Olli Harder

{{Short description|New Zealand association football coach (born 1986)}}

{{Infobox football biography

|name = Olli Harder

|image =

|fullname =

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1986|1|31|df=y}}

|birth_place = Auckland, New Zealand

|height =

|position = Goalkeeper

|currentclub =

|youthyears1 =

|youthclubs1 =

|years1 =

|clubs1 =

| manageryears1 = 2017–2019

| managerclubs1 = Klepp IL women

| manageryears2 = 2020–2022

| managerclubs2 = West Ham United Women

| manageryears3 = 2022–2023

| managerclubs3 = SK Brann Kvinner

}}

Oliver Harder (born 31 January 1986{{cite web|url=https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2021/january/31-january/west-ham-united-women-fall-defeat-clinical-manchester-city| title=West Ham United women fall to defeat at clinical Manchester City| publisher=West Ham United Women| date=31 January 2021| accessdate=25 October 2021}}) is a New Zealand Football Association, UEFA pro licensed coach who is currently coaching in the Norwegian club Viking FK.

At club level Harder was most recently the manager of Norwegian team SK Brann Kvinner where he won both the Norwegian Cup and League title during the 2022 Toppserien season.

At international level Harder has previously taken up assistant coaching positions with the Norwegian Football Federation with both the U23 Women and U21 Men's teams respectively.

Harder has previously managed West Ham United Women in the WSL and Klepp IL in the Norwegian Toppserien as well as several clubs across the United States, China and New Zealand.

Playing career

Harder played association football for two clubs in the New Zealand Football Championship as a goalkeeper.{{cite web| url=https://yalebulldogs.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/coaches/olli-harder/137| title=Ollie Harder| publisher=Yale Bulldogs| accessdate=22 October 2021}}

Managerial career

Harder has coached in the United States, China, Norway and England.{{cite web| url=https://www.goal.com/en-gb/news/if-my-father-wasnt-german-id-be-a-rugby-coach-meet-west-hams/by215793isdm14ou6207sdl89| title='If my father wasn't German, I'd be a rugby coach!' – Meet West Ham's 'unique' new manager| publisher=Goal| date=17 January 2021| accessdate=22 October 2021}} In the United States, he coached in the Connecticut Junior Soccer Association league system.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2021/jan/08/olli-harder-aiming-to-bring-wonders-of-whirlwind-world-tour-to-west-ham| title=Olli Harder hopes to bring wonders of world tour to West Ham in WSL| work=The Guardian| date=8 January 2021| accessdate=22 October 2021}} He was an assistant coach in the American collegiate soccer system for the NJIT Highlanders and the Yale Bulldogs.{{Cite web|url=https://njithighlanders.com/sports/mens-soccer/roster/coaches/ollie-harder/231|title=Ollie Harder - Men's Soccer Coach|website=New Jersey Institute of Technology Athletics}} He worked for Club Football China.

In 2017, Harder became head coach of Klepp IL women's football team. In the three seasons he was in charge, they finished fourth, second and third respectively. Klepp's 2017 finish was the first time in 20 years that they had finished in the top four in the league.{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2020/dec/23/west-ham-women-appoint-olli-harder-manager-norway| title=West Ham Women tempt Olli Harder from Norway to take manager's job| work=The Guardian| date=23 December 2020| accessdate=22 October 2021}} He was nominated for the Norwegian Coach of the Year award in 2017 and 2018. Harder left Klepp at the end of the 2019.{{cite news |date=11 November 2019 |title=Klepps suksesstrener Olli Harder gir seg |language=no |work=Aftenposten |url=https://www.aftenposten.no/sport/fotball/i/JoXAB6/klepps-suksesstrener-olli-harder-gir-seg |accessdate=22 October 2021}}

In December 2019,{{cite news|url=https://www.aftenposten.no/sport/fotball/i/vQdMWL/olli-harder-er-ansatt-som-landros-assistent-i-sandnes-ulf| title=Olli Harder er ansatt som Landros assistent i Sandnes Ulf| language=no| work=Aftenposten| date=9 December 2019| accessdate=22 October 2021}} Harder became assistant manager of the Sandnes Ulf men's team.{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/55428094|title=Olli Harder: West Ham appoint New Zealander to take over WSL side| work=BBC Sport| date=23 December 2020| accessdate=22 October 2021}} In the 2020 season, Sandnes Ulf finished seventh in the 1. divisjon,{{cite web| url=https://www.whufc.com/news/articles/2020/december/23-december/west-ham-united-womens-team-appoint-olli-harder-manager| title=West Ham United women's team appoint Olli Harder as manager| publisher=West Ham United F.C. Women| date=23 December 2020| accessdate=22 October 2021}} and he left the role at the end of the 2020 season.{{cite news| url=https://www.bt.no/fotball/i/6zPL2W/oliver-harder-ferdig-i-sandnes-ulf| title=Oliver Harder ferdig i Sandnes Ulf| language=no| work=Bergens Tidende| url-access=subscription| date=20 December 2020| accessdate=22 October 2021}} He had also been an assistant manager of the Norwegian Women's under-23 National team.

