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The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
What explains the unbelievable
success of Icelandic football?
The Icelandic way vs the Norwegian way of developing players
Siggi Eyjolfsson
Technical director/coach education director
Football Association of Iceland, 2002-2014
Assistant coach and head of fitness at Lillestrøm SK
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Facts and figures
• Population of Iceland:
329.100
• Registered players:
20.715 (6,3%)
– Males: 14.181 (68.5%)
– Females: 6.534 (31.5%)
• Population of Norway:
5.109.056
• Registered players:
375.313 (7.3%)
– Males: 264.188 (70.4%)
– Females: 111.125 (29.6%)
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Population statistics...
Norway 5.140.000
Akershus 585.000
Iceland 329.100
Bergen 272.000
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
The men´s A-national team
• 31st in FIFA rankings
• Highest of the Nordic countries
• Qualified for EURO 2016
• Reached playoff for the last World
Cup
• Best team in the history of Iceland
• Iceland-Netherlands 2-0
• Netherlands-Iceland 0-1
• Iceland-Czech Republic 2-1
• Iceland-Turkey 3-0
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
The women´s A-national team
• 19th in FIFA rankings
• Qualified for EURO 2009
• Silver medalist Algarve Cup 2011
• Quarterfinals EURO 2013
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Iceland´s history in FIFA rankings
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
History of FIFA rankings
Norway Iceland
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Icelandic professionals abroad
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
• Belgium Lokeren 1993 Sverrir Ingi Ingason
• Belgium SV Zulte Waregem 1983 Ólafur Ingi Skúlason
• Canada Edmonton 1984 Óskar Örn Hauksson
• China Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty Sölvi Geir Ottesen Jónsson
• China Jiangsu Guoxin-Sainty Vidar Örn Kjartansson
• Denmark AGF 1981 Helgi Valur Daníelsson
• Denmark Bröndby 1993 Hólmbert Aron Fridjónsson
• Denmark FC Köbenhavn 1991 Björn Bergmann Sigurðarson
• Denmark FC Köbenhavn 1995 Kristján Flóki Finnbogason
• Denmark FC Köbenhavn 1988 Rúrik Gíslason
• Denmark FC Mydtjylland 1985 Eyjólfur Hédinsson
• Denmark Horsens 1986 Kjartan Henry Finnbogason
• Denmark Nordsjælland 1995 Adam Örn Arnarson
• Denmark Nordsjælland 1986 Gudjón Baldvinsson
• Denmark Nordsjælland 1992 Gudmundur Thórarinsson
• Denmark Nordsjælland 1995 Rúnar Alex Rúnarsson
• Denmark OB 1986 Ari Freyr Skúlason
• Denmark OB 1986 Hallgrímur Jónasson
• Denmark Randers FC 1987 Theodór Elmar Bjarnason
• Denmark Randers FC 1989 Ögmundur Kristinsson
• Denmark SönderjyskE 1985 Baldur Sigurðsson
• Denmark Vestsjælland 1988 Eggert Gunnthór Jónsson
• Denmark Vestsjælland 1995 Frederik August Albrecht
Schram
• England Bolton Wanderers 1978 Eidur Smári Gudjohnsen
• England Brighton & Hove Albion Emil Ásmundsson
• England Charlton Athletic 1990 Jóhann Berg Gudmundsson
• England Rotherham 1982 Kári Árnason
• England Cardiff City 1989 Aron Einar Gunnarsson
• England Swansea 1989 Gylfi Thór Sigurdsson
• Germany Preussen Munster 1993 Emil Atlason
• Germany SSV Jahn Regensburg Hannes Thorsteinn Sigurdsson
• Holland Ajax 1990 Kolbeinn Sigthórsson
• Holland AZ Alkmaar 1990 Aron Jóhannsson
• Holland NEC Nijmegen 1993 Kristján Gauti Emilsson
• Holland PSV 1995 Hjörtur Hermannsson
• Italy Cesena 1993 Hördur Björgvin Magnússon
• Italy Pescara 1988 Birkir Bjarnason
