Full name Gretar Rafn Steinsson Name Gretar Steinsson Career start 1997 1998–1999 IA Weight 78 kg | Playing position Height 1.89 m Role Footballer Career end 2013 | |
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Date of birth (1982-01-09) 9 January 1982 (age 33) Spouse Manuela Osk Harðardottir (m. 2007–2011) Children Elma Ros Steinsson, Johann Steinsson | ||
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Grétar Rafn Steinsson (born 9 January 1982 in Siglufjörður) is a retired Icelandic footballer who is now employed as technical director at Fleetwood Town in England.
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Fleetwood town technical director gretar steinsson on targeting non league talent
Club career
He started his career with local team KS in Siglufjörður and later played for ÍA Akranes, winning the Icelandic league in 2001, before going abroad to play professionally for Swiss club BSC Young Boys. In 2005, Grétar signed for AZ Alkmaar as a replacement for Jan Kromkamp.
On 2 July 2007, AZ Alkmaar announced they had accepted a €3.5 million bid from Middlesbrough. Gareth Southgate had seen him as an ideal replacement for Stuart Parnaby. After the bid was accepted, however, AZ backtracked, claiming the price wasn't high enough and requested Middlesbrough to raise their bid to £4m. Instead, Middlesbrough turned their attention to Charlton Athletic right back Luke Young, who ended up making the move, ending Middlesbrough's interest in Grétar.
Despite signing a new four-and-a-half-year contract with AZ in November 2007, Grétar signed for Bolton Wanderers on 16 January 2008 for a £3.5m fee. He made his debut against Newcastle United on 19 January 2008.
Gary Megson and his side picked up a win against Middlesbrough, a draw against Tottenham, a win against Sunderland and a 1–1 draw against Chelsea to keep them up which could have also decided who won the Premier League title. He scored his first goal for Bolton in the 3–1 victory over Stoke City on 16 August 2008. In the last but one game of the season, Grétar's goal in a 1–1 draw against Hull City confirmed Bolton's Premier League survival.
At the start of the 2010–11 season, Grétar changed his squad number from 15 to 2. He scored in the 3–1 home win against Liverpool on 21 January 2012. At the end of the 2011–12 season Bolton were relegated and the club elected not to offer Steinsson a new contract.
On 22 August 2012, Grétar signed a two-year contract with Turkish Süper Lig club Kayserispor.
On 27 September 2013 Grétar announced that he had retired from football. He helped former club Bolton sign Yannick Bastos in 2014.
International career
He also played regularly for the Iceland national football team. He made his debut in a March 2002 friendly match against Brazil as a substitute and scored after being only 17 minutes on the pitch. He also represented Iceland at all youth levels.
Personal life
Grétar married former Miss Iceland Manuela Ósk Harðardóttir in 2007 and they renewed their vows in 2009. They got divorced in 2011.
They have a daughter, Elma Rós, who was born in April 2010.
On 21 January 2015, Steinsson returned to English football, being appointed as technical director at Fleetwood Town of League One.