Jens Berthel Askou

Jens Berthel Askou

Askou in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Jens Berthel Askou
Date of birth	(1982-08-19) 19 August 1982 (age 41)
Place of birth	Videbæk, Denmark
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Team information
Current team	Sparta Prague (assistant)
Youth career
	Videbæk IF
2001–2002	Ikast FS
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2002–2003	Holstebro BK	30	(5)
2003–2007	Silkeborg IF	122	(8)
2007–2009	Kasımpaşa	57	(2)
2009–2011	Norwich City	27	(2)
2011	→ Millwall (loan)	1	(0)
2011–2013	Vejle Kolding	49	(3)
2013–2014	Esbjerg fB	15	(0)
2015–2016	Skive IK	45	(0)
2016–2017	Thisted FC
2018	Vendsyssel FF	1	(0)
Total		347	(20)
Managerial career
2015–2016	Skive IK (playing assistant)
2016–2017	Thisted FC (playing assistant)
2017–2018	Vendsyssel FF (assistant)
2018–2019	Vendsyssel FF
2020	HB Tórshavn
2021–2023	AC Horsens
2023–2024	IFK Göteborg
2024–	Sparta Prague (assistant)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Jens Berthel Askou (born 19 August 1982) is a Danish professional football manager and former player. He is currently assistant coach for Czech First League club Sparta Prague.

Askou has played for a number of Danish clubs before moving abroad, first to Turkish club Kasımpaşa and then to Norwich City in England, before moving back to Denmark to play for Vejle Kolding and Esbjerg.

Club career

Born in Videbæk, Askou began his career at Ikast FS before moving to Holstebro Boldklub in 2002. His performances led to a contract with 1st Division Silkeborg IF in the summer of 2003, following a successful trial. He helped the club regain promotion to the Danish Superliga during his first season, and became a regular for four years. In 2007, Askou failed to agree a new deal with SIF, which led to a move to Turkish football with Kasımpaşa.

Kasımpaşa finished bottom of the 2007–08 Süper Lig, with Askou appearing frequently and scoring twice. However, despite Askou's own goal in the playoffs semi-final, the club returned to the top flight at the first attempt in 2008–09. His contract was not renewed the following summer.

Norwich City

In July 2009, Askou linked up with English League One club Norwich City on their pre-season tour of Scotland. He impressed suitably with his defensive displays in the club's friendly matches, also managing to score with a header against Airdrie United. ^[1] Then manager Bryan Gunn confirmed on 27 July he had offered Askou a contract. ^[2] It was revealed on 30 July that Askou had signed a two-year deal with Norwich. ^[3] He made his debut in a 4–0 win over Yeovil Town in the League Cup on 11 August, helping to keep a clean sheet. Four days later, he scored on his league debut as Norwich drew 1–1 with Exeter City. ^[4] Askou became a regular starter for Norwich until picking up a metatarsal injury in a league game against Yeovil in December, which kept him out until May 2010.

He scored a header against Blackburn Rovers in the League Cup in August 2010; a game which Norwich lost 3–1. ^[5] Askou's opportunities at Norwich were limited in the 2010–11 season, making only two Championship starts in the first half of the campaign.

In January 2011, Askou moved to fellow Championship side Millwall on a one-month loan. ^[6] He was sent off on his debut against Leicester City for a two-footed lunge on Yakubu. ^[7] This was his only appearance for the club and he returned to Norwich in February. He did not appear again for his parent club either and was released by the club at the end of the season after his contract expired. ^[8]

Vejle Boldklub Kolding

Askou signed a two-year contract with Danish first division team Vejle Boldklub Kolding in August 2011. ^{[9] [10]} During his time a Vejle, he scored six goals in 55 appearances and was appointed club captain in the summer of 2012. ^[11]

Askou signed a two-year deal with Esbjerg in the Danish Superliga on 2 August 2013 for an undisclosed fee. ^[12]

Coaching and later career

In 2015, Askou became playing assistant manager at Skive IK. ^[13] A year later he took up the same position at Thisted FC. ^{[14] [15]}

In June 2017, Askou became Erik Rasmussen's assistant manager at Vendsyssel FF. ^[16] On 8 May 2018, Rasmussen resigned as manager and was replaced by Askou. ^[17] After an overall defeat against AC Horsens in the Danish Superliga relegation play off games, Askou and his staff was fired on 20 May 2019. ^[18]

In October 2019, Askou signed with Denmark Series 4 amateur club TIF All Stars. ^[19]

In the beginning of November 2019, it was confirmed that Askou would become the manager of HB Tórshavn in the Faroe Islands starting from 1 December 2019. ^[20] One year later, on 5 December 2020, he had won the double with HB Tórshavn by first winning the Faroe Islands Premier League and then the Faroe Islands Cup. He also won the honour as the best football manager 2020 in the Faroe Islands, chosen by the Venjarafelag Føroya (Faroese Association of Football Managers). ^[21]