• Italy Verona 1984 Emil Hallfredsson
• Norway Aalesund 1994 Aron Elís Þrándarson
• Norway Aalesund 1995 Daníel Leó Grétarsson
• Norway Florö 1990 Hlynur Atli Magnússon
• Norway Lilleström 1994 Árni Vilhjálmsson
• Norway Lilleström 1991 Finnur Orri Margeirsson
• Norway Rosenborg 1990 Hólmar Örn Eyjólfsson
• Norway Sandnes Ulf 1984 Hannes Thór Halldórsson
• Norway Start 1989 Gudmundur Kristjánsson
• Norway Start 1989 Ingvar Jónsson
• Norway Start 1987 Matthías Vilhjálmsson
• Norway Vålerenga 1995 Elías Már Ómarsson
• Norway Viking FK 1990 Björn Daníel Sverrisson
• Norway Viking FK 1981 Indridi Sigurdsson
• Norway Viking FK 1992 Jón Dadi Bödvarsson
• Norway Viking FK 1985 Steinthór Freyr Thorsteinsson
• Philippines Global 1979 Ray Anthony Jónsson
• Russia FC Krasnodar 1987 Ragnar Sigurdsson
• Russia Torpedo Moscow 1988 Arnór Smárason
• Spain Real Sociedad 1989 Alfred Finnbogason
• Sweden AIK 1991 Haukur Heiðar Hauksson
• Sweden Brage 1987 Heiðar Geir Júlíusson
• Sweden GAIS 1993 Arnar Bragi Bergsson
• Sweden GIF Sundsvall 1989 Jón Guðni Fjóluson
• Sweden GIF Sundsvall 1990 Rúnar Már Sigurjónsson
• Sweden Häcken 1982 Gunnar Heidar Thorvaldsson
• Sweden Hammarby 1984 Birkir Már Sævarsson
• Sweden Helsingborg 1991 Gudlaugur Victor Pálsson
• Sweden IFK Göteborg 1980 Hjálmar Jónsson
• Sweden Norrköping 1993 Arnór Ingvi Traustason
• Sweden Örebro 1990 Eiður Aron Sigurbjörnsson
• Sweden Örebro 1988 Hjörtur Logi Valgardsson
• Sweden Östersund 1989 Haraldur Björnsson
• USA Columbus Crew 1990 Kristinn Steindórsson
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
• Denmark AB Gladsaxe 1998 Dagur Austmann Hilmarsson
• Denmark Esbjerg 1996 Sindri Pálmason
• Denmark FC Köbenhavn 1998 Máni Austmann Hilmarsson
• Denmark Midtjylland 1998 Mikael Neville Anderson
• England Brighton&Hove Albion 1997 Ragnar Már Lárusson
• England Fulham 1998 Jón Dagur Þorteinsson
• England Reading 1998 Axel Óskar Andrésson
• England Reading 1996 Samúel Kári Fridjónsson
• England Reading 1997 Sindri Scheving
• England Reading 1996 Tómas Ingi Urbancic
• Holland Ajax 1997 Óttar Magnús Karlsson
• Holland AZ Alkmaar 1996 Alexander Helgi Sigurdarson
• Holland AZ Alkmaar 1997 Viktor Karl Einarsson
• Holland AZ Alkmaar 1999 Jónatan Ingi Jónsson
• Holland Groningen 1999 Kolbeinn Finnsson
• Holland PSV 1997 Albert Gudmundsson
• Holland Heerenveen 1998 Júlíus Magnússon
• Norway Stabæk 1996 Ásgeir Sigurgeirsson
• Sweden AIK 1997 Pétur Steinn Þorsteinsson
• Sweden Malmö 1998 Aron Már Brynjarsson
20 young players abroad
born 1996 or later...
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
13 Icelanders in Tippeligaen 2015• Aron Elís Þrándarson Aalesund
• Daníel Leó Grétarsson Aalesund
• Árni Vilhjálmsson LSK
• Finnur Margeirsson LSK
• Hólmar Eyjólfsson Rosenborg
• Matthías Vilhjálmsson Rosenborg
• Guðmundur Kristjánsson Start
• Ingvar Jónsson Start
• Elías Már Ómarsson Vålerenga
• Björn D. Sverrisson Viking
• Indriði Sigurðsson Viking
• Jón Daði Böðvarsson Viking
• Steinþór Thorsteinsson Viking
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Regular qualifications for UEFA final tournaments
2007-20162007 Men´s U-17 national team
2009 Women´s A-national team
2009 Women´s U-19 national team
2011 Men´s U-21 national team
2011 Women´s U-17 national team
2012 Men´s U-17 national team
2013 Women´s A-national team
2016 Men´s A-national team
8 final tournaments since 2007
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
What is the Icelandic secret
behind developing players?
