Gunnar Einarsson (born 7 July 1976) is a retired Icelandic footballer who played as a defender.

Gunnar Einarsson
Personal information
Full name Gunnar Einarsson[1]
Date of birth (1976-07-07) 7 July 1976 (age 48)
Place of birth Reykjavík, Iceland
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender, midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Valur 24 (0)
1997–2000 Roda JC Kerkrade 0 (0)
1997MVV Maastricht 10 (0)
1997–1998MVV Maastricht 13 (0)
1998MVV Maastricht 0 (0)
1999VVV-Venlo 7 (0)
2000Brentford 2 (0)
2000–2007 KR Reykjavík 96 (1)
2007–2009 Valur 13 (1)
2009–2011 Leiknir Reykjavík 44 (2)
2011 Víkingur 10 (0)
2011–2012 Leiknir Reykjavík 21 (2)
International career
1996–1997 Iceland U21 6 (0)
1998 Iceland 1 (0)
Managerial career
2011 Leiknir Reykjavík (joint-caretaker)
2012 Leiknir Reykjavík (caretaker)
2020 Kári
2020–2021 Víkingur Ólafsvík
2024– KR Reykjavík Women (joint-manager)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Gunnar is probably best remembered for his time as a player with KR Reykjavík and Valur, with whom he won four Úrvalsdeild titles between 2000 and 2007. He was capped by Iceland at international level.

Club career

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Valur

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Adept anywhere in defence or as a defensive midfielder, Gunnar began his career at Úrvalsdeild side Valur, alongside fellow young players Eiður Guðjohnsen and Ívar Ingimarsson.[3] He made his debut during the 1995 season, making 9 appearances.[4] He played in 15 of Valur's 18 league games during the 1996 season and departed the club in January 1997.[5]

Roda JC Kerkrade

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Gunnar moved to the Netherlands in January 1997 to sign for Eredivisie side Roda JC Kerkrade.[3] He failed to make an appearance for the club and spent most of his contract away on loan.[6][2] Gunnar was loaned to MVV Maastricht on three separate occasions between 1997 and 1998.[2] He was a part of the team that finished the 1996–97 season as Eerste Divisie champions and made 24 appearances across his three spells with the club.[7][8] Gunnar made seven appearances for Eerste Divisie club VVV-Venlo on loan during the final months of the 1998–99 season.[2][9] Gunnar made three appearances for English Second Division club Brentford during a three-month loan in the middle of the 1999–2000 season.[10][11]

Return to Iceland

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Gunnar returned to Iceland to sign for reigning Úrvalsdeild champions KR Reykjavík in April 2000.[2] He won three Úrvalsdeild championships, two League Cups and the 2003 Icelandic Super Cup prior to moving across Reykjavík to return to Valur in January 2007.[2][12][13][14][15][16][17] Gunnar won the 2007 Úrvalsdeild title and then the League Cup and the Icelandic Super Cup during the following season.[18][19][20] He made 40 appearances and scored one goal during two seasons with the club.[18][21]

Gunnar dropped down to the 1. deild karla to sign for Leiknir Reykjavík in a player/assistant manager role May 2009.[22] He made 59 appearances and scored two goals before moving back up to the Úrvalsdeild to sign a contract with Víkingur in July 2011.[23] [24][25][26] He made 10 league appearances in what remained of the 2011 season and suffered relegation straight back to the 1. deild karla.[26][27] Gunnar returned to Leiknir Reykjavík in November 2011, again in a player/assistant manager role.[28] He made 31 appearances and scored three goals during the 2012 season, which was his last in football.[29]

International career

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Gunnar made appearances for the Iceland U21 team during their unsuccessful qualification campaign for the 1998 European U21 Championship.[30] Gunnar won his only cap for the senior team in a 1–1 friendly draw with South Africa on 6 June 1998, starting the match at right back and playing the full 90 minutes.[30]

