Ole Fritsen

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Ole Fritsen
Personal information
Full name Ole Fritsen
Date of birth July 18, 1941(1941-07-18)
Place of birth    Vejle, Denmark
Date of death    May 11, 2008 (aged 66)
Playing position Striker
Youth clubs
Brande IF
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1963-1966
1966-1971
1971-1975		 Vejle Boldklub
GVAV Groningen
Vejle Boldklub		 182 (62)
210 (150)   
National team2
1964-1973 Denmark 6 (3)
Teams managed
1981-1984
1988-1990
1994-1999
2003-2005		 Vejle Boldklub
Vejle Boldklub
Vejle Boldklub
FC Fredericia

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 22:16, 13 May 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of May 23, 2008.
* Appearances (Goals)

Ole Fritsen (18 July 1941-11 May 2008) was a Danish footballer and manager

[edit] Career

Ole Fritsen began his footballing career in Vejle Boldklub in 1963.

Fritsen was the first Vejle Boldklub player to move abroad and become a professional. In 1966 he was sold to Dutch club GVAV Groningen, where his professional career lasted until 1 July 1972. In total he played 210 matches for Groningens first team and scored amazing 150 goals.

In 1971 Fritsen went back to Denmark to play for his childhood club Vejle. In his first season after returning Vejle Boldklub won the Danish Championship, and in 1972 the club won The Double.

Later on Ole Fritsen became a successful manager in Vejle Boldklub. He managed the club for three periods: 1981-1983, 1988-1989 and 1994-1999.

In his first season as manager in Vejle Boldklub Fritsen won the Danish Cup. After that he build up a team that went on to become Danish Champions in 1984. In addition, Fritsen spend many years coaching the Vejle Boldklub youth teams. Working with youngsters was arguably his greatest talent.

In his last period as manager Fritsen came from a job as youth coach in the club, where he had helped to educate players such as Thomas Gravesen, Alex Nørlund, Kaspar Dalgas and Peter Graulund. Ole build up a team around these players, and in only four seasons his team advanced to the Danish Superliga, won silver medals in 1997 and participated in the UEFA Cup two times.

In the season 1996/1997 Fritsen was named Manager of the Year in Denmark.

Outside the football world Ole Fritsen was a primary school teacher, which would probably explain his flair for working with young players.

Ole Fritsen died in May 2008 of a cardiac arrest just 66 years old. He was active until the end working as a scout for his old club in Groningen.

[edit] References

Vejle Boldklub online

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Vejle BK – Managers

Knudsen-Jensen (19XX–51) • Gotfredsen (1951–XX) • Hansen (19XX–XX) • Jensen (19XX–XX) • Gotfredsen (19XX–XX) • Szentpetery (19XX–XX) • Netuka (19XX–XX) • Jørgensen (19XX–XX) • Gotfredsen (1971–72) • Szentgyörgyi (1972–XX) • Netuka (19XX–76) • Bech (1976–78) • Wähling (1979–81) • Fritsen (1981–84) • Bech (1984–87) • Fritsen (1988–90) • Skovdahl (1990–91) • Simonsen (1991–94) • Fritsen (1994–99) • Michaelsen (1999–2000) • Andreasen (2000–01) • Bordinggaard (2001–02) • Petersen (2002–03) • Brandenborg (2003) • Thychosen (2003–04) • Andersen (2004) • Tang Olesen (2004) • Christensen (2004–2005) • Poulsen (2006–2007) • Christensen (2007–)