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
• All these players have been developed at IBV in
Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
• Population 4.200 people.
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Players who have come straight from ÍA Akranes and
turned professional abroad (30 players in 30 years)
1976 Matthias Hallgrimsson, Halmia
1977 Teitur Thordarson, Jönköbing
1978 Karl Thordarson, La Louviere
1978 Petur Petursson, Feyenoord
1980 Sveinbjorn Hakonarson, Grimsas
1984 Sigurdur Jonsson, Sheffield Wednesday
1985 Bjarni Sigurðsson, Brann,
1985 Gudbjorn Tryggvason Start
1988 Olafur Thordarson, Brann
1990 Adalsteinn Viglundsson B1909
1992 Arnar Gunnlaugsson Feyenoord
1992 Bjarki Gunnlaugsson Feyenoord
1993 Þórður Guðjónsson Bochum
1995 Arnar Gunnlaugsson, Sochaux
1996 Bjarki Gunnlaugsson, Mannheim,
Population of Akranes, 6.700 people.
1996 Stefan Thor Thordarson, Öster
1996 Haraldur Ingolfsson, Aberdeen
1997 Bjarni Gudjonsson, Newcastle
1997 Arnar Gunnlaugsson, Bolton,
1997 Haraldur Ingolfsson, Elfsborg
1998 Gunnlaugur Jonsson, Örebro
1998 Johannes Karl Gudjonsson, Genk
1998 Steinar Adolfsson, Kongsvinger
1998 Thordur Thordarson, Norrköping
1999 Siggi Eyjolfsson, Walsall,
1999 Stefán Thor Thordarson, Ürdingen
2000 Johannes Hardarson, Groningen
2004 Julian Johnson, B68,
2004 Arnor Smarason, Heereenveen
2005 Gretar Rafn Steinsson, Young Boys
2005 Stefán Thor Thordarson, Norrköping
2009 Björn Bergmann Sigurdarson, Lillestrøm
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
England Gylfi Sigurdsson – SwanseaViktor Illugason – Reading Johann Gudmundsson – Charlton
Spain Alfred Finnbogason – Real Sociedad
Holland Alexander Helgason – AZ AlkmaarViktor Karl Einarsson – AZ Alkmaar
DenmarkAdam Orn Adamsson – Nordsjælland
BelgiumSverrir Ingi Ingason – LokerenGunnlaugur Birgisson – Club Brugge
Greece Elfar Helgason – AEK Athens
Sweden Kristinn Jonsson – BrommapojkarnaGudmann Thorisson – Mjallby
Norway Steinthor Freyr Thorsteinsson – Ulf SandnesArnor Adalsteinsson – HonefossGudmundur Kristjansson – Start Finnur Orri Margeirsson – Lilleström Árni Vilhjálmsson – Lilleström
Denmark Oliver Sigurjonsson – AGF
USAKristinn Steindorsson – Columbus Crew
19 players from Breiðablik´s youth system went to European
professional clubs 2007 - 2015
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
The Icelandic way
in player development...• No volunteer or parent
coaches
• All coaches get paid
• Qualified coaches working
with kids from day 1, focus on
teaching technical skills
• 90% of the coaches have
coach education
• All clubs have ability based
grouping in training and in
matches (differentiering)
• We develop all players, not
just the best ones
• Our best players move up
(hospitering)
• Encourage extra training
• Best girls can train with boys
• Local town authorities
construct the football
facilities, clubs run them
• The Icelandic work hard
mentality
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Ability based grouping
• Players train and play
together against teams of
similar ability
• Big wins and big losses are
less frequent
• Grouping should be
evaluated regularly and
players moved up or down a
group
• Coaches should focus on
developing all the players, not
just the best ones
• It is okay occasionaly to put
friends together in groups but
ability based grouping is the
norm
• Parents need to be educated
on the system
• Ability based grouping then
meets all the same criterias
as mixed grouping but is
much more effective way to
develop players
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Why children participate
in sports (Gould&Petlichkoff 1988)
Mixed grouping Ability based grouping
To improve skills
To have fun
To be with friends
To experience excitement
and thrill
To experience success
To get fit
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Other important factors
Mixed grouping Ability based grouping
Decreases dropout
Gives players a better
opportunity to become elite
players later on
Decreases chances of
matches being won or lost by
a huge margin
Enables players to experience
sufficient challenge in practice
Pushes you to become a
better player
Better for player
development?
