Erik Fuglestad

Erik Fuglestad (born 13 August 1974) is a Norwegian former professional footballer and is currently head coach of Randaberg. During his professional career, Fuglestad played for Viking and Norwich City and made appearances for Norway at the under-21 level.

Erik Fuglestad
Erik Fuglestad at Bryne Stadion June 2009
Personal information
Full name Erik Fuglestad
Date of birth (1974-08-13) 13 August 1974
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Defender
Club information
Current team
 Randaberg (Head coach)
Youth career
Randaberg
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1994–1997 Viking 75 (4)
1997–2000 Norwich City 74 (2)
2000–2004 Viking 81 (15)
Total 230 (21)
National team
1995 Norway U21 1 (0)
Teams managed
2012– Randaberg
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Player career

Fuglestad, nicknamed "Fuglis", was born in Stavanger and began his senior career with Viking FK, having arrived from Randaberg IL as a junior. He made his debut in a friendly in 1993, and his league debut in the final game of the 1994 season, replacing Øyvind Mellemstrand at left back. Fuglestad's break-through followed in the 1995 season, when he featured in 25 of the club's 26 league games, scoring two goals, both against IK Start in the space of two weeks during July. Being a local lad, Fuglestad excited the Viking following with his attacking style and good crossing.

He remained the first-choice left back at Viking for a further two seasons, before Mike Walker brought him to Norwich City on a Bosman free transfer in November 1997. He made 80 appearances, scoring 2 goals against Sheffield United[1] and Huddersfield,[2] for the Canaries before his contract was cancelled towards the end of the 1999–00 season and he returned to former club Viking.

Upon returning to Norwegian football, Fuglestad retrained as a midfielder, playing both in the centre and on the left wing, and he remained a midfielder for the rest of his career. In the 2001 season, he started all 26 league games for Viking, scoring nine goals. In addition, he scored three goals in six cup games, when his club won the 2001 Norwegian Football Cup, Viking's first cup-win in twelve years. However, he missed the cup final due to an injury. The 2001 Norwegian Cup trophy was his only trophy as a senior footballer.

Fuglestad remained a first-choice midfielder throughout the 2002 season, but he missed all of 2003 through injury. His comeback in 2004 lasted only 15 league games, before a kidney illness forced him into retirement. He remained as an employee of Viking, where he had a role in the administration and was later the head coach of the junior team. An attempted comeback with home club Randaberg IL in 2007 was cut short as Fuglestad's illness returned,[3] and he announced his definitive retirement on 7 August 2007.

Coaching career

Ahead of the 2008 season he went from being coach of Viking FK's junior team to player developer in Bryne FK.[4] In 2012, he became the head coach of Randaberg IL.[5]

References
  • Canary Citizens by Mark Davage, John Eastwood, Kevin Platt, published by Jarrold Publishing, (2001), ISBN 0-7117-2020-7
  • Drømmen om de mørkeblå by Ole J. Askeland and Arild I. Olsson, published by Stavanger Aftenblad, (1999), ISBN 82-990832-6-5
  1. "Norwich 2 Sheffield Utd 1". BBC. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  2. "Norwich 5 Huddersfield 0". BBC. Archived from the original on 25 October 2011. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  3. Johannessen, Sturla (7 August 2007). "Fuglestad blir ikke Randaberg-spiller". Nettavisen (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2007.
  4. Sandsmark, Øyvind (31 October 2007). "Sammen skal de føre Bryne opp". Stavanger Aftenblad (in Norwegian). p. 40.
  5. Iversen, Espen (26 May 2012). "Fritar Fuglestad for all skyld i RIL". Rogalands Avis (in Norwegian). p. 22.
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