David Nielsen, A Dane in Kifissia: Zahavi and the Recommendations of Henriksen, Mikaelsen

In the reality of Greek football, it is rare for a Danish coach to take over the technical leadership of a team. Kifissia’s new signing, David Nielsen, is only the second in history to come to our home country as a coach.

Of note is his current indirect and previous direct relationship with notorious Israeli agent Pini Zahavi, as well as the recommendations his compatriots Rene Henriksen and Jan Mikaelsen gave the 47-year-old to their former teammate Stefano Kotsoli.

It is not common. Actually that’s not possible. As consistent and renewable as the appeal of Greek teams to seek out and turn to Danish footballers is, the absence of Danish coaches in the home team is also telling.

Only one, Ole Skoboe, was benched, with the Aris fans’ favorite ‘surviving’ as Yellows coach for just eight games in the 2003/04 season.

The second, a few hours ago, was David Nielsen, who took over the management of Kifissia, along with the task of securing their stay in the Stoiximan Super League, a decision that is not historically common in our areas.

The relationship and connection to him Pini Zahavi

There are many notable aspects of the 47-year-old technician’s career, both as a football player and as a coach. The professional relationship that he maintains indirectly and, for some time directly, with the well-known agent Pini Zahavi is recorded.

The eldest of the Scandinavian technician’s three children, 22-year-old Noah Holm, is the only one who followed his father’s example and decided to pursue a professional career in football.

As an offensive player, he has been a great talent since his youth and became the youngest player to sign a professional contract with Norwegian club Stromgodset at the age of 16 before being signed by Leipzig in 2017.

During his stay with the “Bulls” (2017-2020), he was approached by the famous wide-eyed Israeli top agent, whose office has since taken over his representation.

As part of this agreement with the Norwegian striker (that is the football pass chosen with the corresponding possibility by the current ace of Reims), Zahavi agreed to include Nielsen in his clientele, albeit informally (the two no longer work together, in Kifissia the Dane came with another representative).

During his professional career he traveled around the world and also had a similar goal as a coach: The 80-year-old is now an agent, namely to recognize the coaching dynamic and take over Nielsen’s promotion.

In fact, two years ago he was on the verge of taking his first step outside Denmark when he reached an agreement with an Israeli team through Zahavi’s mediation, but ultimately that agreement did not result in any contracts.

And it was precisely this ambition that ultimately led Nielsen to Greece. In fact, against the progressive professional path that existed in his homeland.

The Dane enjoys remarkable respect among his compatriots for his coaching dynamic (an indication of how much space his agreement with Kifisia and his arrival in the Stoiximan Super League have taken up in the news in the Scandinavian country in recent days), as he is – and They are still among the main contenders if a replacement spot opens up for a top league and title contender in the Stoiximan Super Ligaen – which they are and will remain.

The contribution of Rene Henriksen and Jan Mikaelsen

However, when Kifissia’s significant interest was aroused and Rene Henriksen and Jan Mikaelsen transferred the best to their former teammate and current technical director of the newcomers, Stefano Kotsolis, for whom he was selected, Nielsen did not think twice about it.

In fact, he joined his new team before it was even announced and considered traveling to Heraklion – which he did – to watch from the stands “Theodoros Vardinogiannis” Kifisia’s game for the “16” of the Greek Betsson -Cup OFI receives a first live picture of the squad, which he is now training outside of his home country for the first time.