Azar Karadas (Turkish: Azar Karadaş;[1] born 9 August 1981) is a Norwegian former footballer. Although he could also play as a central defender, he operated primarily as a centre forward.
 Karadas (in sunglasses) with Brann in 2018 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Azar Karadas | ||
| Date of birth | 9 August 1981[1] | ||
| Place of birth | Nordfjordeid, Norway | ||
| Height | 1.89 m (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre back / Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Start (Head coach) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –1998 | Eid IL | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1999–2001 | Brann | 50 | (12) |
| 2002–2004 | Rosenborg | 60 | (13) |
| 2004–2007 | Benfica | 27 | (4) |
| 2005–2006 | → Portsmouth (loan) | 20 | (1) |
| 2006–2007 | → Kaiserslautern (loan) | 11 | (1) |
| 2007–2009 | Brann | 48 | (10) |
| 2009–2012 | Kasımpaşa | 36 | (2) |
| 2012–2014 | Sogndal | 44 | (4) |
| 2014–2019 | Brann | 107 | (10) |
| International career | |||
| 1999–2000 | Norway U21 | 33 | (12) |
| 2001–2008 | Norway | 10 | (1) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2020 | Brann 2 (assistant) | ||
| 2021–2023 | Brann 2 | ||
| 2023–2024 | Stabæk (assistant) | ||
| 2024– | Start | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
He had three spells with Brann, where he began and ended his career, winning Tippeligaen with that team and with Rosenborg. He also competed professionally in Portugal, England, Germany and Turkey.
Club career
editKaradas was born in Nordfjordeid of Turkish origin, his surname meaning "Black stone" in Turkish.[2] He started his career with Eid IL, moving to the professionals in 1999 with SK Brann.
On 13 March 2002, Karadas signed for Rosenborg BK, reportedly receiving death threats over this move. At his new club, his performances soon earned him a call-up to the Norwegian under-21s, and it was not long before foreign eyes focused on him. He further enhanced his reputation by scoring two goals against Inter Milan in a UEFA Champions League game, a 2–2 home draw;[3] he was linked with the likes of Roda JC, Liverpool and Udinese Calcio, but Portuguese club S.L. Benfica eventually bought the 23-year-old, and he joined the squad of veteran coach Giovanni Trapattoni after signing a four-year contract.[4]
After one season at Benfica, where he scored four goals (including a brace at S.C. Beira-Mar in a 3–2 win[5]) and helped them win the Primeira Liga championship after 11 years, Karadas was loaned to Premier League side Portsmouth for 2005–06.[6] His volley, which helped the relegation-threatened team earn a crucial 1–1 draw against Bolton Wanderers on 1 February 2006,[7] was both his highlight and only goal of the campaign, in 20 overall appearances.
A 16 June 2006 Norwegian press release reported that Benfica and Brann had agreed on a Karadas transfer back to Bergen. The deal was speculated to be worth £695,000 (€102,000), where he was to give up £435,000 worth of bonuses Benfica owed him. Only his personal contract was an issue, as the player refused to give up a £350,000 compensation which had to be paid to him whenever he was sold from the Lisbon club.
Despite being declared unwanted in Lisbon, Karadas returned to Benfica after his transfer to Brann fell through. On 16 August 2006, news broke out that he was in negotiations with Germany's 1. FC Kaiserslautern, which had just been relegated to the 2. Bundesliga; the clubs finally agreed with a one-year loan deal, brokered by his uncle who was also his agent.
Karadas made his debut in German football on 27 August 2006 in a 2–0 home league victory over SC Paderborn 07, starting but being substituted in the 61st minute. On 9 September he scored his first goal for his new team, in its 2–0 away victory over amateurs 1. FC Gera 03 for the first round of the German Cup. His first league goal came 20 days later in a 1–1 draw at SpVgg Unterhaching,[8] his only of the season in an eventual sixth-place finish; he was also sent off after being shown two yellow cards in a local derby against 1. FC Köln, which ended in a 2–2 draw.[9]
On 24 August 2007, Karadas signed a contract with Brann for a second spell with the club.[10] In his comeback to Brann Stadion, in a match against Sandefjord Fotball on 2 September, he was greeted as a hero and a banner stating "Vi hatet deg så mye, fordi vi elsker deg så høyt!" ("We hated you so much, because we love you so much!").[11] The season ended with Tippeligaen conquest, with four goals in only eight appearances from the player.[12]
On 1 September 2009, Karadas signed a three-year contract with Kasımpaşa S.K. of Turkey,[13] scoring only once in seven contests in his debut campaign as the team ranked 11th the Süper Lig. On 27 May 2012 he netted a critical goal that brought his team back to the top flight, in the play-off match against Adanaspor.[14]
Karadas joined Sogndal Fotball in August 2012, on a short-term deal.[15] He was injured early on, and only played in seven league matches.[16] After being a free agent for three months he decided to return to the club in February 2013,[17] leaving at the end of the season[18] and returning for a third stint in 2014.
