Gunnar Nielsen (footballer)

Gunnar Nielsen

Nielsen with the Faroe Islands in 2013
Personal information
Full name Gunnar Nielsen[1]
Date of birth (1986-10-07) 7 October 1986[2]
Place of birth Tórshavn, Faroe Islands[2]
Height 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)[2]
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 FH Hafnarfjörður
Number 1[3]
Youth career
Havnar Bóltfelag
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
–2004 Havnar Bóltfelag 0 (0)
2004–2007 BK Frem 16 (0)
2007–2009 Blackburn Rovers 0 (0)
2008 → Motherwell (loan) 0 (0)
2009–2012 Manchester City 1 (0)
2009 → Wrexham (loan) 4 (0)
2010–2011 → Tranmere Rovers (loan) 2 (0)
2013 Silkeborg 8 (0)
2013–2015 Motherwell 19 (0)
2015 Stjarnan 20 (0)
2015– FH 22 (0)
National team‡
2001–2002 Faroe Islands U17 13 (0)
2002–2004 Faroe Islands U19 8 (0)
2007–2008 Faroe Islands U21 10 (0)
2009– Faroe Islands 37 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 October 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 November 2016 [4]

Gunnar Nielsen (born 7 October 1986) is a Faroese professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Icelandic club FH. Nielsen has also represented Havnar Bóltfelag, Boldklubben Frem, Gøtu Ítróttarfelag, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Wrexham, Tranmere Rovers, Silkeborg, Motherwell, Stjarnan and the Faroe Islands national football team at all age levels.

Club career

Nielsen against Austria, 2013

Born in Tórshavn, Nielsen was signed by Blackburn Rovers for a "small" but undisclosed fee on 2 July 2007 from BK Frem. Nielsen, who was on trial with Rovers in May, told the club website: "I am very pleased – it is a massive chance for me just to develop. I'm glad the manager and staff believe in me and I won't let them down."[5] He transferred Motherwell of the Scottish Premier League on a six-month loan on 8 August 2008.[6] before returning to Blackburn on 30 December 2008.[7]

Nielsen signed for Manchester City on a two-and-a-half-year contract in 2009[8] and joined Conference National side Wrexham on loan shortly afterwards.[9] He made his debut in a 1–0 defeat to Histon on 28 March.[10] He was suspected to have sustained a thumb injury during a game against Oxford United in April, meaning he returned to City for a scan,[11] which confirmed the suspected injury.[12] Nielsen made his Premier League debut on 24 April 2010 as a substitute for injured Shay Given in the 76th minute during Manchester City's stalemate against Arsenal.[13] As a result, he became the first Faroese footballer to play in the Premier League. In the summer of 2010, he signed a contract extension with Manchester City that ran until 2012.[14]

On 23 July 2010 Nielsen joined League One team Tranmere Rovers on loan until January 2011.[15] He made his debut for Tranmere in a 2–1 defeat by Oldham Athletic on 7 August,[16] After picking up an injury on international duty, he spent over three months out, before returning to the first team at Tranmere in December 2010.

He was released by Man City at the end of the 2011/12 season.[17] However, weeks later he rejoined the Manchester City squad, but was again released by the club after signing former England international Richard Wright on transfer deadline day. He officially left the club on the 7th of December and told the Manchester City website he hopes to join a team in England or the Scandinavian Region in January 2013.

In early April 2013, Nielsen signed for Silkeborg of the Danish Superliga. Nielsen immediately debuted for the club on April 8, 2013, a 1–0 defeat to Aalborg.[18]

On 3 July 2013, Nielsen signed a 2-year deal with Motherwell where he had previously spent six months on loan in 2008.[19] He left Motherwell on 4 March 2015, by mutual consent.[20]

On 4 April 2015, Nielsen signed a one-year contract with the Icelandic club Stjarnan [21][22] He made his debut for them on 3 May, in a league match against Íþróttabandalag Akraness, Marking the occasion by keeping a clean sheet. [23] At the end of the 2015 season, Nielsen was elected player of the year for Stjarnan both by the players and the management. On 28 October 2015, Nielsen signed a three-year contract with 2015 Icelandic champions FH. [24]

International career

Nielsen made his international debut for the Faroe Islands after starting in a 2–1 win over Iceland on 22 March 2009.[25]

On 3 June 2016, he captained the team for the first time in a 2–0 friendly defeat against Kosovo in Frankfurt.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Premier League Clubs submit Squad Lists" (PDF). Premier League. 2 September 2011. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 "Gunnar Nielsen profile". Official Motherwell FC Site. Retrieved 21 February 2014.
  3. ↑ http://www.visir.is/umfjollun,-vidtol-og-einkunnir--ia---stjarnan-0-1---draumamark-olafs-karls-skildi-a-milli/article/2015150509857
  4. ↑ http://www.faroesoccer.com/content.php?pid=182
  5. ↑ "Blackburn sign Faroes goalkeeper". BBC Sport. 2 July 2007. Retrieved 2 July 2007.
  6. ↑ "Motherwell seal double transfer". BBC Sport. 8 August 2008. Retrieved 8 August 2008.
  7. ↑ "Linfield keeper interesting Well". BBC Sport. 30 December 2008. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  8. ↑ Oscroft, Tim (25 February 2009). "City sign keeper Gunnar Nielsen". Manchester City F.C. Retrieved 18 January 2010.
  9. ↑ "Wrexham recruit international duo". BBC Sport. 26 March 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2009.
  10. ↑ "Histon 1–0 Wrexham". BBC Sport. 28 March 2009. Retrieved 29 March 2009.
  11. ↑ "Neilsen injury blow for Wrexham". BBC Sport. 12 April 2009. Retrieved 13 April 2009.
  12. ↑ "Gunnar Has Broken His Hand". Wrexham F.C. 13 April 2009. Retrieved 20 April 2009.
  13. ↑ Hassan, Nabil (24 April 2010). "Arsenal 0–0 Man City". BBC Sport. Retrieved 24 April 2010.
  14. ↑ http://www.tribalfootball.com/gunnar-nielsen-inks-man-city-deal-ahead-tranmere-rovers-loan-move-990601
  15. ↑ "Rovers Sign International Goalkeeper". Tranmere Rovers F.C. 21 July 2010. Retrieved 21 July 2010.
  16. ↑ "Tranmere 1 – 2 Oldham". BBC Sport. 7 August 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2010.
  17. ↑ "FREE TRANSFER LIST 2011/12" (PDF). Premier League.
  18. ↑ "Silkeborg Profile". Silkeborg IF. Retrieved 10 April 2013.
  19. ↑ "Nielsen Returns to Fir Park". Motherwell FC. Retrieved 3 July 2013.
  20. ↑ "Goalkeeper Gunnar Nielsen departs". Motherwell F.C. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  21. ↑ http://www.in.fo/news-detail/news/gunnar-nielsen-til-meistaralid/?sword_list[]=Gunnar&sword_list[]=Nielsen&no_cache=1 (in Faroese)
  22. ↑ http://stjarnan.is/knattspyrna/item/1211-stjarnan-hefur-samidh-vidh-gunnar-nielsen (in Icelandic)
  23. ↑ http://www.mbl.is/sport/efstadeild/2015/05/03/draumamark_olafs_tryggdi_stjornunni_sigur_2/
  24. ↑ http://www.in.fo/itrottur/sport-detail/news/stjarnan-gav-gunnari-duppultan-heidur/
  25. ↑ "Alt gekk sum tað skuldi" (in Faroese). Faroe Islands Football Association. 22 March 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
  26. ↑ "Gunnar Nielsen". European Football. Retrieved 4 June 2016.
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