Who is he?
Slowly, gradually, the name Alfred Finnbogason is being whispered into managers’ ears and capturing the attention of eager fans. Slowly, gradually, Alfred Finnbogason is becoming known around the footballing world.
Alfred Finnbogason joined the Dutch Eredisivie in the summer of 2012 – signing for Heerenveen – and has set the league a light since. Starting his football career in Edinburgh, Finnbogason played for local youth side, Hutcheson Vale and supported nearby SPL club Hibernian. Although he was a talent at a young age. His footballing career jolt started when he moved to his home-country, Iceland, and signed for Breiðablik in Kópavogur. The likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and others accompanied him through Breiðablik’s highly successful youth system, and after progressing through the youth stages, Finnbogason signed a professional contract in 2007 and went on to make 43 appearances from 2007 to 2010, netting 28 times. After a few outstanding performances, relatively near the end of his time with Breiðablik, scouts from all over the world came to watch the wonder boy in Iceland and Belgian club, Lokeren snapped him up. That summer, the switch was made…
With many footballers, there are short periods in their careers which people think about for hours on end on how they can go from such successful players, to – well, to put it mildly – not so good. It’s happened with Chelsea’s Fernando Torres, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, Diego Forlan and other big stars. What happened at Lokeren for Alfred Finnbogason could be called an anomaly in his brilliant career to date. Appearing 22 times for Lokeren, and yet only scoring 4 times, some clubs wouldn’t even try to take him out on loan. However, when Lokeren had, had it with Finnbogason and offered him to numerous clubs for loan. Swedish Champions, Helsingborg IF acted quickly to bring him to Scandinavian on a six month loan deal in March 2012.
After struggling in Belgium, once again, Finnbogason was brilliant. He was on a run of 12 goals in 17 games when he departed the club in September. Securing himself as Helsingborg’s top scorer of 2012. Once again, scouts from all over the world came to watch him. This time Marco van Basten‘s Heerenveen were the fastest to act. On the 16th of August 2012, Alfred Finnbogason moved to Heerenveen for a fee which seems minute now; a fee of only €500,000.
Fans started to wonder what they’d do as the football season ended, and Finnbogason had 24 goals in 31 games. At only 24 years of age, that’s no easy feat. At a club tat has produced some of the best strikers in the world. Van Basten, van Nistlerooy, Huntelaar to name a few, it was a brilliant move for Icelandic. He has developed massively since his arrival at the club.
Adding to his game, strength, tactical awareness and others, plus improving on his talents. Talents like his beautiful touch and his way of bringing everyone into the game.
“He’s movable and sharp in the box, a real team player and works his socks off” – Jurrie Koolhof
Style of Play
24 goals in 31 league games is no small task in the Eredisivie. There’s the well known phrase: “Stats don’t show everything.” and in Finnbogason’s case, the statement is more appropriate than ever. As with most Scandinavian strikers, he works hard, tracking back and helping out the less confident defenders. However, he doesn’t have the natural talent of a Lewandowski or a van Persie or a Falcao, what he does has, is the work ethic of a world beater and that bit of an exciting flair.
With his record so far, it’s hard to doubt his quality. He has the determination much like the Wayne Rooney of 2008. He is one of those players whose love for the game is beyond everything else. Him and Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez are two of only a few players who put everything into each game, players who would swap their goals for the three points, the players with the sensible head. No money needed, just football.
The 24-year-old has often been compared to prolific goal scorer and former Heerenveen, Manchester United and Real Madrid player, Ruud van Nistlerooy. A complete striker, no one trick pony.
As a striker, Finnbogason holds a brilliant aerial threat, and with more and more big clubs choosing to play with a lone striker. The future is bright for him. Looking at his main attributes as a defender, you wouldn’t be too scared, he doesn’t have the greatest pace but he makes up for that with his other strong attributes. He’s a player who can bring others into the game with no trouble at all. he doesn’t just rely on his deeper midfielders to hand him the ball on a plate for him to score, he’ll get back defend, take the ball and develop his own move.