On 16 July 2014, five years later, Karadas returned to Brann.[19]
International career
editKaradas made his debut for the Norway national team on 24 January 2001, starting in a 3–2 win over South Korea for that year's Lunar New Year Cup.[20] He returned to the team two years later for a friendly tour of the Middle East, scoring his only goal as a substitute to equalise in a 2–1 win over Oman.[21]
Karadas earned ten caps, over the course of seven years. His final game was a 2–2 exhibition at home to Uruguay, two years after his previous appearance.[22]
Coaching career
editAfter not renewing his playing contract with Brann, Karadas signed a three-year contract on 6 January to serve as an assistant coach for Brann 2 while taking his coaching badges; he had already finished his UEFA B-Licence while finishing his playing career.[23] At the end of December 2019, he declined an offer to take up the role as head coach for newly formed Øygarden FK.[24] After Brann 2 coach Roger Naustan announced he would leave at the end of his contract, Karadas was promoted to head coach from 1 January 2021.[25]
Career statistics
editClub
editSource:[26]
| Club | Season | Division | League | Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Brann | 1999 | Tippeligaen | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 2000 | Tippeligaen | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 22 | 7 | |
| 2001 | Tippeligaen | 23 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 27 | 8 | |
| Total | 50 | 12 | 5 | 3 | 55 | 15 | ||
| Rosenborg | 2002 | Tippeligaen | 23 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 27 | 6 |
| 2003 | Tippeligaen | 22 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 27 | 8 | |
| 2004 | Tippeligaen | 15 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 18 | 6 | |
| Total | 60 | 13 | 12 | 7 | 72 | 20 | ||
| Benfica | 2004–05 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 4 |
| Portsmouth | 2005–06 | Premier League | 20 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 1 |
| Kaiserslautern | 2006–07 | 2. Bundesliga | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| Brann | 2007 | Tippeligaen | 8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 |
| 2008 | Tippeligaen | 21 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 25 | 3 | |
| 2009 | Tippeligaen | 19 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 23 | 6 | |
| Total | 48 | 10 | 8 | 3 | 56 | 13 | ||
| Kasımpaşa | 2009–10 | Süper Lig | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 |
| 2010–11 | Süper Lig | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | TFF First League | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | |
| Sogndal | 2012 | Tippeligaen | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 2013 | Tippeligaen | 27 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 5 | |
| 2014 | Tippeligaen | 10 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 13 | 1 | |
| Total | 44 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 48 | 6 | ||
| Brann | 2014 | Tippeligaen | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 1 |
| 2015 | 1. divisjon | 27 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 30 | 3 | |
| 2016 | Tippeligaen | 24 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 25 | 5 | |
| 2017 | Eliteserien | 19 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 22 | 1 | |
| 2018 | Eliteserien | 14 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 18 | 1 | |
| 2019 | Eliteserien | 13 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 15 | 2 | |
| Total | 107 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 121 | 13 | ||
| Career Total | 403 | 57 | 46 | 18 | 449 | 75 | ||
International
editSource:[27]
| Norway | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2001 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 | 2 | 1 |
| 2004 | 1 | 0 |
| 2005 | 4 | 0 |
| 2006 | 1 | 0 |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 10 | 1 |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 January 2003 | Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat, Oman |  Oman |
1–1 | 2–1 | Friendly |
Honours
edit- Rosenborg
- Benfica
- Primeira Liga: 2004–05
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: Runner-up 2004
- Brann
References
edit- ^ a b "Azar Karadaş - TFF Futbolcu Bilgileri" (in Turkish). Turkish Football Federation. Archived from the original on 27 October 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019.