Management career

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Gunnar was appointed assistant manager to Sigursteinn Gíslason at Leiknir Reykjavík in May 2009.[22] Early in the 2011 season, Gíslason took sick leave after being diagnosed with cancer and Gunnar and former Leiknir boss Garðar Gunnar Ásgeirsson were installed as interim managers.[31] Gunnar and Garðar were relieved of their duties in July 2011, after Gíslason was replaced by Zoran Miljkovic.[32] Gunnar rejoined Leiknir as assistant manager to Willum Þór Þórsson in November 2011.[28] After Þórsson was sacked in September 2012, Gunnar took over as interim manager until the end of the 2012 season.[33]

Prior to June 2020, Gunnar coached at his former club Valur.[34] In June 2020, Gunnar signed an 18-month contract to manage 2. deild karla club Kári.[35] He presided over a mid-table finish,[36] before departing to sign a two-year contract to manage 1. deild karla club Víkingur Ólafsvík in November 2020.[37] With the club bottom of the division midway through the 2021 season, Gunnar was replaced by Guðjón Þórðarson.[38] After a period as assistant, Gunnar was named as head coach of KR Reykjavík Women on 20 January 2024.[39] One month later,[40] Ívar Ingimarsson was appointed as joint-head coach.[41]

Career statistics

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Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[a] League cup[b] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Valur 1995[4] Úrvalsdeild 9 0 5[c] 0 14 0
1996[5] Úrvalsdeild 15 0 4[d] 0 0 0 19 0
Total 24 0 9 0 0 0 33 0
MVV Maastricht (loan) 1996–97[7] Eerste Divisie 10 0 10 0
MVV Maastricht (loan) 1997–98[8] Eredivisie 13 0 1 0 14 0
Total 23 0 1 0 24 0
VVV-Venlo (loan) 1998–99[9] Eerste Divisie 7 0 7 0
Brentford (loan) 1999–00[11] Second Division 2 0 1[e] 0 3 0
KR Reykjavík 2000[12] Úrvalsdeild 8 0 2 0 0 0 4[f] 0 14 0
2001[42] Úrvalsdeild 18 0 2 0 9 1 2[f] 0 2[g] 0 33 1
2002[13] Úrvalsdeild 17 1 2 0 6 0 5[g] 0 30 1
2003[14] Úrvalsdeild 17 0 4 0 8 0 2[f] 0 5[h] 1 36 1
2004[43] Úrvalsdeild 16 0 3 0 7 0 2[f] 0 7[i] 1 35 1
2005[44] Úrvalsdeild 13 0 2 0 4 1 1[g] 0 20 1
2006[45] Úrvalsdeild 7 0 1 0 7 0 3[g] 0 18 0
Total 96 1 16 0 41 2 10 0 23 2 186 5
Valur 2007[18] Úrvalsdeild 8 1 2 0 7 0 2[j] 0 4[g] 0 23 1
2008[21] Úrvalsdeild 5 0 1 0 6 0 0 0 5[k] 0 17 0
Total 37 1 12 0 13 0 2 0 9 0 73 1
Leiknir Reykjavík 2009[24] 1. deild karla 19 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 20 1
2010[25] 1. deild karla 15 1 1 0 6 0 1[g] 0 23 1
2011[26] 1. deild karla 10 0 0 0 5 0 1[g] 0 16 0
Total 44 2 2 0 11 0 2 0 59 2
Víkingur 2011[26] Úrvalsdeild 10 0 10 0
Leiknir Reykjavík 2012[29] 1. deild karla 21 2 2 1 6 0 2[g] 0 31 3
Total 65 4 4 1 17 0 4 0 90 4
Career total 240 6 33 1 71 2 12 0 37 2 393 11
  1. ^ Includes Icelandic Cup, KNVB Cup, FA Cup
  2. ^ Includes Icelandic League Cup, Football League Cup
  3. ^ 4 appearances for U23 team, 1 appearance for first team
  4. ^ 3 appearances for first team, 1 appearance for U23 team
  5. ^ Appearance in Football League Trophy
  6. ^ a b c d Appearances in Champions League
  7. ^ a b c d e f g h Appearances in Reykjavik Tournament
  8. ^ 4 appearances and 1 goal in Reykjavik Tournament, 1 appearance in Icelandic Super Cup
  9. ^ 6 appearances and 1 goal in Reykjavik Tournament, 1 appearance in Atlantic Cup
  10. ^ Appearances in Intertoto Cup
  11. ^ 4 appearances in Reykjavik Tournament, 1 appearance in Icelandic Super Cup

