Kjetil Rekdal
Encyclopedia
Kjetil André Rekdal is a Norwegian
football coach
and a former footballer. He is currently managing Aalesund in Norwegian Tippeligaen
. His previous tenure was at Kaiserslautern
of the 2. Bundesliga
from 1 July 2007 until his contract was terminated on 9 February 2008.
club Molde FK, becoming the second-youngest player in the league. In 1988 he signed with the Bundesliga
club Borussia Mönchengladbach
and stayed with them for two years before moving to the Belgian Pro League side Lierse S.K.
and remaining there until 1996, with the exeption of the 1994 season which he spent on loan helping his former club Molde FK gaining promotion to Tippeligaen
and winning the domestic Cup
.
In 1996 he signed for Ligue 1
club Rennes
, before finishing his playing career with a highly successful spell at Hertha BSC in Germany
between 1997 and 2000. In the summer of 2007 Rekdal officially rejoined his youth club Fiksdal/Rekdal.
, after his debut against Italy
in 1987, and played in two FIFA World Cup
s (1994 and 1998). He has scored 17 goals for the national team, among those one legendary goal at Wembley against England
, the only goal in the game as Norway beat Mexico
in the 1994 World Cup, and a penalty in the 1998 World Cup against Brazil
to win the game 2–1. The two World Cup goals makes him the highest scoring Norwegian in World Cup history, with one goal more than Arne Brustad
, Dan Eggen
, Håvard Flo
and Tore André Flo
.
from relegation in 2001, and famously weeping as his team avoided relegation the following year and back into position as one of the dominating clubs in the Norwegian Premier League
. In 2004 he led the team to second place, losing the first place on goal difference to Rosenborg, and in 2005 his team finally won the league for the first time in 21 years, ending Rosenborg's
13 year reign as champions of Norway. along the way receiving legend-status in the club, partly due to the fact that he refused an offer of a six-digit coaching salary in order to help the club financially.
, Lierse only managed to win three of their six matches and were relegated to the Second Division after all.
7–2 on aggregate, thereby securing a new season in the Norwegian Premier League. In 2009 he led Aalesund to the clubs first victory in the Norwegian Cup Final, where they beat arch rivals Molde 3–2 after a penalty shootout. In 2010
he led the club the 4th place in Tippeligaen, the clubs best result ever.. In 2011 he received wide praise when his club came close to the historic feat of qualifying for the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League
, losing the last play-off game to the dutch side AZ Alkmaar, having won the first leg 2-1. The same year he again lead Aalesunds to win the Norwegian Cup Finals, thereby securing a UEFA Europa League qualification spot for the third year running.
, into a family of six, including three younger siblings, his younger brother Sindre played also professional with Molde FK helping them win the domestic cup in 1994. Among his interests and hobbies is freshwater fishing
and card-games such as Poker
, having competed in amateur tournaments internationally.. He currently resides in Ålesund
, Møre og Romsdal
, with his wife and four children.
Vålerenga:
Aalesunds FK:
, Rekdal had a clause in his contract which allowed him to keep up to date with Leeds United results at half-time intervals, via BBC Radio. He is a fanatic supporter of the Yorkshire club.
As with most coaches, Rekdal is highly superstitious.To avoid bad luck, he never appears on matchday without his locally produced trademark Pear
-flavored soft drink.
Upon joining Aalesunds FK as coach, he also joined the tier 5 club Fiksdal/Rekdal as player and plays regularly at their home matches, he states that he wishes to contribute to the club with which he started his career
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
football coach
Coach (sport)
In sports, a coach is an individual involved in the direction, instruction and training of the operations of a sports team or of individual sportspeople.-Staff:...
and a former footballer. He is currently managing Aalesund in Norwegian Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
. His previous tenure was at Kaiserslautern
1. FC Kaiserslautern
1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900...
of the 2. Bundesliga
2. Fußball-Bundesliga
- Changes in division set-up :* Number of clubs: currently 18. From 1974 to 1981 there were two conferences, each of 20 teams. In 1981–91 it had 20...
from 1 July 2007 until his contract was terminated on 9 February 2008.
