Icelandic coach Guðmundur Guðmundsson and the Danish Handball Federation have agreed that Guðmundur leave his post as coach immediately, RÚV reports. He will be replaced by Nikolaj Jacobsen.
Guðmundur and the federation came to this agreement late last week.
“In my view, it’s best for the team and myself that I leave now as the national team’s coach and, thereby, give Nikokolaj the best possible preparation for taking over,” Guðmundur stated. He continued, “I want to thank the team members and my staff for good cooperation and the good memories we’ve shared, and I wish them well for the future.”
Guðmundur coached the team to gold at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro last summer. During the Olympics, Ulrik Wilbek, who at the time was the manager of the Danish Handball Federation, was found to have sought the support of the team members to have Guðmundur fired. As a result, Wilbek himself was forced to resign. Guðmundur was honored in February by the Danish queen as Knight of Dannebrog for his achievement.
He announced this winter that he would not extend his contract with the Danish team, which was to expire this summer. After the team’s disappointing performance at the World Championship, the decision was made for Guðmundur to leave his post at once.
Under Guðmundur’s coaching, the Danes played 61 games, 45 of which they won, five ended in a draw, and they lost ten.