For me his greatest attribute is his touch. I haven’t seen someone like that coming up through the ranks for a while. There are others who have the touch of a god; Lionel Messi, Shinji Kagawa, Robin van Persie, Sergio Aguero, Cristiano Ronaldo and more but Finnbogason is ranked higher than most in regards to touch. Most goals he scores from inside the area are as a result of his beautiful control of the ball. He can be played a floated ball into the box, take it down with ease, go past the defender, leave the keeper stranded on the floor and finish it off with a cool and calm finish.
If you’d like to see an example of some of his goals, take a look at these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jymbp17SG60
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziVtVHXKdME (My apologies for the music, it’s awful)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_GTpKDBHX8
Where next?
When the season ended back in May and the transfer gossip bega, not many rumours involved Finnbogason, but as the summer went on, he was linked with numerous clubs. With Everton, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle all interested, it’s hard to see him not moving to England in the near future. However, AC Milan could put a stop to that. With strong connections with Marco van Basten, Finnbogason could end up challenging for the Serie A title. A little more appealing than a relegation scrap with Aston Villa. The options are endless for him, with many clubs interested, and Heerenveen busting a gut to keep him in Holland, he’ll have to make a decision that is best for him and his future.
He has two years left on his contract and my opinion is that he has made the right move in staying with Heereveen for this 2013/14 season, devolping under 3 time Balon D'or winner, Marco van Basten. If AC Milan are still interested when the season comes to a close, it would mots certainly be the most attractive move and almost impossible to turn down. For me, if Milan and Everton are both interested, he will have to think about it for a while. Everton would give him playing time, but AC Milan? They're Champions League material
The move to Milan would be beneficial in the long-term, and you never know. He could then move to England or back to Holland and Heerenveen. It’s his decision, and it must be the correct one.
Coming to Heerenveen for only 500,000 euro, the Eredisivie club will make a huge profit as if/when he does leave. Finnbogason is expected to depart for around £6-7 million.
Written by Harry Robinson – @HRFootball
Slowly, gradually, the name Alfred Finnbogason is being whispered into managers’ ears and capturing the attention of eager fans. Slowly, gradually, Alfred Finnbogason is becoming known around the footballing world.
Alfred Finnbogason joined the Dutch Eredisivie in the summer of 2012 – signing for Heerenveen – and has set the league a light since. Starting his football career in Edinburgh, Finnbogason played for local youth side, Hutcheson Vale and supported nearby SPL club Hibernian. Although he was a talent at a young age. His footballing career jolt started when he moved to his home-country, Iceland, and signed for Breiðablik in Kópavogur. The likes of Gylfi Sigurdsson and others accompanied him through Breiðablik’s highly successful youth system, and after progressing through the youth stages, Finnbogason signed a professional contract in 2007 and went on to make 43 appearances from 2007 to 2010, netting 28 times. After a few outstanding performances, relatively near the end of his time with Breiðablik, scouts from all over the world came to watch the wonder boy in Iceland and Belgian club, Lokeren snapped him up. That summer, the switch was made…
With many footballers, there are short periods in their careers which people think about for hours on end on how they can go from such successful players, to – well, to put it mildly – not so good. It’s happened with Chelsea’s Fernando Torres, Manchester United’s Wayne Rooney, Diego Forlan and other big stars. What happened at Lokeren for Alfred Finnbogason could be called an anomaly in his brilliant career to date. Appearing 22 times for Lokeren, and yet only scoring 4 times, some clubs wouldn’t even try to take him out on loan. However, when Lokeren had, had it with Finnbogason and offered him to numerous clubs for loan. Swedish Champions, Helsingborg IF acted quickly to bring him to Scandinavian on a six month loan deal in March 2012.
After struggling in Belgium, once again, Finnbogason was brilliant. He was on a run of 12 goals in 17 games when he departed the club in September. Securing himself as Helsingborg’s top scorer of 2012. Once again, scouts from all over the world came to watch him. This time Marco van Basten‘s Heerenveen were the fastest to act. On the 16th of August 2012, Alfred Finnbogason moved to Heerenveen for a fee which seems minute now; a fee of only €500,000.
