Freyr Alexandersson
{{Short description|Icelandic footballer and coach}}
{{icelandic name|Freyr}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Freyr Alexandersson
| image = Israel-Iceland 20140405 080 edit crop.jpg
| caption = Freyr Alexandersson in 2014
| full_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|11|18}}
| birth_place = Reykjavík, Iceland
| height =
| currentclub = Brann (manager)
| position = Defender
| youthclubs1 = Leiknir Reykjavík
| youthyears1 = {{0|0000}}–2001
| years1 = 2001–2007
| clubs1 = Leiknir Reykjavík
| caps1 = 72
| goals1 = 1
| years2 = 2008
| clubs2 = KB
| caps2 = 1
| goals2 = 0
| totalcaps = 73
| totalgoals = 1
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| manageryears1 = 2008
| managerclubs1 = Valur (women)
| manageryears2 = 2009–2010
| managerclubs2 = Valur (women)
| manageryears3 = 2011–2012
| managerclubs3 = Valur (assistant)
| manageryears4 = 2013–2015
| managerclubs4 = Leiknir Reykjavík
| manageryears5 = 2013–2018
| managerclubs5 = Iceland women
| manageryears6 = 2018–2020
| managerclubs6 = Iceland (assistant)
| manageryears7 = 2020–2021
| managerclubs7 = Al-Arabi SC (assistant)
| manageryears8 = 2021–2024
| managerclubs8 = Lyngby
| manageryears9 = 2024
| managerclubs9 = Kortrijk
| manageryears10 = 2025–
| managerclubs10 = Brann
}}
Freyr Alexandersson (born 18 November 1982) is an Icelandic football coach and former player who currently manages Eliteserien club SK Brann. He was the manager of the Icelandic women's national football team from 2013 to 2018.{{Cite web|title=Fótbolti.net|url=https://www.fotbolti.net/news/30-08-2013/freyr-alexanders-tekur-vid-kvennalandslidinu-stadfest|website=www.fotbolti.net|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}}
Playing career
Freyr came up through the junior ranks of Leiknir Reykjavík where he played 81 league and cup matches.{{cite news |author1=Kolbeinn Tumi Daðason |title=Freyr tekur við kvennalandsliðinu |url=http://www.visir.is/g/2013130839948 |accessdate=19 June 2018 |work=Vísir.is |date=30 August 2013 |language=Icelandic}}
Managerial career
Freyr started his coaching career as a girls youth team coach at Leiknir Reykjavík. In 2006 he started as a youth coach for girls at Valur.{{Cite web|title=Valsblaðið - 1. Tölublað (01.05.2006) - Tímarit.is|url=https://timarit.is/page/4998971?iabr=on#page/n91/mode/2up/search/%22Freyr%20Alexandersson%22|website=timarit.is|access-date=4 May 2020}}
= Valur women's and men's team =
Freyr assisted Valur women's team manager Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir in the summer of 2007 and in September that year Freyr decided to retire from playing football and became joint manager of Valur women's team alongside Elísabet.{{Cite web|title=Fótbolti.net|url=https://www.fotbolti.net/fullStory.php?id=52670|website=www.fotbolti.net|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}} Freyr and Elísabet won the Úrvalsdeild kvenna in 2008 and after that season Elísabet departed to Sweden and Freyr took over as manager.{{Cite web|title=Íslandsmót - Landsbankadeild kvenna - 2008|url=https://www.ksi.is/mot/stakt-mot/$TournamentDetails/Table/?motnumer=16789|website=www.ksi.is|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}}{{Cite web|title=Fótbolti.net|url=https://www.fotbolti.net/fullStory.php?id=68080|website=www.fotbolti.net|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}} The next two years Freyr would win the Úrvaldeild two times and also the Icelandic Women's Football Cup two times.{{Cite web|title=Valsblaðið - 1. Tölublað (01.05.2010) - Tímarit.is|url=https://timarit.is/page/4999237?iabr=on#page/n33/mode/2up/search/%22Freyr%20Alexandersson%22|website=timarit.is|access-date=4 May 2020}} After his time at Valur women's Freyr served an assistant manager for Valur men's team for two seasons.{{Cite web|title=Valsblaðið - 64. árgangur 2012 (01.05.2012) - Tímarit.is|url=https://timarit.is/page/6477737?iabr=on#page/n30/mode/2up/search/%22Freyr%20Alexandersson%22|website=timarit.is|access-date=4 May 2020}}
= Leiknir Reykjavík =