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Of all the active head coaches
in Iceland• 67.1% have completed
the UEFA B coaching
licence or more
• 28.3% have completed
the UEFA A coaching
licence or more
• 89.8% have completed at
least one weekend
course, the 1st part of the
UEFA B coaching licence
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Winter facilities in Iceland
In January 2002:
• 1 football hall
• 5 football turf pitches
• 7 mini pitches
Today:
• 7 full size football halls
• 12 smaller football halls/turfs
• 23 football turf pitches
• 136 mini pitches
In January 2002:
• 1 per 20.716 players
• 1 per 4.143 players
• 1 per 2.959 players
Today:
• 1 per 2.959 players
• 1 per 1.726 players
• 1 per 901 players
• 1 per 152 players
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
12 football halls...
• Used by all age groups, male and female.
• Helps develop better players and better coaches.
• Huge impact! Finally Iceland can play football 12 months a year
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
A case study Grindavík´s
football facilities• Grindavík – 1st division club
in Iceland
• Total population of Grindavík:
2.697
• Stadium seating capacity:
1.750
• They also have a 60x80m
football hall.
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Start young and train a lot
• 4-6 year olds = 1-2x per week
• 6-10 year olds = 2-3x per week
• 10-14 year olds = 3-4x per week
• 14-18 year olds = 4-6x per week
• Adults = 5-8 times per week
Additional training:
• We have educated physical education teachers teaching sports
at school 2x per week (age 6-19)
• All children must learn how to swim 1x per week (age 6-17)
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Breiðablik trainings per week and fees
Age-group Winter Summer Fee
Senior 5 5
17-19 4 5 590 EUR
15-16 4 4 590 EUR
13-14 4 4 475 EUR
11-12 3 4 475 EUR
9-10 3 4 360 EUR
7-8 3 4 360 EUR
3-6 1 2 360 EUR
The local council offers vouchers of 215 EURof this amount over the age of 6.
Additional discounts are offered for volunteering. Most is spent on coaches wages.
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
KSÍ Technical skills school
Extra training to develop technical skills
• DVD given to all kids training
football up to 16 years of age.
• 20.000 copies.
• 100+ exercises and
interviews with senior national
team players.
• Divided into categories:
dribbling, receiving, heading,
passes, shooting, feints,
finishing skills, juggling skills.
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Our best players
• Typically started training at age 4-6
• Played matches regularly above their agegroup
• Did a lot of additional training with the ball on their own
• Tried 1 – 2 other sports, basketball, team handball and track and
field being the most popular, but always in addition to football
• Dropped out of all sports except football between age 12 – 16.
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
The mentality of Icelandic players
1 2 3
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
The research of Angela Duckworth
• High school students with grit were more likely to graduate from
high school
• Cadets with grit were less likely to drop out from military training
• Kids with grit advanced furthest in competition in a national
spelling competition
• Grit predicted which rookie teachers would stick with teaching
and who would be most effective in improving learning outcomes
for students
• Salesmen with grit were more likely to keep their jobs and earn
more money
• Kids at school that have grit are less likely to drop out
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Grit – Research of Angela Duckworth
Key to develop elite football players?
• „Grit is passion and perseverance for very long
term goals“
• „Grit is stamina, sticking with your future and
working really hard for years to make that future
a reality“
Think about this in football terms!
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Icelandic research:
Mental skills and success in football(Haukur Ingi Guðnason, 2006)
• 116 Icelandic football players
– Ex youth national team players vs those who also
had A-national team matches?
– Professionals abroad vs non professionals
• Do the more successful players have better
mental skills?
(Tool used: OMSAT self assessment questionnaire, 48 questions).
