Erik Huseklepp

Erik Huseklepp

Erik Huseklepp (2010)
Personal information
Full name	Erik André Huseklepp[1]
Date of birth	5 September 1984
Place of birth	Bergen, Norway
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position	Striker / Winger
Club information
Current team	Brann
Number	13
Youth career
0000–	Bjarg
0000–2000	Fyllingen
2000–2004	Vadmyra
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2004–2005	Fyllingen	42	(9)
2005–2010	Brann	120	(29)
2011	Bari	14	(2)
2011–2012	Portsmouth	27	(6)
2012	→ Birmingham City (loan)	11	(2)
2012–	Brann	109	(23)
National team^‡
2005–2006	Norway U21	8	(1)
2008–	Norway	35	(7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 May 2016. † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 21 November 2014

Erik André Huseklepp (born 5 September 1984) is a Norwegian footballer who plays for Brann and the Norwegian national team. A forward, he previously played for Fyllingen and Brann in Norway, for Bari in Italy, and for Portsmouth and Birmingham City in England.

Career

Early career

At the age of 16 he played youth football for Fyllingen. After two seasons in Vadmyra IL, where he played both junior and senior football, he returned to Fyllingen, this time in the senior team.^[2]

Brann

Huseklepp played in the Norwegian Second Division in 2004 and the first half of 2005, but left on 10 August to sign for Brann, because he was not given a place in the junior squad. He scored nineteen seconds into his first league match as a starter, and subsequently became a first team regular.

In 2006, Huseklepp had a hard time making the first team, starting just six games in the Norwegian Premier League and being substituted in all of them. The 2007 season was much the same, with Brann coach Mons Ivar Mjelde preferring to use Huseklepp as an impact player, taking on tiring defenders in the closing stages of the game. Huseklepp signalled that he would not sign a new contract with Brann, and as he has made himself a name as a flamboyant and technically gifted winger, a number of clubs were interested in signing the player.^[3] However, in November 2007, Huseklepp signed a new three-year contract with Brann. The team became league champions that year.

Bari

In January 2011 he completed a move to Serie A club Bari for €1.75 million. He played 14 games and scored 2 goals for Bari. But Bari were relegated to Serie B and due to financial difficulty Bari were forced to put Huseklepp up for sale.

Portsmouth

On 16 August 2011, Huseklepp signed for Football League Championship (second-tier) club Portsmouth^[4] after a six-month-long stay at Bari, with a £1.5 million fee,^[5] in a three-year deal.^[6] He made his debut in a 0–0 draw with Bristol City, replacing Liam Lawrence in the 87th minute. He scored his first goal against Blackpool on 24 September with a stoppage-time winner. Three days later he scored a last minute own goal against Peterborough to make Portsmouth lose 3–2 at home. He then scored two goals against Nottingham Forest in a 3–0 win on 5 November.^[7] On 28 January 2012, Huseklepp scored two goals in a 0–3 victory against Peterborough.^[8]

Birmingham City

With Portsmouth in administration, the club informed Huseklepp that they needed him to accept a loan move to Championship rivals Birmingham City in order to help relieve their financial difficulties. Although reluctant to leave Portsmouth, where he had established a good relationship with the fans,^[9] he complied with the request, and joined Birmingham on 23 February 2012 on loan until the end of the season.^[10][11] He made his debut for the club a couple of days later in a 2–1 defeat at home to Nottingham Forest.^[12]

Return to Brann

After the Birmingham loan expired, Huseklepp could not gain a deal with Blues, and returned to Portsmouth, with his club suffering relegation. As the club was in administration, he was linked with various clubs, most of them from his homeland. Brann was the most hopeful ahead the deal, and was appealing for sponsorship to sign the player.^[13] After the departure of Rodolph Austin to Leeds United, the Norwegian club provided funds, and on 28 July 2012, it was announced that Brann had reached a verbal agreement with Huseklepp.^[14][15] Huseklepp changed shirt-number ahead of the 2013 season to number 23, which was used by Tomasz Sokolowski the previous season. The change was part of a sponsor-agreement with Auto 23 who paid parts of the transfer-fee when Huseklepp returned to Brann.^[16]

International career

On 12 August 2009, he scored his first international goal in the 60th minute of the 4–0 victory over Scotland, after strike partner John Carew had hit both posts. He was awarded Man of the Match by the viewers in his international debut which he played from the start.^[17] Huseklepp was the first player hailing from Bergen since 1963 to score for the national team.^[2] He scored the winning goal against Portugal during the UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying in a 1–0 win.^[18]