Honours

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MVV Maastricht

KR Reykjavík

Valur

References

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  1. ^ "Gunnar Einarsson". Barry Hugman's Footballers. Retrieved 8 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Gunnar Einarsson at WorldFootball.net
  3. ^ a b "Gunnar Einarsson". Goalstream. 8 September 2017. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  4. ^ a b "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  5. ^ a b "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  6. ^ "Gunnar Einarsson, knattspyrnumaður hjá Roda í". Mbl.is. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  7. ^ a b c "Gunnar Einarsson » Eerste Divisie 1996/1997". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  8. ^ a b "Gunnar Einarsson » Eredivisie 1997/1998". Worldfootball.net. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Gunnar Einarsson » Eerste Divisie 1998/1999". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  10. ^ Croxford, Mark; Lane, David; Waterman, Greville (2013). The Big Brentford Book Of The Nineties. Sunbury, Middlesex: Legends Publishing. p. 321. ISBN 9781906796723.
  11. ^ a b "Games played by Gunnar Einarsson in 1999/2000". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  12. ^ a b c "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  13. ^ a b c "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  14. ^ a b c "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  15. ^ a b "Leikskýrsla: FH – KR". Knattspyrnusamband Íslands (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  16. ^ a b "Leikskýrsla: Þróttur R. – KR". Knattspyrnusamband Íslands (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  17. ^ a b "Leikskýrsla: KR – Fylkir". Knattspyrnusamband Íslands (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  18. ^ a b c d "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  19. ^ a b "Leikskýrsla: Fram – Valur". Knattspyrnusamband Íslands (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  20. ^ a b "Leikskýrsla: Valur – FH". Knattspyrnusamband Íslands (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  21. ^ a b "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  22. ^ a b "Upphitun: Leiknir R. – KA". Knattspyrnufélag Akureyrar (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  23. ^ "Vísir – Gunnar Einarsson til Víkings". Visir.is. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  24. ^ a b "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  25. ^ a b "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  26. ^ a b c d "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  27. ^ "Iceland 2011". RSSSF. Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  28. ^ a b "Gunnar Einars spilandi aðstoðarþjálfari Leiknis á ný" (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  29. ^ a b "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  30. ^ a b "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  31. ^ "Sigursteinn í veikindaleyfi". mbl.is. 17 May 2011. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  32. ^ "Yfirlýsing frá Leikni: Ákvörðun tekin með sorg í hjarta". Fotbolti.net. Retrieved 22 April 2014.
  33. ^ "Willum Þór rekinn frá Leikni R. – Gunnar Einars tekur við" (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  34. ^ "Gunnar Einarsson hættir sem þjálfari í 3.flokki karla í fótbolta". www.valur.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  35. ^ "Gunnar Einarsson Tekinn Við Kára". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  36. ^ "Summary – 2. Deild – Iceland". Soccerway. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  37. ^ "Gunnar Einarsson Tekur Við Víkingi Ó." Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  38. ^ "Gaui ÞÓRðar Tekur Við Víkingi Ó." Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  39. ^ "Gunnar Einarsson stýrir m.fl. kvenna". www.kr.is (in Icelandic). 20 January 2024. Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  40. ^ "Ívar Ingimars í þjálfarateymi KR". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  41. ^ "Gunnar og Ívar áfram þjálfarar KR". Fótbolti.net (in Icelandic). Retrieved 12 December 2024.
  42. ^ "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  43. ^ "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  44. ^ "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
  45. ^ "Leikmaður – Gunnar Einarsson". www.ksi.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 15 June 2018.
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