Niklas Gudmundsson

Niklas Gudmundsson in Jersey IF Elfsborg Link to image ( Please note copyrights )

Niklas Gudmundsson (* February 29, 1972 ) is a Swedish former football player. The striker, who completed seven caps for the Swedish national team between 1991 and 1995, denied his career in Sweden and England.

Career

Start your career in Sweden

Gudmundsson began at age six with the football games when Trönninge IF, for which he was ala young people in athletics active. At the age of 14 he joined the 1986 youth football department of Halmstad BK and focused then on to the lawn sports. Two years later, he moved as a young junior player together with the fourth year senior defender Niclas Alexandersson in the squad coached by Scot Stuart Baxter first team on. On the final day of the second division season 1988 he debuted in the Game against IK Oddevold in a competitive match and was thus involved in the re-emergence in the Allsvenskan. Even in his first Erstligaspielzeit reserve player - three bets stand for him to book - he was in season 1990 regular player in the offensive of the club and played all 22 season games. His six goals this season, with whom he was behind the loan at Sheffield Wednesday Steve Whitton par with Jonas Axeldal second best scorer of the club, helped the club to relegation.

In the subsequent season Gudmundsson club missed only because of the less goals scored against the point - and tordifferenzgleichen rivals IFK Norrkoping the championship finals and had to compete in the promotion and relegation round. On the side of Jan Jönsson, Jonas Axeldal and Håkan Svensson remained there from the success and as a table Sixth missed Halmstad BK relegation in the Premier League. During the summer break, he was also accrued for the Swedish junior national team at the Junior World Cup in 1991 on the side of Jonny Rödlund, Magnus Hedman, Patrik Andersson and his teammate Niclas Alexandersson, but the team retired in the group stage. In August, however, he was rewarded for his good performance and came on as a substitute for Mikael Martinsson in the 0-2 defeat against the Polish national team his senior international debut.

As Season winner in South Gudmundsson 1992 moved with the team in the promotion and relegation round of Allsvenskan, dominated as first table with nine wins in 14 games. In the summer of that year he was again represented the Swedish colors on the international stage. In the U-21 European Championship 1992, he reached with the state selection the final against Italy. On the side of Håkan Mild, Jonny Rödlund, Filip Apelstav and Stefan Landberg he lost the first leg 0-2, the gate of Pascal Simpson 1-0 second-leg success was not enough for a title. This team was also the basis for the Swedish selection at the 1992 Summer Olympics, where, however, the team retired in the quarterfinals at the Camp Nou against the Australian team to team captain Ned Zelic from. Under coach Mats Jingblad continue, he returned in 1995 regulars back in the national team. While he starred alongside Robert Andersson, Jesper Mattsson, Fredrik Ljungberg and Torbjörn Arvidsson in the league in the front area, the team moved in the summer of 1995 into the final of the National Cup. Against AIK scored a 3-1 victory, so that the club then anrat in the European Cup Winners 1995/96. The crew had survived the first round on away goals against Lokomotiv Sofia, she stood in the second round against the Italian representatives Parma verge of a sensation. Due to a strike, the team had to deliver her first leg at Gamla Ullevi Gothenburg. There Gudmundsson became the match winner, scoring two goals in a 3-0 success. In the return match continued the Italian club to Sweden from the beginning under pressure and after two minutes by Filippo Inzaghi has already achieved the first goal. With a 2-0 lead went into the half time break, he finally emerged through with a 4-0 win.

Unsuccessful in England and return to Sweden

Meanwhile, Gudmundsson, however, had made ​​a name outside the country's borders. After he had previously played in already at Norwich City, he joined after the end of the season the end of November 1995 Blackburn Rovers on loan. Mainly a reserve player, he came because of violations of Alan Shearer and Chris Sutton sporadic missions before he injured himself and failed end of the season. Then continue mainly on the bench, the club gave him in March 1997 Ipswich Town. With the club he reached the ascent to the Premier League games, in which he missed the rise despite a Torerfolges against Sheffield United. Although the club was interested in continuing employment of the player, but could not pay transfer fee. Therefore, he returned in the summer to the first Blackburn Rovers back, but manager Roy Hodgson told him to look for a new club. The end of June it finally came to barter with the Malmö FF, which gave Anders Andersson to England and Gudmundsson took them under contract.

In Malmö FF Gudmundsson supplied with IFK Göteborg and his former club Halmstad BK a three-way battle to the Swedish league title, ultimately, it was enough for third place. Connect with the team he slid to Niclas Kindvall, Mattias Thylander, Jens Fjellström and Mats lilies mountain in the relegation battle and rose at the end of the 1999 in the Superettan from. There he was strike partner Zlatan Ibrahimović of emerging and reached with the team its chances of promotion.

However Gudmundsson left after three and a half years the club from Scania and joined the Erstligarivalen IF Elfsborg. On the side of Fredrik Berglund, Kristoffer Arvhage and Johan Sjöberg, he moved in 2001 to a final of the National Cup. At 12:11 victory on penalties against AIK he was one of the players who turned their penalty. Just before he had to compete for the second time, Johan Wiland held the decisive shot and made Gudmundsson thus for the second time Cup winner. In the 2002 he came out with a knee injury to three stakes for the club from Borås. Then he went to the trained by Mats Jingblad Ängelholms FF, where he ended his active career in 2005.