Atlantica - Iceland Review

Pétur Péturson
Born in 1959, Pétur Pétursson made his debut
with ÍA in Iceland before being snapped up by
Feyenoord Rotterdam where he won the national
cup in 1980. He also played with Anderlecht and
Royal Antwerp in a continental career spanning
almost 20 years. Pétursson also made 41 appearances
for his country, playing his last match for
Iceland against France in 1990. Since his retirement
he has been actively involved in management and
is currently the assistant manager of Reykjavík club
KR and the Icelandic national team.
Eyjólfur Sverrisson
Yet another Icelander to enjoy a stellar career in
Germany was Eyjólfur Sverrisson. He moved to
the continent in 1989 to play for VfB Stuttgart
and became league Champion with them in 1992.
Later he moved to Turkey signing for Besiktas and
helped them to the national league title in 1995.
Six years later, back in Germany, he lifted the super
cup twice with Hertha BSC. One of the stars of the
Icelandic national team, he was capped 66 times
and also captained them during the 1990s. He
retired from competitive football in 2005 but now
coaches the ever so successful U21 national team.
Eidur Smári Gudjohnsen
Of the current crop of Icelanders coming to the
end of their continental careers, the most successful
has undoubtedly been Eidur Smári Gudjohnsen
who began his career with Reykjavík side Valur
before transferring to English championship side
Bolton. He quickly became the clubs most valuable
player scoring 21 goals in the 1999-2000
season. It was not long before Chelsea came calling
snapping up the striker for four million pounds
in 2000. At Chelsea Gudjohnsen was revered for
forming a deadly strike partnership with Jimmy
Floyd Hasselback, netting 23 goals in his debut
season with the blues. Even greater glory was to
come in the form of the premier league trophy
with Chelsea in 2005 and European Champion
league success in 2009 following a lucrative move
to Barcelona in the summer of 2006. Off the
pitch, however life has not been quite so rosy,
with Gudjohnsen publicly admitting to a serious
gambling problem that had seen him lose in the
region of 400,000 pounds. Barca sold Gudjohnsen
to Monaco where he didn’t enjoy much success,
then he transferred to Tottenham, then to Stoke
City where he still resides.
Ívar Ingimarsson
Another Icelandic stalwart of the English league
over the last decade is Ívar Ingimarsson. He began
his soccer career with lower division sides, Torquay
and Brentford before flourishing as the first signing
made by Steve Coppell in 2003 when he took
up the reigns at FC Reading. In the next three
years, along with Ibramhima Sonko, Ingimarsson
formed one of the most formidable defenses in
the English League. Dedication and talent were
rewarded when Reading won promotion for the
first time in its history to the Premier league.
Ingimarsson capped a tremendous year by being
voted Reading player of the season. Ingimarsson
has remained loyal to the club and signed a new
one year contract at the end of last season.
Heidar Helguson
After a very successful season with Lilleström
in Norway, Helguson signed to Premiership side
Watford for a club record fee of 1.5 million pounds
and made a stunning debut against league leaders,
Liverpool. He has enjoyed one of the most varied
careers of any Icelander, which has taken him
to Fulham, Bolton Wanderers and Queen’s Park
Rangers where he resides now. He also notched up
over fifty appearances for his country.
Hermann Hreidarsson
One of the stalwarts of the English Premier League
and championship, he has dubious distinction of
being relegated five times from the Premiership
with five different clubs.
A tough and dedicated defender, Hreidarsson
began his English league career with premiership
newcomers Crystal Palace in 1997 before moving
on to Ipswich, Wimbledon, Charlton Athletic, and
finally to Portsmouth, who were relegated at the
end of this season. Hreidarsson has also played
with distinction for the national side notching up
an impressive 80 caps.
Eidur Smári Gudjohnsen with Barcelona.
Gylfi Thór Sigurdsson
Perhaps the most exciting new prospect of
recent times is the talented young midfielder,
Gylfi Sigurdsson, who for this season transferred
from Reading to the Bundesliga team Hoffenheim
where he has been doing wonders.
Described by top Guardian pundit, Barry
Glendenning, as one of the best young dead
ball specialists since David Beckham, it may only
a matter of time before the giants of the English
league begin to wave bundles of cash in his direction.
Rumor has it that Manchester United already
has his eye on him. Sigurdsson began life with his
hometown team FH Hafnarfjördur from where he
went to FC Breidablik (currently premier league
champions in Iceland) before moving on trial
basis to Preston North End. He was snapped by
the Reading Football Academy in 2005, eventually
signing a full time one year contract in July 2007.
He established himself as one of Reading’s most
valuable players. Sigurdsson scored in Reading’s
FA cup defeat of premiership giants Liverpool and
got the Reading player of the year award in 2008.
He has already scored several goals this season
for Hoffenheim and was Iceland’s hero scoring two
thunderbolt goals for Iceland’s U21 team against
Scotland, resulting in an Icelandic win 2-1.
atlantica 27