It was big news back in 2011 when it emerged that Arkady Abramovich, the son of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, had his eyes on taking over FC Copenhagen.
It never happened, but in more recent years foreign investors have been taking more of an interest in Danish football. Brentford, for instance, teamed up with FC Midtjylland recently, while Aston Villa were believed to be interested in getting involved in Lyngby earlier this year.
Now, something more concrete has occurred. And it’s perhaps not what most Danish football enthusiasts would have imagined.
A group of international investors have taken over Fremad Amager, an iconic Copenhagen club currently sitting tenth in the second tier of Danish football.
One of several
The international consortium, which consists of investors based in London and Monaco, has laid forth a strategy aimed at owning football clubs in several countries in order to make it a viable business – a similar strategy pursued by Tottenham owner ENIC in the late 1990s. The group is also in dialogue with clubs in Portugal, Belgium and Spain, according to Fremad Amager.
“For the past year, we’ve been searching for clubs on the European football scene where we can utilise our competencies and network in order to further develop them,” said Bram van Barneveld, the representative for the consortium and new chairman of the board at Fremad Amager.
”Fremad Amager was precisely the club we were looking for. A club with lots of potential, which has enjoyed significant development over the past four years. It’s a club that has managed to establish itself in the second tier and which has a solid commercial foundation.”
Fremad Amager, which was founded in 1910, currently has Danish football legend John ‘Faxe’ Jensen as its head coach – although he had already announced recently that he intends to step down after this season.
Bjorkstrand joins the ranks
The Danish ice hockey team got some welcome news ahead of the upcoming IIHF World Championships, which begins tomorrow. Oliver Bjorkstrand became the third NHL player to join the Danes following the elimination of the winger’s club, the Columbus Blue Jackets, from the Stanley Cup playoffs. Meanwhile, Denmark narrowly lost 2-3 to the US in their final warmup match yesterday in Herning. Mathias Baus and Nichlas Hardt got the goals for the Danes.
Towering above Tamworth
The US football team Copenhagen Towers continued their rich vein of form in the Northern European Football League (NEFL) by spanking the British champions Tamworth Phoenix by 50-7 on Sunday. The Towers, who beat the Oslo Vikings in their first fixture, were led by a powerful performance by running back Dayton Winn, who scored five touchdowns on the day. The Towers will face the Swedish champions Carlstad Crusaders away in their final NEFL fixture.
‘The Beast’ finally wins one
It only took 42 years, but Danish keeper Brian ‘The Beast’ Jensen finally won his first title – in Northern Ireland. Jensen was in nets and made several good saves as the Crusaders beat Ballymena United 2-1 to secure the title. The imposing keeper spent 18 trophy-less years in English football, turning out for the likes of West Brom, Bury, Crawley Town, Mansfield Town and Burnley, for which he played 271 matches.
Wozzie hailed in CPH
Several months after becoming the first Dane to win a grand slam singles tennis title, Caroline Wozniacki was celebrated at City Hall on Monday. Wozniacki, who was joined by her father and coach Piotr and fiancé David Lee, was showered with praise by Copenhagen mayor Frank Jensen before enjoying the customary celebratory pancakes. Later that evening, Denmark’s tennis darling played an exhibition match against Venus Williams at the Telia Parken Stadium in front of over 12,000 fans.
