The national football association DBU has revealed that Niels Frederiksen has been hired as Denmark’s new under-21 national team coach following the departure of Jess Thorup to FC Midtjylland earlier this summer.
Frederiksen, 44, who was recently laid off at Superliga outfit Esbjerg, has been tasked with leading the under-21s during the Olympic Games in Rio next summer and the Euro 2017 qualifiers.
“In Niels Frederiksen we get a coach with strong results, good experience and a really good insight into working with young players,” said Flemming Berg, DBU’s head of talent development.
“It’s a strength that Niels can start right away so he can develop the team, along with assistant coach Henrik Clausen, looking ahead to the next friendlies in order for everyone to be prepared for the important Euro qualification matches in October.”
READ MORE: Esbjerg sack Frederiksen after poor start to season
Following Jess
Next week, Frederiksen will be at the helm for the first time as the Danes take on Germany and Ukraine in two friendlies.
It is the second time he has succeeded Thorup, as he replaced him as head coach of Esbjerg in May 2013 when Thorup left to take over the under-21s. Before that Frederiksen was the head coach of Lyngby for four years.
Under Frederiksen, Esbjerg enjoyed a good run in the Europa League in 2013-14, reaching the last 32 where they eventually succumbed to Italian giants Fiorentina.