Club Career
Rekdal started playing football for the local club Fiksdal/Rekdal in 1979, later as a 16-year old he would start his professional career with the local TippeligaNorwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
club Molde FK, becoming the second-youngest player in the league. In 1988 he signed with the Bundesliga
Fußball-Bundesliga
The Fußball-Bundesliga is a professional association football league in Germany. At the top of Germany's football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. It is contested by 18 teams and operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the 2. Bundesliga...
club Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Borussia Mönchengladbach is a German association football club based in Mönchengladbach, North Rhine-Westphalia. The team plays in the Bundesliga and is one of the country's most well-known, well-supported, and successful teams. Borussia Mönchengladbach has over 40,000 members and is the sixth...
and stayed with them for two years before moving to the Belgian Pro League side Lierse S.K.
Lierse S.K.
Koninklijke Lierse Sportkring is a Belgian professional football club, from the city of Lier in the Antwerp province. Lierse has been playing in the Belgian Pro League since the 2010-11 season and they have already won the competition 4 times. They also have won 2 Belgian Cups...
and remaining there until 1996, with the exeption of the 1994 season which he spent on loan helping his former club Molde FK gaining promotion to Tippeligaen
Norwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
and winning the domestic Cup
Norwegian football cup
The Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
.
In 1996 he signed for Ligue 1
Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
club Rennes
Stade Rennais FC
Stade Rennais Football Club is a French association football club based in Rennes. The club was founded in 1901 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Rennes plays its home matches at the Stade de la Route de Lorient located within the city...
, before finishing his playing career with a highly successful spell at Hertha BSC in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
between 1997 and 2000. In the summer of 2007 Rekdal officially rejoined his youth club Fiksdal/Rekdal.
International Career
Rekdal has 83 games for the Norwegian national teamNorway national football team
The Norway national football team represents Norway in association football and is controlled by the Football Association of Norway, the governing body for football in Norway. Norway's home ground is Ullevaal Stadion in Oslo and their head coach is Egil Olsen...
, after his debut against Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in 1987, and played in two FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
s (1994 and 1998). He has scored 17 goals for the national team, among those one legendary goal at Wembley against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
, the only goal in the game as Norway beat Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
in the 1994 World Cup, and a penalty in the 1998 World Cup against Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
to win the game 2–1. The two World Cup goals makes him the highest scoring Norwegian in World Cup history, with one goal more than Arne Brustad
Arne Brustad
Arne Brustad was a Norwegian footballer. He is regarded as one of the country's best players of all time.Brustad was an outside-left for Lyn. He won 33 caps for Norway, and scored 17 international goals...
, Dan Eggen
Dan Eggen
Dan Eggen is a Norwegian football coach and former player. He is currently coaching Kolbotn IL in the Norwegian Premier League for women. He was capped 25 times for Norway, scoring two goals.-Biography:...
, Håvard Flo
Håvard Flo
Håvard Flo is a former football player from Norway. He played for Stryn IL and Sogndal, before he left Norway in 1994 and played for AGF, SV Werder Bremen, and Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. He returned to Sogndal in 2001. He did a comeback for Sogndal Fotball in 2010.His most successful spell was...
and Tore André Flo
Tore André Flo
Tore André Flo is a Norwegian football striker, who plays for the Norwegian club Sogndal. He initially retired after being released by the Milton Keynes Dons in 2009, but announced his comeback in March 2011. His brothers Jostein Flo and Jarle Flo, and cousin Håvard Flo are also professional...
.
Vålerenga
Rekdal has proven himself a successful coach, leading VålerengaVålerenga
Vålerenga is a neighbourhood in the city of Oslo, Norway, belonging to the borough of Gamle Oslo. Vålerenga is located between the neighbourhoods of Gamlebyen, Jordal, Ensjø, Etterstad and Lodalen. Vålerenga is in particular known for its traditional, small wooden houses, and for its football and...
from relegation in 2001, and famously weeping as his team avoided relegation the following year and back into position as one of the dominating clubs in the Norwegian Premier League
Tippeligaen
Tippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
. In 2004 he led the team to second place, losing the first place on goal difference to Rosenborg, and in 2005 his team finally won the league for the first time in 21 years, ending Rosenborg's
Rosenborg
Rosenborg may refer to:Denmark:* Rosenborg Castle, a castle in Copenhagen, DenmarkNorway:* Rosenborg, Trondheim, a place in Trondheim, Norway* Rosenborg BK, an association football club based in Trondheim, Norway...
13 year reign as champions of Norway. along the way receiving legend-status in the club, partly due to the fact that he refused an offer of a six-digit coaching salary in order to help the club financially.
