Per Frimann
Encyclopedia
Per Frimann Hansen is a Danish
former football
player. He most notably played as a midfielder
for Belgian
club RSC Anderlecht, with whom he won three Belgian Jupiler League
championships, as well as the 1983 UEFA Cup
. He played 17 matches and scored one goal for the Danish national team
, and represented his country at the 1986 FIFA World Cup
and 1988 European Championship
.
(AB) under manager Christian Andersen
. In 1980, Frimann made his senior debut for AB, who played in the top-flight Danish 1st Division
. In 1981, Frimann moved to Kjøbenhavns Boldklub
(KB). At KB, he was noticed by Belgian
club RSC Anderlecht, and he went to play for the club a season later. Frimann immediately got a place in the Anderlecht starting line-up, and he made his debut for the Danish national team in October 1983. Frimann remained seven seasons in Anderlecht, where he won three Belgian Jupiler League
championship and the 1983 UEFA Cup
. In his time at the club, he played alongside a number of fellow Danish national team players, most notably national team captain Morten Olsen
.
Selected for the Danish squad at the 1986 World Cup, Frimann looked like becoming an important part of the Danish team. A complicated ankle injury, sustained during the last training camp before the tournament, kept Frimann from playing at the 1986 World Cup, and for the rest of his career he would struggle with injuries. In 1988, after many injury problems at Anderlecht, the 26-years-old Frimann decided to return to Denmark. He was bought by Brøndby IF
, and loaned out
to Aarhus GF (AGF) in the 1988 season, where he won the 1988 Danish Cup
.
Frimann was a part of the Danish team which qualified for the 1988 Summer Olympics
, but the team never got to compete in the final tournament. It was discovered that Frimann was not eligible for the 2–0 win over Poland
in which he played, and Denmark was penalised the points of the win. This cost the spot at the final tournament. He was a part of the Danish squad for the 1988 European Championship, where he took part in a single match. In 1989, he moved from AGF to Brøndby, where Morten Olsen was manager. In August 1990, Frimann ended his playing career, at 28 years of age, due to continued injury problems. He was the first player on Danish soil to have a testimonial match
to his benefit, as the Danish 1986 World Cup team beat Brøndby IF 6–4.
Following his retirement, he worked with public relations
in the European Commission
from 1992 to 1996. He was hired as an internal consulent in Danmarks Idrætsforbund in 1996. In April 1998, he became the sports director of former club AB. When AB manager Christian Andersen
agreed a contract with league rivals F.C. Copenhagen
in October 1998, eight months before his contract expiry in June 1999, Frimann initially refused to let Andersen go before time and suspended him. He soon changed his mind and let Andersen go, but the two would go on to have a strained relationship. In his time at AB, the club lost a great part of its market liquidity
, and he left the club in 2002. He then became a sportscaster
at the Onside football show on the TV3 Denmark
TV-channel. In his 2004 autobiography, Andersen questioned Frimann's involvement in AB's financial losses, and though Frimann aired the possibility of a lawsuit, the matter was resolved when Andersen made a public apology.
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. He most notably played as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
for Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
club RSC Anderlecht, with whom he won three Belgian Jupiler League
Jupiler League
The Belgian Pro League is the top league competition for association football clubs in Belgium. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Belgian Second Division...
championships, as well as the 1983 UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. He played 17 matches and scored one goal 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...
, and represented his country at the 1986 FIFA World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
and 1988 European Championship
1988 UEFA European Football Championship
The 1988 UEFA European Football Championship final tournament was held in West Germany. West Germany won the right to host the tournament with five votes ahead of a joint bid from Norway, Sweden and Denmark, who gained 1 vote, and a bid from England. It was the eighth European Football...
.
Biography
Frimann started his career with Danish club Akademisk BoldklubAkademisk Boldklub
Akademisk Boldklub or AB is a Danish professional football club from Copenhagen,currently playing at the second highest level in Danish domestic football, the 1st Division.-History:...
