished when the club finished second in the 1995 Danish 1st Division season, with Norlund and Jesper Søgaard the brightest talents of the team.[1]

In VB's first season in the Superliga, Norlund suffered an inflammation in his knee, and spent almost a year in recovery.[2] He returned in January 1997, and scored a single goal as VB finished runners-up in the 1996-97 season. He was recalled for the Danish under-21 national team in May 1997, and scored two goals in four under-21 national team matches, before becoming too old to be eligible for the team.

Norlund played a further two seasons at VB, before his contract ran out in the summer 1999. He underwent training sessions with foreign teams Aris Thessaloniki (Greece), Brescia Calcio (Italy) and Grazer AK (Austria), but with no success.[3] He stayed in Denmark, and moved to VB's league rivals Viborg FF on a free transfer in September 1999. He was a part of the Viborg team that won the 2000 Danish Cup, before his Viborg contract ran out in the summer 2001. He trained with English club Walsall F.C. without success in February 2001,[4] before moving back to play for VB on a semi-professional contract in July 2001.

As VB were relegated to the Danish 1st Division in the 2001-02 season, Norlund moved to Superliga club Aarhus GF (AGF). Following less and less playing time for AGF, his contract was mutually terminated in March 2004,[5] and Norlund moved to his former club Viborg as an amateur player. After three months as an amateur player, Norlund penned a two-year professional contract with Viborg in June 2004.[6] He soon found a place in Viborg's starting line-up, and became the natural playmaker of the team.[7] When VB won promotion for the 2006-07 Superliga season, Norlund moved back to his childhood club. As his VB contract was not renewed in the summer 2009, he chose to end his footballing career.[8]

Honours

Viborg FF

External links

Notes and References

  1. Allan Pedersen, "Champagneregn", Ekstra Bladet, June 12, 1995
  2. Lars Hendel, "Betændt talent", B.T., September 13, 1996
  3. "Alt er gået i vasken for mig", B.T., September 6, 1999
  4. "Slut på engelsk flirt", De Bergske Blade, February 15, 2001
  5. Jesper Engmann, "Alex Norlund i fri rolle", Jyllands-Posten, March 16, 2004
  6. "Nu får han penge", Viborg Stifts Folkeblad, June 14, 2004
  7. Dan Philipsen, "Lille mand - stor forvandling", Jyllands-Posten, November 1, 2004
  8. Web site: Nørlund stopper karrieren. 21 May 2009 .
  9. News: POKAL 1999/2000. haslund.info. https://web.archive.org/web/20120927042525/http://www.haslund.info/danmark/pt/199900/fina.asp. 4 January 2024. 27 September 2012.
  10. News: Viborg vinder Super Cup. bold.dk. 4 January 2024.