This is written by Iceland’s Football Association (KSI) on their websites.
– Åge Hareide has decided to retire as coach of the A men’s national team and has resigned on his own initiative, says a statement.
Hareide took over the job from Arnar Vidarsson in April 2023 and led Iceland in a total of 20 matches.
– KSI thanks Åge for his work and wishes him all the best, writes the association.
Has lifted the players
The association’s chairman Thorvaldur Örlygsson has also posted a farewell message to Hareide.
– I want to start by thanking Åge for his good efforts and wishing him the best of luck in the future. During his time with the team, many players have made great strides, players who have a future with the national team. We will work hard in the coming weeks and months when we are now looking for a new coach, he says.
Iceland has struggled in the national league this autumn and will face Kosovo in battles to retain their status as B nation. The matches will be played on 20 and 23 March.
They don’t agree with Hareide. He resigns with immediate effect.
– I have decided. That’s enough for me to stop now. I have a bad knee. I have to be top notch if I’m going to keep doing this, says Hareide in an unpublished episode of the NRK podcast Bakrommet.
In January, Hareide signed a new contract as national team manager in Iceland. That agreement lasted until 2025.
Read also: Earlier this year, Hareide extended his contract with Iceland: – I have great faith in him
Could be terminated
At the time, it was also stated that the contract contained both termination clauses and extension clauses. It could be ended at the end of the national league game this autumn.
Hareide took over the Icelandic national team in April last year. He has a long coaching career behind him. It dates all the way back to 1985 when he took over Molde.
The veteran has also coached clubs such as Helsingborg (two periods), Brøndby, Rosenborg (two periods), Norway, Örgryte, Viking and Denmark. He took the latter to the round of 16 in the World Cup in 2018.
He has also worked as an NRK expert.
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