Education
Despite good performances, including a 0–0 draw away to rivals Arsenal, he was unable to become the team"s first-choice keeper, but finished his time at the North London club with a Worthington Cup winners medal from 1999.
Despite good performances, including a 0–0 draw away to rivals Arsenal, he was unable to become the team"s first-choice keeper, but finished his time at the North London club with a Worthington Cup winners medal from 1999.
He played as a goalkeeper. Born in the United States to Norwegian parents, he was selected for the United States of America under-18 national team before switching his international eligibility to Norway because of his dual nationality. In 1995 Baardsen was spotted by English team while he was playing for the San Francisco United All Blacks of the USISL. Tottenham offered him a contract.
He made his debut for the team in the spring of 1997 against Liverpool at Anfield.
In 2000 Baardsen, seeking first-team football, signed for Watford for a fee of £1.25 million. However, towards the end of the 2000-2001 season he lost his place in the team to veteran Alec Chamberlain.
Although he returned to the side under new manager Gianluca Vialli in 2001-2002, he was again displaced by Chamberlain. In 2002, he had a short spell at Everton.
In his sole game for the club he conceded 4 goals in a 4–3 loss to his former club
Claiming to have lost interest in the game, Baardsen retired from football aged only 25. He made his debut for Norway in a September 1998 European Championship qualifying match against Latvia. Before that match, he was already part of Norway"s 1998 World Cup squad as third-choice goalkeeper, despite the fact that he had never lived in Norway in his entire life.
His last international match was a friendly against Iceland in January 2000.
After retiring, Baardsen went travelling around the world for a year. He is currently a partner and fund manager for a London-based asset management company.
He is a frequent guest on the business television network Consumer News and Business Channel.