Glenn Loovens
Encyclopedia
Glenn Loovens is a Dutch professional footballer currently playing as a centre back for Celtic
in the Scottish Premier League
. He is a former Netherlands under-21 international, and made his full international debut on 5 September 2009 in a 3–0 friendly win against Japan
.
, came through the Feyenoord youth system and made his debut against PSV Eindhoven in the 2001–02 season
in the Feyenoord team that later won the UEFA Cup, alongside Robin van Persie
, Civard Sprockel
and Ferne Snoyl
. In the later seasons, he failed to make good on his promising start as he quickly lost his position in defence to Patrick Paauwe
again. He made his European
debut at 19 years old, in a 2–0 defeat to Dynamo Kiev
at the Olympic Stadium
in Kiev
on 23 October 2002.
side Cardiff City
and impressed enough so that they signed the promising young defender on a permanent deal after several months of negotiations for a reported fee of £250,000. He originally formed a defensive partnership with club captain Darren Purse
but the 2007–08 season saw Purse lose his place in the side to Roger Johnson
and the pair went on to form a vital base for the team to build on, including playing alongside each other in all 6 matches during the clubs run to the 2008 FA Cup Final
. Loovens found the back of the net in the final against Portsmouth
but it was disallowed for an earlier infringement. The 2007–08 season also saw Loovens make his 100th appearance in all competitions for Cardiff by playing against Hull City
on 12 March.
rivals Celtic
and Rangers
emerging as leading candidates to secure his signing. Walter Smith
, manager of Rangers, declared his interest in Loovens and made an offer for his services but their valuation of the defender was rejected by Cardiff. On 16 August 2008, Loovens joined Scottish champions
Celtic
on a four-year contract for a fee of around £2.1 million Loovens stated that Parkhead
was his preferred destination as he will get the chance to play in the Champions League
. He made his Celtic debut on 23 August 2008, in a 3–0 win over Falkirk
at Celtic Park
. His first goal came on 23 September 2008 in a Co-op Insurance League Cup
tie, also at Celtic Park, as Celtic beat Livingston
4–0.
Loovens scored the winning goal against Hearts
in injury time on 20 September 2009, to send Celtic top of the table. He scored an own goal
in a 1-3 defeat against Rangers
in October 2010 and was criticised for his performance in Celtic's next game, a League Cup
win over St Johnstone
. Loovens paid for his poor form, as he was dropped for the following match, also against St Johnstone.
when he started the Oranjes 3–0 friendly win over Japan
, on 5 September 2009. He had previously been capped twice for the under-21 side
.
Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in the Scottish Premier League
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
. He is a former Netherlands under-21 international, and made his full international debut on 5 September 2009 in a 3–0 friendly win against Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
.
Early career
Loovens, a defenderDefender (association football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
, came through the Feyenoord youth system and made his debut against PSV Eindhoven in the 2001–02 season
2001-02 in Dutch football
The 2001/2002 season in Dutch football was the 46th season in the Eredivisie, where Ajax Amsterdam claimed the double .-Johan Cruijff-schaal:-Eredivisie:*Champions League : Ajax Amsterdam and PSV Eindhoven...
in the Feyenoord team that later won the UEFA Cup, alongside Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie
Robin van Persie is a Dutch footballer who plays as a striker for Arsenal and the Dutch national team. He is a youth product of Feyenoord. Having joined Arsenal in 2004, Van Persie became the club captain on 16 August 2011...
, Civard Sprockel
Civard Sprockel
Civard Sprockel is a Dutch Antillean footballer who plays as a centre back for Anorthosis Famagusta. He formerly played for Feyenoord, Excelsior and Vitesse and was a member of the Dutch team at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship....
and Ferne Snoyl
Ferne Snoyl
Ferne Snoyl is a Dutch professional footballer who most recently played for NAC Breda. Previously he has played in Scotland for Aberdeen after a loan move from his club former club Feyenoord.-References:...
