Alexander Östlund
Encyclopedia
Jan Alexander Östlund is a retired Swedish football player. He was released from Esbjerg fB
on 25 January 2010 because of too many injuries and the same day Östlund announced that he would retire from football because of his bad knee.
. At the age of 16 he was drafted for AIK Fotboll
, where he played as a striker
. He scored the club's last goal of the 1998 season, which meant AIK won Allsvenskan
, the Swedish championship. He had a loan period at Birmingham City
but was not offered a contract, being subsequently transferred to IFK Norrköping
and converted into a defender.
's Feyenoord Rotterdam
, playing his first match against Vitesse Arnhem
.
, and he emerged as a cult hero for his hard tackles and marauding runs. On the final day of the 2005–06 Championship
season, replica number 2 shirts flew out of the club shop, as Saints fans could be heard in matches chanting "Jesus is our right-back".
For the early part of the 2006–07 season he was in and out of the side but towards the end cemented his right-back position. He has always given whole-hearted commitment to the team and provided a more than useful option which allowed Chris Baird
to move into the centre of the defence.
Östlund started 2007–08 well, having to compete for the No. 2 position with on-loan players Phil Ifil and Christian Dailly
, who both departed from the team in January 2008.
On 2 July 2008 he was released by the Saints as a free agent.
club Esbjerg fB. His time in Esbjerg has been blighted by injuries.
On 25 January 2010 he was released from the club and he announced his retirement.
at the 2004 European Championship. Despite being a regular fixture in the international side, he was overlooked for the 2006 World Cup
squad.
Esbjerg fB
Esbjerg forenede Boldklubber also referred to as Esbjerg fB or simply EfB is a professional Danish football club from the port city of Esbjerg in West Jutland. The club was formed in 1924, as a merger between Esbjerg Boldklub af 1898 and Esbjerg Amatørklub af 1911. The club has training facilities...
on 25 January 2010 because of too many injuries and the same day Östlund announced that he would retire from football because of his bad knee.
Sweden
Östlund started his career in the club IFK Österåker in his hometown ÅkersbergaÅkersberga
Åkersberga is a locality and the seat of Österåker Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 26,727 inhabitants in 2005.-History:In 1901 a railway station named Berga was opened on this rural spot some 30 km from Stockholm. Some shops and a post office followed...
. At the age of 16 he was drafted for AIK Fotboll
AIK Fotboll
AIK, , an abbreviation for Allmänna Idrottsklubben, , when needed internationally AIK Stockholm, is a Swedish football club based at Råsunda stadium in Solna, a municipality in Stockholm County bordering to Stockholm City Centre...
, where he played as a striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He scored the club's last goal of the 1998 season, which meant AIK won Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan
Allsvenskan is a Swedish professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Swedish football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with Superettan...
, the Swedish championship. He had a loan period at Birmingham City
Birmingham City F.C.
Birmingham City Football Club is a professional association football club based in the city of Birmingham, England. Formed in 1875 as Small Heath Alliance, they became Small Heath in 1888, then Birmingham in 1905, finally becoming Birmingham City in 1943.They were relegated at the end of the...
but was not offered a contract, being subsequently transferred to IFK Norrköping
IFK Norrköping
IFK Norrköping is a Swedish football club based in Norrköping. The club, formed on 29 May 1897, is currently playing in the first division of Swedish football, Allsvenskan...
and converted into a defender.
Feyenoord
In July 2004, Östlund signed with EredivisieEredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
's Feyenoord Rotterdam
Feyenoord Rotterdam
Feyenoord is a Dutch professional football club located in Rotterdam. Along with Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord is one of the "big three" clubs in the Netherlands. These three clubs and Utrecht and Roda JC are the only clubs never to have been relegated from the Dutch first division...
, playing his first match against Vitesse Arnhem
Vitesse Arnhem
Stichting Betaald Voetbal Vitesse is a Dutch football club from Arnhem, which was founded on 14 May 1892. Vitesse has had considerable success in the Eredivisie, and featured in the UEFA Cup competition, but has never been considered a close competitor of the top three clubs of Netherlands...
.
Southampton
His nickname is "Salle", although the fans of Southampton have been calling him "Jesus" due to his flowing locks and beardBeard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
, and he emerged as a cult hero for his hard tackles and marauding runs. On the final day of the 2005–06 Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
season, replica number 2 shirts flew out of the club shop, as Saints fans could be heard in matches chanting "Jesus is our right-back".
For the early part of the 2006–07 season he was in and out of the side but towards the end cemented his right-back position. He has always given whole-hearted commitment to the team and provided a more than useful option which allowed Chris Baird
Chris Baird
Christopher Patrick "Chris" Baird is a Northern Irish footballer who plays for Fulham and the Northern Ireland national football team.-Southampton:...
to move into the centre of the defence.
Östlund started 2007–08 well, having to compete for the No. 2 position with on-loan players Phil Ifil and Christian Dailly
Christian Dailly
Christian Eduard Dailly is a Scottish professional footballer who is without a club having last played for Championship side Portsmouth. He is a versatile player, often seen in defence or defensive midfield, but has played in most outfield positions during his career. Dailly is Scotland's...
, who both departed from the team in January 2008.
On 2 July 2008 he was released by the Saints as a free agent.
Esbjerg fB
On 25 August he was presented as a new player in DanishDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
club Esbjerg fB. His time in Esbjerg has been blighted by injuries.
On 25 January 2010 he was released from the club and he announced his retirement.
International career
Östlund played for SwedenSweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
at the 2004 European Championship. Despite being a regular fixture in the international side, he was overlooked for the 2006 World Cup
2006 FIFA World Cup
The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six...
squad.