After having appeared for the club as a player Freyr returned to Leiknir for the 2013 season, this time as joint manager of the 1. deild karla team, alongside Davíð Snorri Jónasson.{{Cite web|title=Fótbolti.net|url=https://www.fotbolti.net/fullStory.php?id=134777|website=www.fotbolti.net|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}} In their first season Leiknir finished in 7th place.{{Cite web|title=Íslandsmót - 1. deild karla - 2013|url=https://www.ksi.is/mot/stakt-mot/$TournamentDetails/Table/?motnumer=29464|website=www.ksi.is|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}} In his second season as joint manager Freyr managed to steer Leiknir to promotion to the first tier of Icelandic football for the first time in Leiknir's 41-year-old history.{{Cite web|title=Fréttablaðið - 209. tölublað (06.09.2014) - Tímarit.is|url=https://timarit.is/page/6161766?iabr=on#page/n111/mode/2up/search/%22Freyr%20Alexandersson%22|website=timarit.is|access-date=4 May 2020}} Winning the 1. deild karla with 48 points.{{Cite web|title=Íslandsmót - 1. deild karla - 2014|url=https://www.ksi.is/mot/stakt-mot/$TournamentDetails/Table/?motnumer=32263|website=www.ksi.is|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}} In their first-ever Úrvaldeild karla match on 3 May 2015, Leiknir defeated Valur 3–0 at Hlíðarendi.{{Cite web|title=Fótbolti.net|url=https://www.fotbolti.net/game.php?action=view_game&id=1456&completed=1|website=www.fotbolti.net|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}} However they could not manage to keep Leiknir in the Úrvalsdeild and were relegated at the end of the season.{{Cite web|title=Íslandsmót - Pepsi-deild karla - 2015|url=https://www.ksi.is/mot/stakt-mot/$TournamentDetails/Table/?motnumer=33503|website=www.ksi.is|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}} In the last game of the season Freyr and Davíð announced that they would not return for the next season.{{Cite web|title=Fótbolti.net|url=https://www.fotbolti.net/news/03-10-2015/freyr-og-david-haettir-sem-thjalfarar-leiknis-stadfest|website=www.fotbolti.net|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}}
=Icelandic women's national team=
In September 2013, Freyr was appointed manager of the Icelandic women's national team, combining the role with his existing job at 1. deild karla club Leiknir Reykjavík.{{cite news|last1=Stefánsson|first1=Stefán|title=Ambitious Alexandersson takes Iceland post|url=https://www.uefa.com/womensworldcup/news/020d-0e1454e27030-2805e802d686-1000--ambitious-alexandersson-takes-iceland-post/|access-date=5 March 2015|publisher=UEFA|date=2 September 2013|location=Reykjavik}}
With Margrét Lára Viðarsdóttir on maternity leave, Freyr appointed Sara Björk Gunnarsdóttir as Iceland's new team captain in January 2014.{{cite news|title=Freyr Alexandersson í viðtali|url=http://www.leiknir.com/vidtal-vid-freyr-alexandersson/|accessdate=5 March 2015|publisher=Leiknir.com|date=13 January 2014|language=Icelandic|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402230753/http://www.leiknir.com/vidtal-vid-freyr-alexandersson/|archive-date=2 April 2015}}
On 4 September 2018, he announced that he was stepping down as manager of the team after it failed to make the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup.{{cite news |author1=Henry Birgir Gunnarsson |title=Freyr hættur að þjálfa landsliðið |url=http://www.visir.is/g/2018180909580/freyr-haettur-ad-thjalfa-landslidid |accessdate=4 September 2018 |work=Vísir.is |date=4 September 2018 |language=Icelandic}}
=Icelandic men's national team=
Freyr served as a game analyst for the Icelandic men's national team during the 2018 World Cup.{{cite news |author1=Ingvi Þór Sæmundsson |title=Eins nálægt alsælu og þú kemst |url=http://www.visir.is/g/2018180618757/eins-nalaegt-alsaelu-og-thu-kemst- |accessdate=19 June 2018 |work=Vísir.is |date=19 June 2018 |language=Icelandic}} On 8 August 2018, Freyr was appointed as assistant manager to the new Icelandic national football team manager Erik Hamrén on a two-year contract.{{Cite web|title=Fótbolti.net|url=https://www.fotbolti.net/news/08-08-2018/erik-hamren-nyr-landslidsthjalfari-islands-stadfest|website=www.fotbolti.net|language=is|access-date=4 May 2020}}
=Lyngby Boldklub=