. In the later seasons, he failed to make good on his promising start as he quickly lost his position in defence to Patrick Paauwe
Patrick Paauwe
Patrick Paauwe is a former professional football player from the Netherlands.-Career:He played for Feyenoord Rotterdam in a defensive midfield role, although he has been used mainly as defender in the past. Other teams he served are PSV Eindhoven, De Graafschap, Fortuna Sittard, Valenciennes FC...
again. He made his European
UEFA
The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer....
debut at 19 years old, in a 2–0 defeat to Dynamo Kiev
FC Dynamo Kyiv
FC Dynamo Kyiv is a professional football club based in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv. Founded in 1927, the club currently participates in the Ukrainian Premier League and has spent its entire history in the top league of Soviet and later Ukrainian football...
at the Olympic Stadium
Olimpiysky National Sports Complex
The Olympic National Sports Complex is a multi-use sports facility in Kiev, Ukraine, located on the slopes of city's central Cherepanov Hill, Pechersk Raion. The stadium is the premier sports venue of Ukraine and one of the world's largest...
in Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
on 23 October 2002.
Cardiff City
Loovens spent the 2005–06 season on loan at ChampionshipFootball League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
side Cardiff City
Cardiff City F.C.
Cardiff City Football Club are a Welsh professional football club based in Cardiff, Wales. The club competes in the English football pyramid and is currently playing in the Football League Championship. Cardiff City is the best supported football club in Wales, averaging approximately 22,500 for...
and impressed enough so that they signed the promising young defender on a permanent deal after several months of negotiations for a reported fee of £250,000. He originally formed a defensive partnership with club captain Darren Purse
Darren Purse
Darren John Purse is an English professional footballer who plays for League Two club Plymouth Argyle as a defender, on loan from Championship side Millwall....
but the 2007–08 season saw Purse lose his place in the side to Roger Johnson
Roger Johnson (footballer)
Roger Johnson is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers....
and the pair went on to form a vital base for the team to build on, including playing alongside each other in all 6 matches during the clubs run to the 2008 FA Cup Final
2008 FA Cup Final
The 2008 FA Cup Final was a football match held at Wembley Stadium on 17 May 2008 and was the final match of the 2007–08 FA Cup competition. The match was the 127th FA Cup Final, and the second to be held at the new Wembley Stadium since its redevelopment. The match was contested by Portsmouth and...
. Loovens found the back of the net in the final against Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
but it was disallowed for an earlier infringement. The 2007–08 season also saw Loovens make his 100th appearance in all competitions for Cardiff by playing against Hull City
Hull City A.F.C.
Hull City Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Kingston upon Hull, East Riding of Yorkshire, founded in 1904. The club participates in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football...
on 12 March.
Celtic
Loovens was the subject of transfer interest for most of Summer 2008, with Old FirmOld Firm
The Old Firm is a common collective name for the association football clubs Celtic and Rangers, both based in Glasgow, Scotland.The origin of the term is unclear. One theory has it that the expression derives from Celtic's first game in 1888, which was played against Rangers. However, author,...
rivals Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
and Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
emerging as leading candidates to secure his signing. Walter Smith
Walter Smith
Walter Smith, OBE is a Scottish football manager. His most recent job was at Scottish Premier League club Rangers.Smith had a relatively modest playing career, consisting of two spells with Dundee United which was split by a short time at Dumbarton.A pelvic injury meant he moved in to coaching at...
, manager of Rangers, declared his interest in Loovens and made an offer for his services but their valuation of the defender was rejected by Cardiff. On 16 August 2008, Loovens joined Scottish champions
Scottish Premier League
The Scottish Premier League , also known as the SPL , is a professional league competition for association football clubs in Scotland...
Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
on a four-year contract for a fee of around £2.1 million Loovens stated that Parkhead
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
was his preferred destination as he will get the chance to play in the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. He made his Celtic debut on 23 August 2008, in a 3–0 win over Falkirk
Falkirk F.C.
Falkirk Football Club is a Scottish professional football club based in Falkirk. It is one of two professional football teams from the town, the other being East Stirlingshire...
at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
. His first goal came on 23 September 2008 in a Co-op Insurance League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
tie, also at Celtic Park, as Celtic beat Livingston
Livingston F.C.
