Leif Nordli (born 23 October 1966) is a retired Norwegian football defender. He became league champion with Rosenborg BK in 1990, but spent most of his career in Hamkam. After retiring he worked as a schoolteacher and manager in Hedmark.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leif Jostein Nordli | ||
| Date of birth | 23 October 1966 | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Nærøy | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1982–1985 | Nærøy | ||
| 1986 | Rørvik | ||
| 1987–1989 | Namsos | ||
| 1990 | Rosenborg | 10[1] | (0) |
| 1991–1998 | Hamkam | ||
| Managerial career | |||
| 2000–2002 | Hamkam (youth) | ||
| 2003–2005 | Hamar | ||
| 2013–2016 | Ottestad | ||
| 2017–2019 | Hamkam (youth) | ||
| 2019–2021 | Fart women | ||
| 2024– | Elverum (assistant) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Career
editNordli hails from Bjørndal in Nærøy and started his football career in Nærøy from 1982 to 1985. In 1986 he played one season for Rørvik IL before being picked up by the team from the nearest city, Namsos IL.[2] After losing his starting place in late 1987, Nordli conducted extra training sessions with the athletics club Namsen FIF to become faster.[3]
In 1989, Namsos led the table on the second tier, with Nordli as team captain. He attracted the interest from regional giants Rosenborg BK. He was invited to train with the club and was subsequently signed as a central defender. He was signed at the same time as Rosenborg scouted Erik Hoftun from KIL/Hemne.[4][5][6][7]
His first competition would be a friendly tournament hosted by Werder Bremen (who had bought the Rosenborg player Rune Bratseth) with participation from Spartak Moscow and Zambia.[8] Nordli won the league with Rosenborg, but in the 1990 Norwegian Football Cup which Rosenborg also won, Nordli sat out the final on the bench, and was therefore not eligible for the cup trophy.[3]
He was put on the transfer list in late 1990.[9] Wanted by Namsos, Strindheim and Molde,[10] Nordli eventually signed for Hamkam, where he stayed for eight seasons. The highlights included promotion from the 1991 1. divisjon and a fifth place in the 1993 Eliteserien.[11] In 1997 Nordli was invited to train with the Chris Hughton-led Tottenham Hotspur U21, as a courtesy after Tottenham signed Steffen Iversen.[12]
The 1994 season became tougher for Hamkam, and in July, Nordli broke his leg.[13] During the pre-season training camp in Cyprus in March 1995, Nordli broke his collarbone.[14] The 1995 Eliteserien ended in relegation, and Hamkam failed to win re-promotion. At the same time as Hamkam were relegated from the 1998 1. divisjon, Nordli had to retire from playing.[15]
Managerial career
editAn attempted comeback for HamKam 2 in the fall of 1999 stranded after one game. Nordli retired definitely, and was hired as a youth coach for Hamkam.[16] From 2003 to 2005 he managed Hamar IL.[17][18] After coaching his own children in Ottestad IL, Nordli took over the men's team ahead of the 2013 season.[19] Ottestad usually placed in the upper half of their Third Division group.[20]
In 2017, he commenced the UEFA A Licence and was a youth coach in Hamkam.[21] In June 2019 he took over the women's team of FL Fart. The team had several promising players such as Julie Blakstad and Mathilde Harviken, but had not won a single game in 2019 Toppserien.[22] Following his second relegation with Fart in three seasons, the last time from the 2021 First Division, Nordli was sacked by Fart.[23] He was hired as assistant manager of Elverum ahead of the 2024 season.[24]
Personal life
editWhile Nordli resided in Hamar, he enrolled at Hedmark University College. Jettisoning his previous plan to take over the family farm, he now became a teacher. Nordli among others worked at Ottestad Lower Secondary School[3] and Wang.[21]
He married Wenche Bolkan. They settled in the outskirts of Hamar. Both their sons became footballers. The youngest, Simen Bolkan Nordli, became a Norwegian youth international, played in Eliteserien as well as abroad. The oldest, Jonas Bolkan Nordli became a physiotherapist.[21][11] Hired as a physio by second-tier club Ranheim Fotball, Jonas also participated as a player in Ranheim's training sessions, and was eventually signed as a player in the summer of 2023.[25]
References
edit- ^ Leif Nordli at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
- ^ Mørkved, Lars (21 July 1999). "Leif klarte det ikke". Namdalsavisa (in Norwegian). p. 14.