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
• The research showed that the A-national team
players and professional players abroad scored
significantly better on most of the mental skills,
better than the other groups who were less
successful in their football careers.
• The biggest difference between the groups was
found on questions on commitment.
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Example of the statements the successful
Icelandic players scored high on
• Football is my whole life
• I push hard even if it hurts
• I am willing to sacrifice most other things to excel in football
• I am determined to never let up or give up in football
• I don´t need someone to push me to practice and play hard
• I give 100% effort in practicing and performing whether ahead or
behind
• I feel more committed to improvement in my football than to
anything else in my life
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Henning Berg former head coach
at Lyn and Lillestrøm
"The mental attitude is the first thing you notice in Icelandic players. They are always giving their best effort, they work hard in training and they are mentally strong. They handle the pressure and act as true professionals"
(Morgunbladid, Nov 5th 2007)
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Teitur Thordarson, former head coach
KR, Lyn, Brann, Lilleström, Estonia...
"It is the dream of every Icelandic football player to become a professional player abroad, and the dream carries them on. The Icelandic boys have a different attitude from the boys abroad. They are willing to work harder to succeed"
(Frettabladid, Nov, 5th 2006)
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Mentality? - Icelandic professional players
who have been captains at their clubs• Arnar Thor Vidarssson, Lokeren, Belgium
• Eidur Gudjohnsen, Chelsea, England
• Asgeir Sigurvinsson, VFB Stuttgart, Germany
• Gudni Bergsson, Bolton, England
• Hermann Hreidarsson, Charlton, England
• Ivar Ingimarsson, Reading, England
• Runar Kristinsson, Lokeren, Belgium
• Eyjolfur Sverrisson, Hertha Berlin, Germany
• Janus Gudlaugsson, F.C. Köln, Germany
• Sigurdur Gretarsson, Grasshoppers, Switzerland
• Petur Marteinsson Hammarby, Sweden
• Larus Orri Sigurdsson, Stoke City, England
• Haraldur Gudmundsson, Aalesund, Norway
• Stefan Gislason, Lyn, Norway and Bröndby, Denmark
• Gudmundur Kristjansson, Start
• Indridi Sigurdsson, Viking
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Researcher of success
in many fields...„The kind of commitment I find among the best
performers across virtually every field is a
single-minded passion for what they do, an
unwavering desire for excellence in the way they
think and the way they work”
Jim Collins
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
What does it take to become successful in sports?
Research on Icelandic top athletes in 2006, (Vidar Halldorsson and Oskar Bjarni Oskarsson)
The Icelandic top
athletes were asked:
”What are the most
important qualities
needed for top class
athletes?"
The results were:
• Mentality/mindset
• Commitment
• Self-confidence
• Self-discipline
Do we teach our players these skills?
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Gylfi Sigurdsson
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Sources: The Football Associations and Nordic Statistical
Yearbook 2014 (population jan 1st 2014)
Country: Denmark Finland Norway Sweden Iceland
Total
population
5.627.325 5.451.270 5.109.056 9.644.864 325.671
Number of
players
registered
351.935 127.145 375.313 454.811 20.715
World
population
ranking
111 113 116 89 175
FIFA
ranking
35 56 46 45 31
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
The Icelandic way
in player development...• No volunteer or parent
coaches
• All coaches get paid
• Qualified coaches working
with kids from day 1, focus on
teaching technical skills
• 90% of the coaches have
coach education
• All clubs have ability based
grouping in training and in
matches (differentiering)
• We develop all players, not
just the best ones
• Our best players move up
(hospitering)
• Encourage extra training
• Best girls can train with boys
• Local town authorities
construct the football
facilities, clubs run them
• The Icelandic work hard
mentality
The Icelandic way of developing players– Siggi Eyjolfsson
Siggi Eyjolfsson
• Technical director/coach education director at the Icelandic Football Association, 2002-2014
• Assistant coach Lillestrom, Norway
• Women´s national team head coach of Iceland 2007-2013
• UEFA Pro licence coach from the English F.A.
• B.Sc. Exercise and Sport Science
• M.Sc. Exercise and Sport Psychology
• Linked in: Siggi Eyjolfsson
• Blog: www.siggiraggi.is
• Tel: 0047-406-75-272