Livingston Football Club is a Scottish association football club based in Livingston, West Lothian. The club currently plays in the Scottish Football League First Division.The club was founded in 1943 as Ferranti Thistle, a works team...
4–0.
Loovens scored the winning goal against Hearts
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
Heart of Midlothian Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Gorgie, in the west of Edinburgh. They currently play in the Scottish Premier League and are one of the two principal clubs in the city, the other being Hibernian...
in injury time on 20 September 2009, to send Celtic top of the table. He scored an own goal
Own goal
An own net occurs in goal-scoring games when a player scores a goal that is registered against his or her own team. It is usually accidental, and may be a result of an attempt at defensive play that failed or was spoiled by opponents....
in a 1-3 defeat against Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
in October 2010 and was criticised for his performance in Celtic's next game, a League Cup
Scottish League Cup
The Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
win over St Johnstone
St Johnstone F.C.
St. Johnstone F.C. is a professional football club based in Perth, Scotland. Although it is officially recorded as being formed in 1884, the club did not play its first game until February 1885. The club's home since 1989 has been McDiarmid Park....
. Loovens paid for his poor form, as he was dropped for the following match, also against St Johnstone.
International career
Loovens received his first senior cap for the NetherlandsNetherlands national football team
The Netherlands National Football Team represents the Netherlands in association football and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association , the governing body for football in the Netherlands...
when he started the Oranjes 3–0 friendly win over Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
, on 5 September 2009. He had previously been capped twice for the under-21 side
Netherlands national under-21 football team
The Netherlands national under-21 football team is the national under-21 team of the Netherlands and is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association. The team competes in the European Under-21 Championship, held every two years....
.
Career statistics
| Season | Club | Nat | Apps | Goals | Assists | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001–02 | Feyenoord |  |
10 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2002–03 | Feyenoord | |
14 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2004–05 | Feyenoord | |
9 | 0 | 1 | |
| 2005–06 | Cardiff |  |
36 | 2 | 3 | |
| 2006–07 | Cardiff | |
32 | 1 | 2 | |
| 2007–08 | Cardiff | |
43 | 0 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | Cardiff | |
2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008–09 | Celtic Celtic F.C. Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... |
 |
23 | 4 | 1 | |
| 2009–10 | Celtic Celtic F.C. Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... |
|
29 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 | Celtic Celtic F.C. Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... |
|
21 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2011–12 | Celtic Celtic F.C. Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the... |
|
9 | 0 | 0 | |
| | Total | 228 | 11 | 14 | |||
Honours
Feyenoord- UEFA Cup: 2001-022002 UEFA Cup FinalThe 2002 UEFA Cup Final was a football match played on 8 May 2002, between Feyenoord of the Netherlands and Borussia Dortmund of Germany. Feyenoord won the match 3–2. It was the 31st UEFA Cup Final and was held in the Feijenoord Stadion, which is the home ground of Feyenoord...
Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
- Scottish League CupScottish League CupThe Scottish League Cup is a football competition open to all Scottish Football League and Scottish Premier League clubs. At present it is also known as the Scottish Communities League Cup owing to the sponsorship deal in place with the Scottish Government. In the past it has been sponsored by...
: 2008-092009 Scottish League Cup FinalThe 2009 Scottish League Cup Final was the final match of the 2008–09 Scottish League Cup, the 62nd season of the Scottish League Cup. The match was played at Hampden Park, Glasgow on 15 March 2009, and was won by Celtic, who beat Old Firm rivals and Cup holders, Rangers, 2-0 after extra... - Scottish CupScottish CupThe Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
: 2010-112011 Scottish Cup FinalThe 2011 Scottish Cup Final was the 126th final of the Scottish Cup, Scottish football's most prestigious knockout association football competition. The match toke place at Hampden Park on 21 May 2011 and was played by Scottish Premier League clubs Motherwell and Celtic...
External links
- Glenn Loovens profile Cardiff City FC
- Glenn Loovens Celtic FC