After he played his 25th match at international level against Cyprus in October 2011, Huseklepp also became the first player from Bergen to receive the Gold Watch since Helge Karlsen in 1977.^[19] As of February 2013, he has been capped 33 times for Norway, scoring seven goals.^[18]

International goals

Results list Norway's goal tally first

Huseklepp – goals for Norway[18]
#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	12 August 2009	Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo	Scotland	3–0	4–0	World Cup 2010 qualifying
2.	11 August 2010	Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo	France	1–1	2–1	Friendly
3.				2–1
4.	7 September 2010	Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo	Portugal	1–0	1–0	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
5.	17 November 2010	Aviva Stadium, Dublin	Republic of Ireland	2–1	2–1	Friendly
6.	26 March 2011	Ullevaal Stadion, Oslo	Denmark	1–1	1–1	UEFA Euro 2012 qualifying
7.	12 November 2011	Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff	Wales	1–2	1–4	Friendly

Career statistics

As of 6 May 2016^[20][21]

Club	Season	Division	League		Cup		Europe		Total
			Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Fyllingen	2004	2. Divisjon	25	8	0	0	—		25	8
	2005		17	1	0	0	—		17	1
	Total		42	9	0	0	—		42	9
Brann	2005	Tippeligaen	9	1	0	0	2	0	11	1
	2006		11	0	4	1	3	0	18	1
	2007		22	1	4	1	10	1	36	3
	2008		18	2	4	0	8	0	30	2
	2009		30	15	2	0	—		32	15
	2010		30	10	1	0	—		31	10
	Total		120	29	15	2	23	1	158	32
Bari	2010–11	Serie A	14	2	0	0	—		14	2
	Total		14	2	0	0	—		14	2
Portsmouth	2011–12	Championship	27	6	1	0	—		28	6
	Total		27	6	1	0	—		28	6
Birmingham City	2011–12	Championship	11	2	0	0	0	0	11	2
	Total		11	2	0	0	0	0	11	2
Brann	2012	Tippeligaen	12	4	2	1	0	0	14	5
	2013		30	7	1	1	0	0	31	8
	2014		30	3	5	3	0	0	35	6
	2015	OBOS-ligaen	30	8	4	2	0	0	34	10
	2016	Tippeligaen	7	1	0	0	0	0	7	1
	Total		109	23	12	7	0	0	121	30
Career total			323	71	28	9	23	1	374	81

Honours

Brann

• Tippeligaen (1): 2007

References

1. "VG Netts Skattelister". Skatt.vg.no. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
2. "Gratulerer, Erik!" (in Norwegian). Fyllingen Fotball. 13 August 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
3. "City confirm winger interest". Sky Sports. 1 November 2007. Archived from the original on 6 April 2008. Retrieved 6 September 2008.
4. "Husklepp to Portsmouth" (in Italian). A.S. Bari. 16 August 2011.
5. "Portsmouth sign Norway striker Erik Huseklepp". The Sun. 17 August 2011.
6. "Huseklepp Signs". Portsmouth F.C. 17 August 2011.
7. "Portsmouth 3–0 Nott'm Forest". BBC Sport. Retrieved 5 November 2011.
8. "Peterborough 0–3 Portsmouth". BBC Sport. 28 January 2012.
9. Cross, Jordan (25 February 2012). "Viking shocked by Fratton exit". The News (Portsmouth). Retrieved 26 February 2012.
10. "Birmingham City sign Portsmouth's Erik Huseklepp on loan". BBC Sport. 23 February 2012. Retrieved 23 February 2012.
11. "Erik the Blue". Birmingham City F.C. 23 February 2012.
12. "Birmingham 1–2 Nott'm Forest". BBC Sport. 25 February 2012.
13. "TRANSFER: Brann seek sponsorship to bring back Huseklepp". Fans' Network. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
14. "Muntlig enighet om Huseklepp" (in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende. 27 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
15. "Huseklepp Signs for Brann". 28 July 2012.
16. Pamer, Anders (16 January 2013). "Huseklepps femte nummer" (in Norwegian). Bergens Tidende. Retrieved 7 February 2013.
17. "Huseklepp første bergenser siden Kniksen" (in Norwegian). TV2.no. 13 August 2009.
18. Søfting, Thomas. "Erik Huseklepp". Retrieved 12 November 2011.
19. Wedervang, Mats (11 October 2011). "http://www.tv2.no/sport/fotball/landslag/-koedder-du-eller-hva-er-det-med-bergensere-da-3606823.html" (in Norwegian). TV2. Retrieved 12 April 2013. External link in |title= (help)
20. "Erik Huseklepp". AltomFotball.no (in Norwegian). 13 July 2012.
21. "Erik Huseklepp stats". Football Database.eu. Retrieved 13 July 2012.