- ^ a b c Hovd, Svein-Tore (24 May 2008). "Bonden skiftet beite". Namdalsavisa (in Norwegian). pp. 36–37.
- ^ Hovd, Svein-Tore (5 October 1989). "Rosenborg vil se Leif Nordli". Namdal Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 9.
- ^ Skaret, Roy Allan (20 October 1989). "– Velkommen, Leif!". Trønder-Avisa (in Norwegian). p. 20.
- ^ Røed, Geir (21 November 1989). "Fersk 'troillonge' hjemme hos mor og far". Ytringen (in Norwegian). p. 6.
- ^ Hovd, Svein-Tore (22 December 1989). "Leif Nordli verdt 150 000?". Namdal Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 9.
- ^ Hovd, Svein-Tore (23 December 1989). "Leif om penger berømmelse og proffspill". Namdal Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 9.
- ^ Mørkved, Lars (11 October 1990). "RBK vil selge Leif, men ikke til Namsos". Namdal Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 9.
- ^ "Nordli til Hamkam". Adresseavisen (in Norwegian). 24 November 1990. p. 18.
- ^ a b Moe, Svein Halvor (27 July 2018). "Leif (52) fra Bjørndal følger fortsatt toppfotballen tett". Ytringen (in Norwegian). p. 10.
- ^ Mørkved, Lars (1 February 1997). "– For gammel til å bli proff". Namdalsavisa (in Norwegian). p. 11.
- ^ Kristiansen, Kjell-Erik (26 July 1994). "Forsvarstrøbbel i Ham-Kam". VG (in Norwegian). p. 31.
- ^ "Brakk kragebenet". VG (in Norwegian). 25 March 1995. p. 42.
- ^ Hovd, Svein-Tore (13 September 2019). "– Det er ikke nok med bare enere". Namdalsavisa (in Norwegian). pp. 14–16.
- ^ Kvarme, Steinar (13 October 1999). "Blir trener i Hamkam". Trønder-Avisa (in Norwegian). p. 27.
- ^ Synstad, Roger (22 October 2002). "Leif Nordli trener HIL". Hamar Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 24.
- ^ "Bjørn Magne Broen ny HIL-trener". Ringsaker Blad (in Norwegian). 1 September 2005. p. 14.
- ^ Jacobsen, Pål (22 October 2012). "Skal trene A-laget og guttelaget". Hamar Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 22.
- ^ Trøan, Gjermund (3 April 2014). "Helt ny forsvarsfirer". Stangeavisa (in Norwegian). p. 18.
- ^ a b c Hovd, Svein-Tore (3 October 2017). "– Like moro med Namsos som Ham-Kam". Namdalsavisa (in Norwegian). pp. 14–15.
- ^ Jacobsen, Pål (1 July 2019). "Nordli innfører ny og krevende spillestil". Hamar Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 17.
- ^ Blystad, Arve Hovelstuen (27 December 2021). "Her er Farts nye hovedtrener". Hamar Arbeiderblad (in Norwegian). p. 16.
- ^ Norberg-Schulz, Wenche (23 November 2023). "Topptrener blir Aasen-assistent: – Sier alt om ambisjonsnivået vårt". Østlendingen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 12 June 2024.
- ^ "Ranheims fysio fikk spillerkontrakt". VG (in Norwegian). Norwegian News Agency. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 9 July 2023.