Niels-Christian Holmstrøm
Encyclopedia
Niels-Christian Holmstrøm (born February 23, 1947) is a Danish
former football
player, manager, chief consultant in Team Danmark
and sports director of Danish football club F.C. Copenhagen
. Currently he is the chairman of Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
and a "special consultant" for F.C. Copenhagen.
In his active career, Holmstrøm played the position of striker
, guiding Kjøbenhavns Boldklub to two Danish Championships
. He also played professionally for ADO Den Haag
and HFC Haarlem
in the Netherlands, and French club Girondins de Bordeaux. He played 15 A nationals and scored four goals for the Danish national team
.
, he started his career at Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
(KB), where he was the top goal-scorer in the Danish championship
in 1968 as he guided the club to its 13th championship trophy. In 1969, he moved abroad to play professionally for Dutch
clubs ADO Den Haag
and HFC Haarlem
. His professional career was quickly over, as he suffered a career-ending injury and was declared medically unfit to play football.
He refused to end his career, and returned to play for KB. In 1974, he repeated his 1968 feat, as he was league top-scorer in KB's 14th Danish championship win. Following that season, he won the 1974 Danish Footballer of the Year
award. He moved abroad once more in 1974 to play for FC Girondins de Bordeaux
in France
, and stayed with the club until his retirement in 1977.
matches and scored two goals, in 1968 and 1969. His last two under-21 national games came after he had already debuted for the Danish senior national team
on December 4, 1968 against the Republic of Ireland
. He played four national team matches, before his national team career went on a hiatus following his move to the Netherlands, as professional players were not allowed in the national team.
Holmstrøm re-entered the national team in 1973, and he scored 3 goals in a national team match against Indonesia
on September 3, 1974 (final score 9-0), and was selected as the Danish team captain in the next 3 national team games. The Danish rule of amateurism had been abolished in 1971, and Holmstrøm continued to play for Denmark after his move to France. His last match for the national team came on November 17, 1976 against Portugal
.
(B1903) and KB before he ended his managerial career in 1986. He became sports director of F.C. Copenhagen
in 1999, the merger of KB and B1903. He took the temporary role of manager in two games, when manager Kent Karlsson
surprisingly left the club in September 2001.
He ended his job at F.C. Copenhagen in 2006, having helped new sports director Carsten V. Jensen
ease into the position. He went on to work as a consultant and a board member for FC Copenhagen. He also serves as a member of the board of UEFA's Club Forum, as well as the chairman of KB.
[Chairman of local rivals Brøndby IF
] stops lying about us, we won't tell the truth about him!"), and "Hellere løve for èn dag, end lænkehund hele livet" ("[I'd] rather be a lion for one day, than a chained dog for one entire life"). In 2006 Holmstrøm released his memoirs, "Livet er for kort til lange afleveringer - erindringer med mening" ("Life is too short for long passes - memoirs with a meaning").
Denmark
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...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, manager, chief consultant in Team Danmark
Team Danmark
Team Danmark is an organization funded by the Danish government through the proceeds from "Danske Spil" with the purpose of promoting elite sports in Denmark....
and sports director of Danish football club F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
. Currently he is the chairman of Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub or KB is a Danish sports club based in Copenhagen. The club was founded April 26, 1876 on the grassy fields in outer Copenhagen which later became Fælledparken. Football and cricket has been played in KB since 1879, making KB the oldest football club on Continental Europe and...
and a "special consultant" for F.C. Copenhagen.
In his active career, Holmstrøm played the position of 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...
, guiding Kjøbenhavns Boldklub to two Danish Championships
Danish football champions
The Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...
. He also played professionally for ADO Den Haag
ADO Den Haag
Alles Door Oefening Den Haag , commonly known by the abbreviated name ADO Den Haag , is a Dutch football club from the city of The Hague. The club was for a time known as FC Den Haag , with ADO representing the amateur branch of the club...
and HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem was a Dutch football club from the city of Haarlem, established in 1889. The club won the Dutch national title in 1946 and reached five Cup finals, winning in 1902 and 1912...
in the Netherlands, and French club Girondins de Bordeaux. He played 15 A nationals and scored four goals for the Danish national team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
.
Club
Born in CopenhagenCopenhagen
Copenhagen is the capital and largest city of Denmark, with an urban population of 1,199,224 and a metropolitan population of 1,930,260 . With the completion of the transnational Øresund Bridge in 2000, Copenhagen has become the centre of the increasingly integrating Øresund Region...
, he started his career at Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
Kjøbenhavns Boldklub or KB is a Danish sports club based in Copenhagen. The club was founded April 26, 1876 on the grassy fields in outer Copenhagen which later became Fælledparken. Football and cricket has been played in KB since 1879, making KB the oldest football club on Continental Europe and...
(KB), where he was the top goal-scorer in the Danish championship
Danish football champions
The Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...
in 1968 as he guided the club to its 13th championship trophy. In 1969, he moved abroad to play professionally for Dutch
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
clubs ADO Den Haag
ADO Den Haag
Alles Door Oefening Den Haag , commonly known by the abbreviated name ADO Den Haag , is a Dutch football club from the city of The Hague. The club was for a time known as FC Den Haag , with ADO representing the amateur branch of the club...
and HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem was a Dutch football club from the city of Haarlem, established in 1889. The club won the Dutch national title in 1946 and reached five Cup finals, winning in 1902 and 1912...
