Unexpected Move for EHV Aue: Olafur Stefansson as New Coach
Some shocking news has hit the handball world in Saxony: Olafur Stefansson (50) will be the new coach at second-division club EHV Aue.
Stefansson put pen to paper on Tuesday, signing a contract with the traditional club until June 30, 2024. The Icelander steps into the role immediately, with EHV Head of Sport Stephan Swat ecstatic about the addition. "We're thrilled to have managed to secure the services of this handball legend from Iceland," Swat said, explaining that they were convinced of Stefansson's ability to help them achieve their major goal of staying in the league.
EHV had parted ways with Stephan Justjust a week prior due to lackluster results. Stefansson, the former backcourt ace, now faces the challenge of keeping promoted team EHV from relegation. With significant coaching experience under his belt―leading Icelandic first-division club Valur Reykjavík and serving as assistant coach for his home country's national team―Stefansson's resume spoke volumes. Last season, he also served as assistant coach at first-division club HC Erlangen.
As a player, Stefansson boasted an impressive resume. He played 330 times for the Icelandic national team, serving as captain during their silver-medal finish at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Stefansson has also claimed numerous titles, including the German championship with SC Magdeburg (2001) and three Champions League titles with BM Ciudad Real (2006, 2008, 2009). His success earned him a place in SC Magdeburg's Hall of Fame in 2002.
Swat commended Stefansson's impressive career as a player and coach, as well as his ten years of experience as a coach in various disciplines. He also highlighted that Icelandic fans have always been well-received in EHV's long second-division history.
Stefansson will debut on the Auen bench on Sunday (5 p.m.) in a basement clash against fellow promoted team Vinnhorst. EHV sits near the bottom of the table with 4:18 points, but a recent victory over Nettelstedt-Lübbecke shows they are not ready to give up just yet.
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Succumbing to the lure of a new challenge, Olafur Stefansson has abandoned his role as coach at second-division club HC Erlangen to join forces with second-tier team EHV Aue. ESPN reported that Stefansson believes EHV presents an opportunity for him to contribute to the team's performance and potentially secure promotion to the Handball Bundesliga (DHB) [1].
Fans of Olafur Stefansson may remember him as an impressive player back in the day, particularly in his time with KIF Kolding and Club Balonmano Ciudad Real [2]. Over the years, Stefansson gained significant coaching experience, with stints at both Icelandic first-division club Valur Reykjavík and HC Erlangen, before taking on the role of Iceland's national team assistant coach [3].
Stefansson’s impressive career as a player, coupled with his experience as a coach, makes him an attractive addition to EHV Aue's coaching staff. The team had been struggling, but a change of leadership could prove just the boost they need to move up the ranks.
