Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson

Icelandic footballer

Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson
Personal information
Date of birth (1977-10-25) 25 October 1977 (age 46)
Place of birth Iceland
Height 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1996–1999 Flagler College
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1998 ÍR 79 (1)
1999–2002 ÍA 71 (0)
2003–2004 Valur 21 (0)
2005–2007 FH 0 (0)
2006–2007 → Þróttur Reykjavík (loan) 36 (0)
2008 ÍR 2 (0)
2009 Fylkir 8 (0)
2011 Þróttur Reykjavík 4 (0)
2012 Valur 4 (0)
Total 225 (1)
International career
1994–1996 Iceland U19 10 (0)
1998–1999 Iceland U21 6 (0)
2002 Iceland 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson (born 25 October 1977) is an Icelandic former footballer. He played the majority of his career in Iceland and capped for the Icelandic national team against Brazil in 2002.[1] He played football for Flagler College in the United States, where he was a three-time NAIA All-American, All-Region XIV and All-Florida Sun Conference selection.[2] In 2016, he was inducted into the schools hall of fame.[3]

Playing career

Ólafur started his senior team career with ÍR in 1994. In end of December 1997, he went on a tryout with Sheffield Wednesday.[4][5] After a breakout season in 1998,[6][7] he transferred to ÍA prior to the 1999 season. In his first league game with ÍA, he conceded a goal after only 17-seconds.[8] After four seasons with ÍA, he transferred to Valur in 2003.[9] During the 2004 season, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury.[10]

In 2005, he joined FH but spent most of the season as the substitute goalkeeper, only appeared in one game in the Icelandic Cup.[11] In February 2006, he went on a trial with the Atlanta Silverbacks.[12] He played the 2006 and 2007 seasons on a loan to Þróttur Reykjavík.[13] During the 2007, he helped the team gain promotion to the top-tier Úrvalsdeild karla.[14]

In March 2008, Ólafur announced his retirement from football due to a shoulder injury[15] but in July, he returned to the court and joined ÍR due to an injury to the main goalkeeper of the team, Þorsteinn V. Einarsson.[16] After two games for ÍR, he signed back with Þróttur as a backup goalkeeper.[17]

On 29 July 2009, Ólafur signed with Fylkir after their main goalkeeper, Fjalar Þorgeirsson, broke his arm[18] and appeared in Fylkirs last nine league and cup matches.[19] After sitting out the 2010 season, he signed with Þróttur Reykjavík in July 2011.[19]

On 12 July 2012, Ólafur signed a short-term contract with Valur due to an injury to Sindri Snær Jensson.[20]

References

  1. ^ Guðmundur Hilmarsson (12 March 2002). "Ævintýraför í Mekka knattspyrnunnar". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). pp. 6B–7B. Retrieved 11 December 2022 – via Tímarit.is.Open access icon
  2. ^ "Olafur Gunnarsson (2016) - Hall of Fame". flaglerathletics.com. Flagler College. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  3. ^ Will Brown (7 May 2016). "Flagler College welcomes 7 into Athletics Hall of Fame". St. Augustine Record. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  4. ^ "Ólafur til Wednesday". Dagblaðið Vísir (in Icelandic). 29 December 1997. p. 23. Retrieved 11 December 2022 – via Tímarit.is.Open access icon
  5. ^ "Ólafur Þór með Sheff. Wed. gegn Barnsley". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 8 January 1998. p. C1. Retrieved 11 December 2022 – via Tímarit.is.Open access icon
  6. ^ Sigmundur Ó. Steinarsson (27 June 1998). "Markvörður og markahrókur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). p. B4. Retrieved 11 December 2022 – via Tímarit.is.Open access icon
  7. ^ Stefán Stefánsson (28 July 1998). "Hegðun mín kjánaleg". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). p. 2B. Retrieved 11 December 2022 – via Tímarit.is.Open access icon
  8. ^ Valur B. Jónatansson (9 May 1995). "Útihlaupið var algjör vitleysa". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). p. C3. Retrieved 11 December 2022 – via Tímarit.is.Open access icon
  9. ^ "Valur". Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 13 May 2003. p. 14B. Retrieved 11 December 2022 – via Tímarit.is.Open access icon
  10. ^ Hafliði Breiðfjörð (30 August 2006). "Ólafur Þór ferðaðist í 15 tíma til að geta mætt KR". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  11. ^ Magnús Már Einarsson (10 January 2007). "Ólafur Þór líklega aftur í láni hjá Þrótti næsta sumar". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  12. ^ Magnús Már Einarsson (21 February 2006). "Ólafur fær boð um atvinnumannasamning í USA". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  13. ^ "Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson - Félagaskipti". ksi.is (in Icelandic). Football Association of Iceland. Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  14. ^ Hafliði Breiðfjörð (29 September 2007). "Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson: Langar að taka eitt sumar í viðbót". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  15. ^ Hafliði Breiðfjörð (5 March 2008). "Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson er hættur í fótbolta". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  16. ^ Magnús Már Einarsson (24 July 2008). "Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson í ÍR (Staðfest)". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  17. ^ Hafliði Breiðfjörð (31 July 2008). "Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson í Þrótt (Staðfest)". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  18. ^ Hafliði Breiðfjörð (29 July 2009). "Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson löglegur með Fylki á morgun". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  19. ^ a b Hafliði Breiðfjörð (29 July 2011). "Ólafur Þór Gunnarsson í Þrótt (Staðfest)". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.
  20. ^ Elvar Geir Magnússon (12 July 2012). "Ólafur Þór í Val (Staðfest) - Á að keppa við Ásgeir". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 11 December 2022.

External links