Fans started to wonder what they’d do as the football season ended, and Finnbogason had 24 goals in 31 games. At only 24 years of age, that’s no easy feat. At a club tat has produced some of the best strikers in the world. Van Basten, van Nistlerooy, Huntelaar to name a few, it was a brilliant move for Icelandic. He has developed massively since his arrival at the club.
Adding to his game, strength, tactical awareness and others, plus improving on his talents. Talents like his beautiful touch and his way of bringing everyone into the game.
“He’s movable and sharp in the box, a real team player and works his socks off” – Jurrie Koolhof
Style of Play
24 goals in 31 league games is no small task in the Eredisivie. There’s the well known phrase: “Stats don’t show everything.” and in Finnbogason’s case, the statement is more appropriate than ever. As with most Scandinavian strikers, he works hard, tracking back and helping out the less confident defenders. However, he doesn’t have the natural talent of a Lewandowski or a van Persie or a Falcao, what he does has, is the work ethic of a world beater and that bit of an exciting flair.
With his record so far, it’s hard to doubt his quality. He has the determination much like the Wayne Rooney of 2008. He is one of those players whose love for the game is beyond everything else. Him and Manchester United’s Javier Hernandez are two of only a few players who put everything into each game, players who would swap their goals for the three points, the players with the sensible head. No money needed, just football.
The 24-year-old has often been compared to prolific goal scorer and former Heerenveen, Manchester United and Real Madrid player, Ruud van Nistlerooy. A complete striker, no one trick pony.
As a striker, Finnbogason holds a brilliant aerial threat, and with more and more big clubs choosing to play with a lone striker. The future is bright for him. Looking at his main attributes as a defender, you wouldn’t be too scared, he doesn’t have the greatest pace but he makes up for that with his other strong attributes. He’s a player who can bring others into the game with no trouble at all. he doesn’t just rely on his deeper midfielders to hand him the ball on a plate for him to score, he’ll get back defend, take the ball and develop his own move.
For me his greatest attribute is his touch. I haven’t seen someone like that coming up through the ranks for a while. There are others who have the touch of a god; Lionel Messi, Shinji Kagawa, Robin van Persie, Sergio Aguero, Cristiano Ronaldo and more but Finnbogason is ranked higher than most in regards to touch. Most goals he scores from inside the area are as a result of his beautiful control of the ball. He can be played a floated ball into the box, take it down with ease, go past the defender, leave the keeper stranded on the floor and finish it off with a cool and calm finish.
If you’d like to see an example of some of his goals, take a look at these videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jymbp17SG60
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziVtVHXKdME (My apologies for the music, it’s awful)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_GTpKDBHX8
Where next?
When the season ended back in May and the transfer gossip bega, not many rumours involved Finnbogason, but as the summer went on, he was linked with numerous clubs. With Everton, Aston Villa, Sunderland and Newcastle all interested, it’s hard to see him not moving to England in the near future. However, AC Milan could put a stop to that. With strong connections with Marco van Basten, Finnbogason could end up challenging for the Serie A title. A little more appealing than a relegation scrap with Aston Villa. The options are endless for him, with many clubs interested, and Heerenveen busting a gut to keep him in Holland, he’ll have to make a decision that is best for him and his future.
He has two years left on his contract and my opinion is that he has made the right move in staying with Heereveen for this 2013/14 season, devolping under 3 time Balon D'or winner, Marco van Basten. If AC Milan are still interested when the season comes to a close, it would mots certainly be the most attractive move and almost impossible to turn down. For me, if Milan and Everton are both interested, he will have to think about it for a while. Everton would give him playing time, but AC Milan? They're Champions League material
The move to Milan would be beneficial in the long-term, and you never know. He could then move to England or back to Holland and Heerenveen. It’s his decision, and it must be the correct one.
Coming to Heerenveen for only 500,000 euro, the Eredisivie club will make a huge profit as if/when he does leave. Finnbogason is expected to depart for around £6-7 million.
Written by Harry Robinson – @HRFootball