. His professional career was quickly over, as he suffered a career-ending injury and was declared medically unfit to play football.
He refused to end his career, and returned to play for KB. In 1974, he repeated his 1968 feat, as he was league top-scorer in KB's 14th Danish championship win. Following that season, he won the 1974 Danish Footballer of the Year
Danish Player of the Year
The Danish Player of the Year award is an annual prize, which has been given to the best Danish football player by the Danish Football Player Association since 1963. The winner is decided in a vote amongst the professional Danish footballers....
award. He moved abroad once more in 1974 to play for FC Girondins de Bordeaux
FC Girondins de Bordeaux
Football Club des Girondins de Bordeaux is a French association football club based in the city of Bordeaux. The club currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football, and won its last Ligue 1 title in the 2008–09 season....
in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and stayed with the club until his retirement in 1977.
International
Holmstrøm played six Danish under-21 national teamDenmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
matches and scored two goals, in 1968 and 1969. His last two under-21 national games came after he had already debuted for the Danish senior national team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
on December 4, 1968 against the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
. He played four national team matches, before his national team career went on a hiatus following his move to the Netherlands, as professional players were not allowed in the national team.
Holmstrøm re-entered the national team in 1973, and he scored 3 goals in a national team match against Indonesia
Indonesia national football team
The Indonesia national football team represents Indonesia in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Indonesia . Prior to independence in 1945, the team competed as the Dutch East Indies national football team. Under this name, Indonesia was the first Asian team to...
on September 3, 1974 (final score 9-0), and was selected as the Danish team captain in the next 3 national team games. The Danish rule of amateurism had been abolished in 1971, and Holmstrøm continued to play for Denmark after his move to France. His last match for the national team came on November 17, 1976 against Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
.
Football executive
Following his retirement, he managed Danish club Kastrup BK with such success, that he earned the "Manager of the Year in Denmark" award in 1979. He also managed Boldklubben 1903Boldklubben 1903
Boldklubben 1903 or B 1903 is a football club founded in 1903, located in Copenhagen, Denmark. Seven times winner of the Danish championship in 1920, 1924, 1926, 1938, 1969, 1970 and 1976 and twice winner of the Danish Cup in 1979 and 1986...
(B1903) and KB before he ended his managerial career in 1986. He became sports director of F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen
F.C. Copenhagen is a professional Danish football club in Copenhagen, Denmark. It is part of the Parken Sport & Entertainment....
in 1999, the merger of KB and B1903. He took the temporary role of manager in two games, when manager Kent Karlsson
Kent Karlsson
Kent Karlsson is a Swedish football coach and former player.He was capped 38 times for the national team and played at the 1974 FIFA World Cup....
surprisingly left the club in September 2001.
He ended his job at F.C. Copenhagen in 2006, having helped new sports director Carsten V. Jensen
Carsten V. Jensen
Carsten Vagn Jensen, colloquially known as Carsten V. Jensen, is a Danish former professional football player, and current director of sport in F.C. Copenhagen....
ease into the position. He went on to work as a consultant and a board member for FC Copenhagen. He also serves as a member of the board of UEFA's Club Forum, as well as the chairman of KB.
Personal life
Holmstrøm is well-known for his outspoken manners, which had given birth to many classic quotes, which is still cited and loved by the fans of FC Copenhagen today. A few examples are "Hvis Per Bjerregaard holder op med at lyve om os, så skal vi nok lade være med at fortælle sandheden om ham!" ("If Per BjerregaardPer Bjerregaard
Per Anders Bjerregaard is a Danish educated medical doctor and executive director and chairman of the board of Danish football club Brøndby IF. He also functions as the club's team doctor....
[Chairman of local rivals Brøndby IF
Brøndby IF
Brøndby IF is a Danish professional football club based in Brøndbyvester, Brøndby, on the western outskirts of Copenhagen and is the biggest football club in Denmark with almost 2000 members. The club is also known as Brøndbyernes Idrætsforening, or Brøndby and BIF for short...
] stops lying about us, we won't tell the truth about him!"), and "Hellere løve for èn dag, end lænkehund hele livet" ("[I'd] rather be a lion for one day, than a chained dog for one entire life"). In 2006 Holmstrøm released his memoirs, "Livet er for kort til lange afleveringer - erindringer med mening" ("Life is too short for long passes - memoirs with a meaning").
Honours
- Danish 1st DivisionDanish 1st DivisionThe 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...
: 1968 and 1974, with KB - Danish 1st DivisionDanish 1st DivisionThe 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...
top scorer : 1968 (23 goals) and 1974 (24 goals). - Danish CupDanish CupThe Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
: 1969, with KB - Danish Footballer of the YearDanish Player of the YearThe Danish Player of the Year award is an annual prize, which has been given to the best Danish football player by the Danish Football Player Association since 1963. The winner is decided in a vote amongst the professional Danish footballers....
: 1974 - Manager of the Year in Denmark : 1979