Photo: Jarvin - Jarle Vines / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
Egil 'Drillo' Olsen interests me as a coach who proved that a small footballing nation could punch far above its weight with the right system and conviction. His repeated success guiding Norway, and the way his Iraq spell ended in headlines, paint a manager unafraid of unfamiliar terrain. Being called back to lead Norway again in 2009 says more than any trophy: when a country needs steadying, they reach for the man they trust. The string of honorary awards confirms it. I admire tacticians who outthink richer opponents, and Olsen is a textbook example of brains over budget.
Overview
Egil Roger Olsen (born 22 April 1942), nicknamed Drillo, is a Norwegian former football manager and player. He is best known as a highly successful manager of the Norway national team. He also served as the manager of the Iraq national team; his departure from the role attracted considerable attention. In January 2009, he returned as manager for the Norway national team, serving until 2013.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Egil Olsen
- Name (Japanese)
- エギル・オルセン
- Reading
- えぎる・おるせん
- Born
- April 22, 1942 (age 84)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Taurus / Horse
- Origin
- Sellebakk, Østfold, Norway
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- association football player / association football coach / sports commentator
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 1992 Kniksen's Honorary Award
- 1993 Kniksen of the Year
- 1995 NIVs Ærespris
- 1997 Østfold fylkes kulturpris
- 2018 Idrettsgallaens hederspris
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
Association football player — see all → · Association football coach — see all → · More people from Norway →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.