Danish footballer and manager
Tom Køhlert (Danish pronunciation: [ˈtsʰʌmˀ ˈkʰøːlˀʌt]; born 30 April 1947) is a Danish football manager and former player who managed Brøndby IF from 1979 to 1985 and several times later as a caretaker. He led the club to its first ever Danish championship in 1985. He has also functioned as a caretaker for the club's first team on two occasions. He currently coaches lower-tier club Gilleleje FK.
Playing career
A Brøndby IF club legend, Køhlert began his career as a player for Akademisk Boldklub (AB) before shortly moving to Glostrup IF 32 and finally to the former Brøndbyvester IF. A year later, Brøndbyvester merged with Brøndbyøster IF and became Brøndby IF, where he made his debut in 1966.[2] He later stated, that he was not an ambitious player, refusing to train three times a week when new Brøndby coach John Sinding took over.[2]
In 1971, after making 62 appearances for Brøndby, Køhlert retired due to persistent knee injuries.[3]
Managerial career
Køhlert was appointed as a youth coach in Brøndby by chairman and former teammate, Per Bjerregaard, in 1972. After training different youth teams, he was promoted to first-team head coach in 1979 after having led the team to a fifth-place finish the season before, as former head coach Jørgen Hvidemose had been sacked.[2] He led the club to its first Danish championship in 1985,[4] Køhlert then left the position, as star players such as Michael Laudrup moved away and increasing media attention had changed his role as head coach.[2]
In 1986, Køhlert took the position as head coach for Roskilde in the second division, a team he coached for more than three years.[2] In 1990, he returned as a youth coach for Brøndby.
Køhlert would return to first-team management in 1999, taking over as a caretaker manager after former head coach Ebbe Skovdahl had left for Aberdeen and his replacement, Åge Hareide, would only start on 1 January 2000. After Hareide proved a mismatch as a Brøndby coach, Køhlert once again took over as caretaker in the spring of 2002, leading the club to its ninth championship.[2]
After leaving professional management, he coached the first team of lower-tier clubs Vallensbæk IF,[5] FC Gribskov and Gilleleje FK.[6]
Honours
Brøndby[2]
References
External links