Iceland’s Hermann Hreiðarsson on Swapping Premier League for Brentford

Hermann Hreiðarsson, a former Icelandic international and Crystal Palace stalwart, has spoken candidly about his decision to leave the Premier League for Brentford in 1998.

At the time, Hreiðarsson was just 23 years old and had already made a name for himself in England’s top flight. However, he opted to drop down two divisions to join Brentford, who were then struggling in the Third Division.

The £750,000 transfer fee was a record for Brentford at the time and stood for 16 years. Hreiðarsson has revealed that he made the move without an agent, relying on his friendship with Ron Noades, who owned Crystal Palace while he was there.

“I think it was a little bit of a risky move,” Hreiðarsson admitted in a recent interview from Iceland, where he is now manager of second-tier side HK Kópavogur. “But I also thought it was a good chance to experience the lower leagues and the infrastructure of English football.”

Hreiðarsson’s decision to leave the Premier League may have been unexpected, but it ultimately proved to be a shrewd move for his career. He went on to develop his game under the guidance of Ray Lewington, who had joined Brentford from Crystal Palace.