In January 2021, he left Tórshavn to become new manager of struggling Danish Superliga club AC Horsens. ^[22]

In June 2023, he left AC Horsens to become the new head coach of Swedish Allsvenskan club IFK Göteborg. ^[23]

In June 2024, Askou left IFK Göteborg to become an assistant coach of Czech First League club AC Sparta Prague. ^[24]

Personal life

Askou is married to Rikke. The couple have three children – Julius, Cornelius and Augusta. Julius and Cornelius attend the International School Ikast-Brande in Ikast, Denmark. ^[25]

Managerial statistics

As of 9 February 2024

Managerial record by team and tenure

Team	Nat	From	To	Record								Ref
				G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %
Vendsyssel FF		8 May 2018	20 May 2019	43	13	13	17	56	58	−2	030.23	[26]
HB Tórshavn		1 December 2019	4 January 2021	33	24	6	3	89	28	+61	072.73	[27]
AC Horsens		4 January 2021	7 June 2023	90	35	20	35	128	131	−3	038.89	[28]
IFK Göteborg		7 June 2023	Present	21	9	6	6	27	24	+3	042.86	[29]
Total				187	81	45	61	300	241	+59	043.32	—

Honours

Player

Silkeborg IF

• Danish 1st Division: 2003–04

Kasımpaşa

• TFF 1. League Playoffs Winners: 2008–09

Norwich City

• League One: 2009–10
• Championship runners-up: 2010–11

Manager

Havnar Bóltfelag

• Faroe Islands Premier League: 2020
• Faroe Islands Cup: 2020
• Won the Double in Faroese football: 2020 ^[30]

Individual

• Faroe Islands Premier League Manager of the Year: 2020

References

1. "City make it three wins on tour". Norwich City F.C. 19 July 2009. Archived from the original on 20 July 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
2. "Askou offered Norwich deal". Sky Sports. 27 July 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2009.
3. "Double signing for City". Norwich City F.C. 30 July 2009. Archived from the original on 31 July 2009. Retrieved 30 July 2009.
4. "Exeter 1 – 1 Norwich". BBC. 15 August 2009. Retrieved 16 August 2009.
5. "Blackburn 3 – 1 Norwich". BBC Sport. 24 August 2010. Retrieved 2 January 2011.
6. "Millwall sign Norwich City defender Jens Berthel Askou". BBC Sport. 19 January 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
7. "Leicester 4 – 2 Millwall". BBC Sport. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2011.
8. "Gill, Askou and Habergham to leave City". Norwich City F.C. 31 May 2011. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
9. Vejle henter forsvarsspiller i Norwich, Jyllans-Posten, 26 August 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
10. Dagens transferrygter: Golfkøllesvinger kan vende tilbage til Liverpool, Politiken, 26 August 2011. Retrieved 26 August 2011.
11. Askou ny anfører i VBK
12. Jens Berthel Askou til EfB på toårig aftale
13. Askou bliver spillende assistent i Skive, bold.dk, 26 December 2014
14. Jens Berthel Askou ny assistent i Thisted, bold.dk, 19 September 2016
15. Jens Berthel Askou stopper i Thisted FC‚ bold.dk, 30 May 2017
16. Jens Berthel Askou fortsætter i Vendsyssel‚ bold.dk, 27 June 2017
17. "Erik R. stopper i Vendsyssel - Askou overtager" (in Danish). bold.dk. 8 May 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2018.
18. Vendsyssel sparker trænerteam på porten, bold.dk, 20 May 2019
19. Tidligere Vejle kaptajn skriver kontrakt med TIF All Stars., facebook.com, 8 October 2019
20. Jens Berthel Askou skal træne på Færøerne, bold.dk, 2 November 2019
21. Arge, Tróndur (5 December 2020). "VFF: Berthel er ársins venjari". in.fo. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
22. Brandt, Theis Fischer (4 January 2021). "Bekræftet: Askou er ny træner i AC Horsens". bold.dk. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
23. "Välkommen, Jens!". IFK Göteborg (in Swedish). 7 June 2023. Retrieved 7 June 2023.
24. "Jens Askou novým členem realizačního týmu". AC Sparta Prague (in Czech). 18 June 2024. Retrieved 18 June 2024.
25. "Jens is raring to go". pinkun.com. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 9 June 2012.
26. "Vendsyssel FF: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
27. "HB Thorshavn: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
28. "AC Horsens: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 4 November 2022.
29. "IFK Göteborg: Matches". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
30. Prestá, Agnar (5 December 2020). "HB tryggjaði sær greipuna". portal.fo. Retrieved 6 December 2020.

External links

• Jens Berthel Askou at Soccerway
• Jens Berthel Askou – Danish Superliga player statistics at danskfodbold.com (in Danish)
• Jens Berthel Askou at Soccerbase
• Jens Berthel Askou player profile at canaries.co.uk
• Jens Berthel Askou at the Turkish Football Federation