In December 2020, Harder was appointed head coach of West Ham United Women, on a two-and-a-half-year contract. He replaced Matt Beard as head coach.{{cite news| url=https://www.skysports.com/football/news/12028/12404013/how-west-ham-women-manager-olli-harder-is-bringing-his-hard-working-mentality-to-the-club| title=How West Ham Women manager Olli Harder is bringing his hard-working mentality to the club| work=Sky Sports| date=27 September 2021| accessdate=22 October 2021}} Harder's first scheduled match in charge of West Ham against Manchester City was postponed due to COVID-19 positive tests in the Manchester City squad. He led West Ham to sixth place in the 2021–22 FA WSL, with their highest ever points total in a season.{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/61373993| title=Women's Super League: Paul Konchesky named West Ham manager as Olli Harder departs| work=BBC Sport| date=8 May 2022| accessdate=9 May 2022}} He resigned on 8 May 2022.{{Cite web|url=https://www.whufc.com/news/konchesky-appointed-womens-manager-harder-departs|title=Konchesky appointed women's manager, as Harder departs | West Ham United F.C.|website=www.whufc.com}} In 2022, Harder also achieved his UEFA Pro License.{{cite web| url=https://www.fotball.no/turneringer/nm-kvinner/2022/harder---vi-har-fatt-enorm-stotte/| title=Harder: - Vi har fått enorm støtte| language=no|work=Fotball.no|date=2 November 2022| accessdate=30 July 2023}}

Harder returned to Norway in June 2022, being named as the new director of sports of SK Brann Kvinner.{{cite news| url=https://www.bt.no/fotball/i/mrAzbv/olli-harder-blir-ny-trener-for-brann-kvinnene| title=Olli Harder blir ny trener for Brann-kvinnene| language=no| work=Bergens Tidende| date=8 July 2022| accessdate=30 July 2023}} When Brann manager Alexander Straus left for Bayern Munich women, Harder took over as manager in July 2022.{{cite news| url=https://www.brann.no/nyheter/her-er-kvinnelagets-nye-sportslige-leder|title=Her er kvinnelagets nye sportslige leder|publisher=SK Brann|language=no|access-date=15 September 2022|date=15 May 2022}}{{cite news| url=https://www.brann.no/nyheter/harder-tar-over-som-hovedtrener|title=Harder tar over som hovedtrener|publisher=SK Brann|language=no|access-date=15 September 2022|date=8 July 2022}} After winning both the 2022 Toppserien and the Norwegian Women's Cup, Harder mutually terminated his employment in May 2023; SK Brann were fourth in the league at the time.{{cite news| url=https://www.ba.no/olli-harder-fikk-sparken-men-kan-bli-varende-i-brann/s/5-8-2242736| title=Olli Harder fikk sparken, men kan bli værende i Brann| language=no| work=Ba.no| date=4 May 2023| accessdate=4 May 2023}} In June 2023, Harder then joined the Norway men's under-21 team as an assistant manager for their matches against Scotland.{{cite news| url=https://www.fotball.no/landslag/norge-menn-u-21/2023/u21-landslagets-tropp-til-kamper-mot-skottland/| title=U21-landslagets tropp til kamper mot Skottland| language=no| work=Fotball.no|date=5 June 2023| accessdate=30 July 2023}}{{cite news| url=https://www.nrk.no/sport/fiabema-scoret-for-u21-landslaget-_-ny-uavgjort-mot-skottland-1.16451160| title=Fiabema scoret for U21-landslaget – ny uavgjort mot Skottland| language=no|work=NRK| date=18 June 2023| accessdate=30 July 2023}} He also worked as a coach for Norway women's under-23s team. In 2024, Harder became a coach at Viking FK.{{cite web| url=https://www.friendsoffootballnz.com/2024/02/26/aucklander-olli-harder-joins-norwegian-club-fk-viking-in-coaching-role/| title=Aucklander Olli Harder joins Norwegian club FK Viking in coaching role| publisher=Friends of Football NZ| date=26 February 2024| access-date=19 July 2024}}

Personal life

Harder was born in New Zealand to German parents. He has a degree in sports science from Unitec Institute of Technology and studied for one semester at Virginia Tech.