Jostein Flo

Jostein Flo
Personal information
Full nameJostein Flo
Date of birth3 October 1964
Place of birthFlo, Stryn, Norway
Height1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Playing positionStriker
Club information
Current team
Strømsgodset (director of football)
Youth career
Stryn
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
1987–1990Molde72(26)
1990–1991Lierse25(7)
1991–1993Sogndal48(28)
1993–1996Sheffield United84(19)
1996–2002Strømsgodset161(110)
Total390(190)
National team
1987–2000Norway53(11)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).

Jostein Flo (born 3 October 1964 in Flo, Stryn, Norway) is a Norwegian former football player, famous for his physical playing style and aerial dominance. He is currently Director of Football in Strømsgodset.

Biography

At club level he usually played center-forward. For the national team he played right winger, and was instrumental for the tactics applied by former Norway coach Egil Olsen. Playing a characteristic 4-5-1 formation, the left back would often hit long crosses to Flo, who in turn would head the ball to either one of the central midfielders or to the striker.

This was known as the Flo Pass, and the Norwegian national team garnered much criticism for its perceived long-ball approach. Egil Olsen did, however, take the national team to two World Cups, and the long ball style of play is considered to have played an important role in accomplishing this.

He played for Stryn, Sogndal, Molde F.K., Lierse S.K., Sheffield United F.C. and Strømsgodset I.F.. He was capped 53 times, and scored 11 goals for the Norwegian national team and was part of his country's squads at the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cups. Perhaps his most famous appearance for the national side was the World Cup match against Brazil on 23 June 1998, when he came on as a late substitute and contributed heavily to turning a 0-1 deficit to a last-gasp 2-1 upset of the reigning World Cup champions.

Flo retired after the 2002 season, having scored 120 goals in 184 games for Strømsgodset. After his playing career, he worked with marketing for the club before he filled the role of executive director from October, 2004 to January, 2006. Flo is currently the director of football of Strømsgodset.

Personal life

Flo is from a family of footballers; he is the younger brother of Kjell Rune Flo,who also played for Molde, and the older brother of Tore André Flo. who played for Chelsea and Rangers, and Jarle Flo who played for Norwegian Sogndal.[1] Håvard Flo (who played for Sogndal, AGF, SV Werder Bremen, and Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.) is his cousin.[2] In addition, Ulrik Flo is his nephew.[1]

Jostein Flo was a decent high jumper in his younger days, and has a personal best jump of 2.06 metres from 1983 (2.08 m indoor from 1987).[3]

Career statistics

As of 11 January 2015
Season Club Division League National Cup League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
1987 Molde First Division 19200192
1988 2210002210
1989 2112002112
1990 Tippeligaen 10200102
1990-91 Lierse Division I 25700257
1991 Sogndal Tippeligaen 10700107
1992 229332512
1993-94 Sheffield United Premier League 331010103510
1994-95 First Division 3261022358
1995-96 19400194
1996 Strømsgodset Tippeligaen 18600186
1997 2114002114
1998 1919001919
1999 2519212720
2000 First Division 2625102725
2001 Tippeligaen 2615302915
2002 First Division 2612322914
Career Total 35417914143200371195

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Tomasgård, Jørn-Arne (10 June 2011). "Flo-bølgja som ikkje stoppar" (in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende. Retrieved 15 August 2012.
  2. Sogn og Fjordane county encyclopedia - NRK (Norwegian)
  3. Norwegian all-time list high jump (Norwegian)