(AB) under manager Christian Andersen
Christian Andersen
Christian Andersen is a Danish former football player and now manager. He was most recently the manager of Boldklubben Frem...
. In 1980, Frimann made his senior debut for AB, who played in the top-flight Danish 1st Division
Danish 1st Division
The 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...
. In 1981, Frimann moved to 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). At KB, he was noticed by Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
club RSC Anderlecht, and he went to play for the club a season later. Frimann immediately got a place in the Anderlecht starting line-up, and he made his debut for the Danish national team in October 1983. Frimann remained seven seasons in Anderlecht, where he won three Belgian Jupiler League
Jupiler League
The Belgian Pro League is the top league competition for association football clubs in Belgium. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Belgian Second Division...
championship and the 1983 UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
. In his time at the club, he played alongside a number of fellow Danish national team players, most notably national team captain Morten Olsen
Morten Olsen
Morten Per Olsen is a Danish football manager and former football player. He has been the head coach of the Danish national team since 2000, guiding Denmark to the 2002 FIFA World Cup, 2004 European Championship and 2010 FIFA World Cup...
.
Selected for the Danish squad at the 1986 World Cup, Frimann looked like becoming an important part of the Danish team. A complicated ankle injury, sustained during the last training camp before the tournament, kept Frimann from playing at the 1986 World Cup, and for the rest of his career he would struggle with injuries. In 1988, after many injury problems at Anderlecht, the 26-years-old Frimann decided to return to Denmark. He was bought by 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...
, and loaned out
Loan (football)
In sports, a loan involves a particular player being allowed to temporarily play for a club other than the one he is currently contracted to. Loan deals may last from a few weeks to all season-long....
to Aarhus GF (AGF) in the 1988 season, where he won the 1988 Danish Cup
Danish Cup
The 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...
.
Frimann was a part of the Danish team which qualified for the 1988 Summer Olympics
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, but the team never got to compete in the final tournament. It was discovered that Frimann was not eligible for the 2–0 win over Poland
Poland national football team
The Poland national football team represents Poland in association football and is controlled by the Polish Football Association, the governing body for football in Poland...
in which he played, and Denmark was penalised the points of the win. This cost the spot at the final tournament. He was a part of the Danish squad for the 1988 European Championship, where he took part in a single match. In 1989, he moved from AGF to Brøndby, where Morten Olsen was manager. In August 1990, Frimann ended his playing career, at 28 years of age, due to continued injury problems. He was the first player on Danish soil to have a testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
to his benefit, as the Danish 1986 World Cup team beat Brøndby IF 6–4.
Following his retirement, he worked with public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
in the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
from 1992 to 1996. He was hired as an internal consulent in Danmarks Idrætsforbund in 1996. In April 1998, he became the sports director of former club AB. When AB manager Christian Andersen
Christian Andersen
Christian Andersen is a Danish former football player and now manager. He was most recently the manager of Boldklubben Frem...
agreed a contract with league rivals 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 October 1998, eight months before his contract expiry in June 1999, Frimann initially refused to let Andersen go before time and suspended him. He soon changed his mind and let Andersen go, but the two would go on to have a strained relationship. In his time at AB, the club lost a great part of its market liquidity
Market liquidity
In business, economics or investment, market liquidity is an asset's ability to be sold without causing a significant movement in the price and with minimum loss of value...
, and he left the club in 2002. He then became a sportscaster
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
at the Onside football show on the TV3 Denmark
TV3 (Denmark)
TV3 Denmark is a Danish television station.TV3 is one of the channels owned by the Viasat Corporation. The sister channel is TV3+. The channels shows a lot of American and British shows, such as: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, NCIS, Las Vegas, Bones, Two And A Half Men, Prison Break, American Idol...
TV-channel. In his 2004 autobiography, Andersen questioned Frimann's involvement in AB's financial losses, and though Frimann aired the possibility of a lawsuit, the matter was resolved when Andersen made a public apology.