- ^ "Biography" (in Norwegian). Official website. Archived from the original on 28 July 2008. Retrieved 11 April 2009.
- ^ "Crespo's rescue remedy". UEFA.com. 17 September 2002. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- ^ "Karadas chegou para marcar" [Karadas arrived to score]. Record (in Portuguese). 29 July 2004. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- ^ "Benfica frente ao Beira-Mar: Mentira da D. Águia nos pés de Karadas" [Benfica frente ao Beira-Mar: Lady Eagle tells a lie in the feet of Karadas]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 August 2004. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- ^ "Pompey snap up Benfica's Karadas". BBC Sport. 22 July 2005. Retrieved 31 August 2007.
- ^ "Portsmouth 1–1 Bolton". BBC Sport. 1 February 2006. Retrieved 26 September 2009.
- ^ "1:1 in Unterhaching – Mehr als nur ein Punkt!" [1:1 in Unterhaching – At least one point!] (in German). 1. FCK Fanclub. 7 October 2006. Archived from the original on 15 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- ^ "Als die Berliner Mauer noch stand" [As the Berlin Wall stood still] (in German). Der Betze Brennt. 14 December 2006. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- ^ "Ekte lidenskap har et navn" [Real passion has a name] (in Norwegian). SK Brann. 24 August 2007. Archived from the original on 24 September 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2007.
- ^ Ellingsen, Roy (2 September 2007). ""Vi hatet deg så mye, fordi vi elsker deg så høyt!"" [We hated you so much, because we love you so much!]. Bergens Tidende (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 10 March 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Brann er årets seriemester" [Brann is the year's league champion] (in Norwegian). NRK. 22 October 2007. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Kasımpaşa'da 5 imza" [Five to Kasimpaşa] (in Turkish). NTV. 3 September 2009. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
- ^ "Karadas avgjorde kaotisk opprykkskamp i Tyrkia" [Karadas decided chaotic promotion battle in Turkey]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 27 May 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.
- ^ Hjetland, Geir Bjarte (27 August 2012). "Azar Karadas klar for Sogndal" [Azar Karadas confirmed at Sogndal] (in Norwegian). NRK. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
- ^ "Karadas ferdig i Sogndal" [Karadas finished at Sogndal]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 11 December 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2013.
- ^ Skeie, Terje (27 February 2013). "Karadas klar for ny sesong i Sogndal-trøya" [Karadas clear for new season with Sogndal] (in Norwegian). TV 2. Retrieved 28 February 2013.
- ^ "Karadas ferdig i Sogndal" [Karadas finished at Sogndal] (in Norwegian). NRK. 4 December 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2014.
- ^ "Azar har signert for Brann" [Azar has signed for Brann] (in Norwegian). NRK. 16 July 2014. Retrieved 4 August 2014.
- ^ "Carlsberg Cup 2001". RSSSF. Archived from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 29 July 2015.
- ^ "Karadas snudde kampen" [Karadas turned the game around]. Verdens Gang (in Norwegian). 25 February 2003. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "Riise-scoring reddet Norge" [Riise scoring saved Norway]. ABC Nyheter (in Norwegian). 28 May 2008. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
- ^ "Azar Karadas blir trener".
- ^ "(+) Karadas takket nei til 1. Divisjonsklubben". 27 December 2019.
- ^ "Blir hovedtrener for Brann 2".
- ^ "A. Karadas". Soccerway. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
- ^ "Azar Karadas". European Football. Retrieved 16 October 2021.
External links
edit- Azar Karadas – UEFA competition record (archive)
- Azar Karadas at the Norwegian Football Federation (in Norwegian)
- "Azar Karadas". Norsk & Internasjonal Fotballstatistikk (in Norwegian). NTB.
- Azar Karadas at Sogndal at the Wayback Machine (archived 3 July 2014) (in Norwegian)
- Azar Karadas at N3Sport at the Wayback Machine (archived 10 September 2009) (in Norwegian)
- Azar Karadas at fussballdaten.de (in German)
- Azar Karadas at ForaDeJogo (archived)
- Azar Karadaş at the Turkish Football Federation
- Azar Karadas at National-Football-Teams.com
