Kristjansson becomes new coach in KIF

41-year-old Icelandic national coach Aron Kristjansson is taking over as head coach by Danish VELUX EHF Champions League participants KIF Kolding Kobenhavn with immediate effect.

The current number two in the Danish league have signed a contract with Kristjansson for the rest of this season due to doubt as to when the normal head coach Henrik Kronborg can get back to work.

Henrik Kronborg had surgery for a double slipped disc in his back at the end of November, and so far he has not been able to get back to the job as Kolding Kobenhavn coach.

In the meantime, assistant coach Bilal Suman has been acting as head coach, but as it is still uncertain when Kronborg can return to the job, the club has signed Kristjansson for the rest of the season which means that former Bosnian international Suman will return to his original job as assistant.

No problems to adapt

“I know the conditions in Denmark extremely well, and I am still following handball in Denmark closely, so I will have no problems adapting and getting used to things here again,” said Aron Kristjansson who was head coach in another Danish league club, Skjern Handbold from 2004 to 2007.

In between has he been coach in German Bundesliga club TSV Hannover-Burgdorf, and since 2012 has he been national coach in Iceland – a job in which he is going to continue along with being head coach in KIF.

“We have ambitions of winning, and we have the team who can win. We saw that Sunday, when we were able to put Kiel under pressure in spite of being handicapped by illness and injuries.

"Therefore we also have to optimise things around the team,” KIF Kolding Kobenhavn director Jens Boesen said.

“Therefore I am extremely happy that Aron and his family have found that it was a good idea to join us with immediate effect.

"I am sure he and Bilal (pictured right) can make something good out of it,” added Jens Boesen who does not rule out the possibility that the cooperation with Aron Kristjansson may be prolonged beyond the current season.

Aron Kristjansson will already be on the KIF bench at the away game against Orlen Wisla Plock in Group B of the Champions League Thursday night.