Jesper Olsen

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Jesper Olsen
Personal information
Full name Jesper Olsen
Date of birth March 20, 1961
Place of birth Fakse, Denmark
Position Midfielder
Professional clubs*
Years Club Apps (goals)
1977-1981
1981-1984
1984-1988
1988
1989-1990
1990-1992		 Næstved IF
Ajax Amsterdam
Manchester United
Næstved BK
Girondins de Bordeaux
SM Caen

139 (12)
National team
1980-1990 Denmark 43 (5)

* Professional club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only.

Jesper Olsen (born March 20, 1961 in Fakse) is a Danish former professional football (soccer) player who most notably played for Ajax Amsterdam and Manchester United. Jesper Olsen was a regular left-winger for the Danish national team, scoring five goals in 43 matches. He represented Denmark at the Euro 1984 and 1986 World Cup tournaments.

Contents

[edit] Biography

He started his senior career for Næstved IF, and made his debut for the Danish national team in a July 1980 friendly match against the Soviet Union. He moved abroad in 1981 to play professionally for Ajax Amsterdam in the Netherlands.

[edit] Ajax Amsterdam

While playing for Ajax Amsterdam, he became well known for his part in the infamous "passed penalty" routine he performed with Johan Cruyff. When Cruyff was awarded a penalty kick in a Dutch Eredivisie league match against Helmond Sport on 5 December 1982, with Ajax already leading 4-0, Cruyff passed the ball sideways to Olsen, who returned it to Cruyff, with the Dutchman then slotting the ball past the bemused goalkeeper. During his stay with Ajax, he earned the nickname De Vlo (The Flea) due to his posture and his ability to twist, turn and jump to avoid tackles.

He won the 1982 Eredivisie championship in his second year at the club. The next season, Ajax successfully defended the Eredivisie title, and also won the Dutch Cup to complete The Double. Olsen scored twice in the qualification tournament for the Euro 1984, including a last-minute equaliser in the 2-2 draw against England. He was selected to represent Denmark at the Euro 1984 main tournament, and played two games, including Denmark's semi-final against Spain. The game ended a draw, but even though Olsen scored in the penalty shootout, Denmark were eliminated when Preben Elkjær missed his shot.

[edit] Manchester United

Jesper moved from Ajax to England in 1984, joining English club Manchester United. He helped United win the 1985 FA Cup, and he scored a total of 24 goals in his five-year spell at the club. He was called up to the Danish squad for the 1986 World Cup. He scored two goals in the three preliminary group stage matches, but he will always be remembered for making a grave mistake in the round of 16 match against Spain. He gave Denmark the lead on a penalty kick, but just before half-time he collected a ball from goalkeeper Lars Høgh. When he tried to return the ball to Høgh, his pass ended up straight in front of Emilio Butragueño instead. The Spanish striker levelled the game, and eventually went on to score four goals in the game that Denmark lost 1-5.

Through his later years at Manchester, Olsen had a hard time adapting to the English game, and saw his footballing development stagnate.[1] He was selected for the Denmark team at the Euro 1988, but did not play any games at the tournament. Olsen's Manchester United career ended in 1988, and he transferred to FC Girondins de Bordeaux of France, later moving on to play as a wingback for SM Caen. After suffering a serious injury, he left Caen and retired in 1992. He had been offered contracts by English clubs, including Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest, but didn't feel he needed football in his life.[2]

[edit] Retirement

He has maintained a low profile since his retirement as a player, as he went on to become a sports agent. He moved to Australia to manage "Proactive Sports Management Australia", a company that offers soccer clinics to juniors. On 9 May 2006, Olsen's company released a statement saying that he had been admitted to hospital on 4 May after suffering a sub-arachnoid haemorrhage.[3]

[edit] Honours

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Kim Simmelsgaard, "Så bli'r Olsen englænder", B.T., October 20, 1991
  2. ^ "Så er det slut med Jesper Olsen", Politiken, July 4, 1992
  3. ^ Olsen suffers brain haemorrhage, BBC Sport, May 9, 2006

[edit] External links

Denmark Denmark squad - 1986 World Cup Denmark

1 Rasmussen | 2 Sivebæk | 3 Busk | 4 M. Olsen | 5 I. Nielsen | 6 Lerby | 7 Mølby | 8 J. Olsen | 9 Berggreen | 10 Elkjær Larsen | 11 Laudrup | 12 Bertelsen | 13 Frimann | 14 Simonsen | 15 Arnesen | 16 Qvist | 17 K. Nielsen | 18 Christensen | 19 Eriksen | 20 Bartram | 21 Andersen | 22 Høgh | Coach: Piontek
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