Iceland summer helps James escape the twilight

As a place where daylight gives way to darkness for only a few hours each night during the summer, it seems Iceland is the perfect place for David James to extend his own time in the sun as a footballer.

At the age of 42 and with 23 years of senior football behind him, James may be in the twilight of his playing career but he is determined to enjoy it while it lasts at ÍBV Vestmannaeyjar.

Since moving to the club in April, the former Liverpool FC, Aston Villa FC, Manchester City FC and Portsmouth FC man has even had a taste of European competition, with Vestmannaeyjar currently 2-0 down at the halfway stage of their UEFA Europa League second qualifying round tie with FK Crvena zvezda.

"I did not know much about the football in Iceland but was open-minded and impressed with what I have seen," said James of his move to a team based on the Vestmanna islands in the south of the country which boast a population of 4,000 and an active volcano.

"There are not many people in Vestmanna but those who are are very interested in football," added James, capped 53 times by England. "This has been a very good experience, a good adventure and the people in the islands have made me feel very welcome."

Enticed to the country by former Portsmouth team-mate and current ÍBV coach Hermann Hreidarsson, James is relishing his time at the club where he also has the role of assistant coach. "This is my first experience in coaching and has been good for me, the players are interested in my experience," he said of coaching a squad which contains four fellow Englishmen in the shape of Matt Garner, Bradley Simmonds, Ian Jeffs and Aaron Spear.

Having seen off HB Tórshavn in the first round, his team are up against it against former European Cup winners Crvena zvezda but James has seen too much to be giving up hope just yet. "I have great confidence in ÍBV for the game," he said. "There is a possibility if we try our best as there is nothing certain in football."