Leif Gunnar Smerud

Leif Gunnar Smerud (born 24 January 1977) is a Norwegian professional football manager, former player and psychologist. He held the position of head coach for Norwegian under-21 side since 2014. In June 2022, he led the team into 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship.

Background
Leif Gunnar Smerud has a Cand.Psych degree from the University of Copenhagen, and is a licensed clinical psychologist. He also studied at the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. He holds a UEFA Pro license, and has been working as Deputy Technical Director in the Norwegian Football Federation.

Playing career
Smerud started playing for Våganes, but soon went to FK Vidar, where he made his first team debut at the age of 15. He made the national team U15 in 1992, and played at the 1995 UEFA European Under-18 Championship.

Helped by former coach legend Kjell Schou-Andreassen, he left Vidar after two promotions and two relegations in four years, for Lillestrøm SK in 1997. He played several positions during his career there. After Lillestrøm, he went on to play for Viking FK, where Benny Lennartson and Bjarne Berntsen identified him as a talent for coaching, and gave him the position as head coach for the Jr-elite team in 2002, whilst playing. After Viking he went to FK Mandalskameratene and FC Lyn Oslo, before retiring at the age of 28.

Managerial career
Smerud's first head coach position came for Hønefoss BK in 2011 in Norwegian First Division. He helped the team to be promoted in his first year, an accomplishment for which he was awarded the Young Coach of the Year award in Norway. He led Hønefoss in Eliteserien in 2012 and 2013, before starting his work as U21-National Team coach in 2014. He has also won the bronze medal as assistant coach for the Norway women's national football team, in the UEFA Women's Euro 2009. He was the interim manager for the same team in 2016.

Smerud made headlines in Norway when he became the manager of the Norway national football team in the Nations League, in November 2020. When the regular coaching staff was quarantined, he was asked to gather and lead the team to a win in the decisive game against Austria. The team was praised for their performance, despite a 1–1 draw.

Norway U21
Under Smerud, Norway managed to qualify for the 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship. This was only the third time in history Norway qualified for the competition. Smerud resigned after the championship had concluded.