Gunnar Einarsson

Gunnar Einarsson (born 7 July 1976) is a retired Icelandic footballer who played as a defender.

Gunnar is probably best remembered for his time as a player with KR Reykjavík and Valur, with whom he won four Úrvalsdeild titles between 2000 and 2007. He was capped by Iceland at international level.

Valur
Adept anywhere in defence or as a defensive midfielder, Gunnar began his career at Úrvalsdeild side Valur, alongside fellow young players Eiður Guðjohnsen and Ívar Ingimarsson. He made his debut during the 1995 season, making 9 appearances. He played in 15 of Valur's 18 league games during the 1996 season and departed the club in January 1997.

Roda JC Kerkrade
Gunnar moved to the Netherlands in January 1997 to sign for Eredivisie side Roda JC Kerkrade. He failed to make an appearance for the club and spent most of his contract away on loan. Gunnar was loaned to MVV Maastricht on three separate occasions between 1997 and 1998. He was a part of the team that finished the 1996–97 season as Eerste Divisie champions and made 24 appearances across his three spells with the club. Gunnar made seven appearances for Eerste Divisie club VVV-Venlo on loan during the final months of the 1998–99 season. Gunnar made three appearances for English Second Division club Brentford during a three-month loan in the middle of the 1999–2000 season.

Return to Iceland
Gunnar returned to Iceland to sign for reigning Úrvalsdeild champions KR Reykjavík in April 2000. He won three Úrvalsdeild championships, two League Cups and the 2003 Icelandic Super Cup prior to moving across Reykjavík to return to Valur in January 2007. Gunnar won the 2007 Úrvalsdeild title and then the League Cup and the Icelandic Super Cup during the following season. He made 40 appearances and scored one goal during two seasons with the club.

Gunnar dropped down to the 1. deild karla to sign for Leiknir Reykjavík in a player/assistant manager role May 2009. He made 59 appearances and scored two goals before moving back up to the Úrvalsdeild to sign a contract with Víkingur in July 2011. He made 10 league appearances in what remained of the 2011 season and suffered relegation straight back to the 1. deild karla. Gunnar returned to Leiknir Reykjavík in November 2011, again in a player/assistant manager role. He made 31 appearances and scored three goals during the 2012 season, which was his last in football.

International career
Gunnar made appearances for the Iceland U21 team during their unsuccessful qualification campaign for the 1998 European U21 Championship. Gunnar won his only cap for the senior team in a 1–1 friendly draw with South Africa on 6 June 1998, starting the match at right back and playing the full 90 minutes.

Management career
Gunnar was appointed assistant manager to Sigursteinn Gíslason at Leiknir Reykjavík in May 2009. Early in the 2011 season, Gíslason took sick leave after being diagnosed with cancer and Gunnar and former Leiknir boss Garðar Gunnar Ásgeirsson were installed as interim managers. Gunnar and Garðar were relieved of their duties in July 2011, after Gíslason was replaced by Zoran Miljkovic. Gunnar rejoined Leiknir as assistant manager to Willum Þór Þórsson in November 2011. After Þórsson was sacked in September 2012, Gunnar took over as interim manager until the end of the 2012 season.

Prior to June 2020, Gunnar coached at his former club Valur. In June 2020, Gunnar signed an 18-month contract to manage 2. deild karla club Kári. He presided over a mid-table finish, before departing to sign a two-year contract to manage 1. deild karla club Víkingur Ólafsvík in November 2020. With the club bottom of the division midway through the 2021 season, Gunnar was replaced by Guðjón Þórðarson.

Honours
MVV Maastricht
 * Eerste Divisie: 1996–97

KR Reykjavík


 * Úrvalsdeild: 2000, 2002, 2003
 * Icelandic League Cup: 2001, 2005
 * Icelandic Super Cup: 2003

Valur
 * Úrvalsdeild: 2007
 * Icelandic League Cup: 2008
 * Icelandic Super Cup: 2008