Lierse
Rekdal resigned as coach at Vålerenga on 21 August 2006, following a string of poor results. He was appointed manager of his former club Lierse on 21 November 2006. When he arrived at the club, Lierse lay bottom of the table with only two points in fifteen matches. At the end of the season, they ended up with 26 points and avoided direct relegation. In the play-offsBelgian Second Division Final Round
The Belgian Second Division Final Round is the playoff part of the Belgian Second Division. It is a contested by four teams, the winner being promoted to the first division.-Eligibility:...
, Lierse only managed to win three of their six matches and were relegated to the Second Division after all.
F.C. Kaiserslautern
In May 2007, Rekdal signed on to manage Kaiserslautern in the German 2. Bundesliga. He left the club in early February of the following year, the club lying in sixteenth place.Aalesunds FK
He joined forces with Norwegian Premier League outfit Aalesund in 2008 after moving back to Norway. Joining the club mid-season, he found Aalesund laying in a relegation spot, but managed to get a relegation play-off spot, where Aalesund beat challengers SogndalSogndal Fotball
Sogndal Fotball is the association football section of Norwegian sports club Sogndal IL from Sogndal in Sogn og Fjordane. The club was founded in 1926....
7–2 on aggregate, thereby securing a new season in the Norwegian Premier League. In 2009 he led Aalesund to the clubs first victory in the Norwegian Cup Final, where they beat arch rivals Molde 3–2 after a penalty shootout. In 2010
2010 Norwegian Premier League
The 2010 Norwegian Premier League season is the sixty-sixth season of top-tier football in Norway. The competition, which is also named Tippeligaen for sponsorship reasons, began on 14 March and is scheduled to end on 7 November...
he led the club the 4th place in Tippeligaen, the clubs best result ever.. In 2011 he received wide praise when his club came close to the historic feat of qualifying for the 2011–12 UEFA Europa League
2011–12 UEFA Europa League
The 2011–12 UEFA Europa League is the third season of the competition since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup. It began on 30 June 2011 with the first legs of the first qualifying round, and will end on 9 May 2012 with the final to be held at Stadionul Național in Bucharest, Romania...
, losing the last play-off game to the dutch side AZ Alkmaar, having won the first leg 2-1. The same year he again lead Aalesunds to win the Norwegian Cup Finals, thereby securing a UEFA Europa League qualification spot for the third year running.
Personal Life
Born 6 November in Rekdal in VestnesVestnes
Vestnes is a village and a municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway, a 35 minute ferry ride from the town of Molde. Vestnes is part of the Romsdal region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Vestnes...
, into a family of six, including three younger siblings, his younger brother Sindre played also professional with Molde FK helping them win the domestic cup in 1994. Among his interests and hobbies is freshwater fishing
Artisan fishing
Artisan fishing is a term used to describe small scale low-technology commercial or subsistence fishing practices. The term particularly applies to coastal or island ethnic groups using traditional techniques such as rod and tackle, arrows and harpoons, throw nets and drag nets, and traditional...
and card-games such as Poker
Poker
Poker is a family of card games that share betting rules and usually hand rankings. Poker games differ in how the cards are dealt, how hands may be formed, whether the high or low hand wins the pot in a showdown , limits on bet sizes, and how many rounds of betting are allowed.In most modern poker...
, having competed in amateur tournaments internationally.. He currently resides in Ålesund
Ålesund
is a town and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the traditional district of Sunnmøre, and the center of the Ålesund Region. It is a sea port, and is noted for its unique concentration of Art Nouveau architecture....
, Møre og Romsdal
Møre og Romsdal
is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:...
, with his wife and four children.