In June 2021 he became the new manager of the Danish 1st Division club Lyngby Boldklub.{{cite web|title=Lyngby hyrer islænding som ny cheftræner|language=Danish|date=22 June 2021|accessdate=28 June 2021|publisher=bold.dk|url=https://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/lyngby-hyrer-islaending-som-ny-cheftraener/}} With Frey as manager Lyngby Boldklub finished as runner up of the season, earning the club a promotion to the top level in Danish football, Superligaen.{{Cite web |date=23 May 2022 |title=Lyngby er tilbage i Superligaen trods uafgjort |url=https://bold.dk/short/FXeU |access-date=14 July 2022 |website=bold.dk |language=en}} In the 2022-23 season Freyr's team were last in the table with only one win at the winter break, but completed a comeback and avoided relegation at the last game of the season against fellow relegation candidates AC Horsens.{{Cite web |title=Lyngby overlever i Superligaen |trans-title=Lyngby survives in the Superliga |url=https://www.tipsbladet.dk/nyhed/superliga/lyngby-redder-sig-og-sender-horsens-ned-paa-anden-klasse |access-date=14 June 2023 |website=Tipsbladet.dk}}
= KV Kortrijk =
On 4 January 2024, it was announced that Freyr would become the new coach of K.V. Kortrijk.{{Cite web |title=IJslander Freyr Alexandersson wordt de nieuwe coach van KV Kortrijk |url=https://myprivacy.dpgmedia.be/consent?siteKey=Uqxf9TXhjmaG4pbQ&callbackUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hln.be%2Fprivacy-gate%2Faccept-tcf2%3FredirectUri%3D%252Fkv-kortrijk%252Fijslander-freyr-alexandersson-wordt-de-nieuwe-coach-van-kv-kortrijk~aab682c6%252F |access-date=4 January 2024 |website=HLN |language=nl}} He was tasked with avoiding relegation for the South West-Flanders based team, which was at that time placed firmly at the bottom of the Jupiler League. Alexandersson and the team succeeded with the mission, as they gained enough points to avoid direct relegation, eventually winning two deciding play-off matches against Lommel to stay in the Belgish top tier.{{cite web |last1=Williams |first1=Glen |title=European manager admits he 'would love to manage Cardiff City' amid Erol Bulut delay |url=https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/european-manager-admits-would-love-29255237 |website=WalesOnline |access-date=1 June 2024}}
= SK Brann =
On 13 January 2025, Freyr was announced as the new manager of SK Brann.{{cite web |title=Her er Branns nye hovedtrener |url=https://www.brann.no/nyheter/her-er-branns-nye-hovedtrener |publisher=SK Brann |access-date=13 January 2025 |language=Norwegian}}
Managerial statistics (all official matches)
{{updated|match played 21 April 2025}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center" | ||||
| rowspan="2"|Team
!rowspan="2"|Nat !rowspan="2"|From !rowspan="2"|To !colspan="5"|Record !rowspan="2"|{{Tooltip|Ref.|Reference}} | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| {{abbr|P|Matches played}} | {{abbr|W|Matches won}} | {{abbr|D|Matches drawn}} | {{abbr|L|Matches lost}} | {{abbr|Win %|Win percentage}} |
| align=left|Iceland women
|{{flagicon|Iceland}} |align=left|2 September 2013 |align=left|4 September 2018 {{WDL|54|27|9|18}} | ||||
| align=left|Lyngby
|{{flagicon|Denmark}} |align=left|28 June 2021 |align=left|5 January 2024 {{WDL|89|34|24|31}} | ||||
| align=left|Kortrijk
|{{flagicon|Belgium}} |align=left|6 January 2024 |align=left|17 December 2024 {{WDL|38|14|5|19}} | ||||
| align=left|Brann
|{{flagicon|Norway}} |align=left|13 January 2025 |align=left|present {{WDL|5|4|0|1}} | ||||
| colspan="4"|Total
{{WDLtot|186|79|38|69|decimals=1}} !— |
Honours
=As manager=
Valur women's
- Úrvalsdeild kvenna: 2008, 2009, 2010
- Icelandic Women's Football Cup: 2009, 2010
Leiknir R.
- 1. deild karla: 2014
=As player=
Leiknir R.
- 2. deild karla: 2005
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{KSI player|81853}}
{{SK Brann squad}}
{{Eliteserien managers}}
{{Iceland squad UEFA Women's Euro 2017}}
{{Iceland women's national football team managers}}
{{Lyngby BK managers}}
{{K.V. Kortrijk managers}}
{{SK Brann managers}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alexandersson, Freyr}}
Category:Men's association football defenders
Category:Danish 1st Division managers
Category:Lyngby Boldklub managers