Managerial
| Year | Nat | Team | Pos | Pl | W | D | L | GD | +/- | Pts | Cup | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 |  |
Vålerenga IF | 1st | 30 | 19 | 8 | 3 | 71-29 | +42 | 65/90 | Qtr Final | Promoted to Tippeligaen. |
| 2002 | |
Vålerenga IF | 8th | 26 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 38-31 | +7 | 33/78 | Winner | |
| 2003 | |
Vålerenga IF | 12th | 26 | 7 | 7 | 12 | 30-33 | -3 | 28/78 | Qtr Final | UEFA Cup 3rd Round. |
| 2004 | |
Vålerenga IF | 2nd | 26 | 13 | 9 | 4 | 40-22 | +18 | 48/78 | 3rd Round | Lost out on the Championship by the smallest margin. |
| 2005 | |
Vålerenga IF | 1st | 26 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 40-27 | +13 | 46/78 | Semi Final | UEFA Cup 1st Round. |
| 2006 | |
Vålerenga IF | - | 17 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 23-22 | +1 | 22/51 | Qtr Final | Resigned after 17 rounds. |
| 2006-07 |  |
Lierse S.K. | 17th | 34 | 6 | 8 | 20 | 33-66 | -33 | 26/102 | Round 7 | Relegated to Belgian Second Division Belgian Second Division The Belgian Second Division is the second-highest division in the Belgian football league system after the Belgian Pro League. It was created by the Belgian Football Association in 1905. Between 2008 and 2010 it was named EXQI League after a television channel owned by the league main sponsor,... . |
| 2007-08 |  |
1. FC Kaiserslautern 1. FC Kaiserslautern 1. Fußball-Club Kaiserslautern, also known as 1. FCK, FCK or simply Kaiserslautern, is a German association football club based in Kaiserslautern, Rhineland-Palatinate. On 2 June 1900, Germania 1896 and FG Kaiserslautern merged to create FC 1900... |
- | 19 | 3 | 7 | 9 | 19-24 | -5 | 16/57 | 2nd Round | Sacked after 19 rounds. |
| 2008 | |
Aalesunds FK | 13th | 26 | 7 | 4 | 15 | 29-42 | -13 | 25/78 | - | Escaped relegation through winning playoff. |
| 2009 | |
Aalesunds FK | 13th | 30 | 9 | 9 | 12 | 34-43 | -9 | 36/90 | Winner | |
| 2010 | |
Aalesunds FK | 4th | 30 | 14 | 5 | 11 | 46-37 | +9 | 47/90 | 3rd Round | Europa League 3rd Qual. Round |
| 2011 | |
Aalesunds FK | - | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 32-34 | -2 | 40/84 | Winner | Europa League Play-Off. |
As player
Molde FK:- Norwegian Premier LeagueNorwegian Premier LeagueTippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
: Runner-up 1987, Third place 1988 - Norwegian Football CupNorwegian football cupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
: Winner 1994
Vålerenga:
- Norwegian Football CupNorwegian football cupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
: Winner 2002
As Coach
Vålerenga:- Norwegian Premier LeagueNorwegian Premier LeagueTippeligaen is a Norwegian professional league for association football clubs. At the top of the Norwegian football league system, it is the country's primary football competition. The league is also unofficially known under its neutral name Eliteserien , although the name has never been official...
: Runner-up 2004, Winner 2005 - Norwegian Football CupNorwegian football cupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
: Winner 2002
Aalesunds FK:
- Norwegian Football CupNorwegian football cupThe Norwegian Football Cup is the main knockout cup competition in Norwegian football. It is run by the Football Association of Norway and has been contested since 1902, making it the oldest football tournament in the country. The tournament is commonly known as Cupen or NM, an acronym formed...
: Winner 20092009 Norwegian Football CupThe Norwegian Football Cup 2009 was the 104th season of the Norwegian annual knockout football tournament. The competition started with two qualifying rounds on 13 April and 22 April, and the final was held on 8 November...
, Winner 20112011 Norwegian Football CupThe 2011 Norwegian Football Cup was the 106th season of the Norwegian annual knockout football tournament. It began on 6 April 2011 with the matches of the first qualifying round and ended on 6 November 2011 with the Final...
Trivia
During his time at LierseLierse S.K.
Koninklijke Lierse Sportkring is a Belgian professional football club, from the city of Lier in the Antwerp province. Lierse has been playing in the Belgian Pro League since the 2010-11 season and they have already won the competition 4 times. They also have won 2 Belgian Cups...
, Rekdal had a clause in his contract which allowed him to keep up to date with Leeds United results at half-time intervals, via BBC Radio. He is a fanatic supporter of the Yorkshire club.
As with most coaches, Rekdal is highly superstitious.To avoid bad luck, he never appears on matchday without his locally produced trademark Pear
Pear
The pear is any of several tree species of genus Pyrus and also the name of the pomaceous fruit of these trees. Several species of pear are valued by humans for their edible fruit, but the fruit of other species is small, hard, and astringent....
-flavored soft drink.
Upon joining Aalesunds FK as coach, he also joined the tier 5 club Fiksdal/Rekdal as player and plays regularly at their home matches, he states that he wishes to contribute to the club with which he started his career