Jimmy Nielsen
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Nielsen is a Danish
professional footballer currently playing for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer
.
Until June 2007, he played 398 games for Danish team AaB Fodbold. Playing every league match for AaB since 1997, Nielsen won the 1999 Danish Superliga
championship with AaB. Nielsen has on occasion featured in the Danish national team
setup as an unused substitute. He won the 1998 and 2004 Danish Goalkeeper of the Year
award.
club Millwall F.C.
in 1994. He did not play for the club and moved back to Denmark, settling in at AaB in 1995. He made his senior debut in 1996, quickly becoming the starting goalkeeper in AaB. Nielsen was one of the cornerstones of AaB, culminating in the 1998–99 Danish Superliga championship. During a session with the Denmark national under-21 football team
in 1999, Nielsen and u-21 teammates Allan Kierstein Jepsen
and Peter Degn
went to the Munkebjerg casino
in Vejle
at night to gamble. They were subsequently excluded from all national team practices, a ban that lasted several years. This earned Nielsen the nickname
Casino-Jimmy.
Nielsen signed a contract with Leicester City on June 4, 2007. He joined via Martin Allen's agent, who claimed he was "another Peter Schmeichel
". However, he was left in the reserve squad following the arrival of Hungarian
goalkeeper Márton Fülöp
. As a result, Nielsen revealed he planned to leave the club during the January transfer window, and was given the green light to do so on November 14. He left the club on January 22, 2008 having his contract terminated by mutual consent without ever having played for the club. The next day he signed a 2½-year contract with Danish team Vejle Boldklub
.
In February 2010, Nielsen moved to Major League Soccer
team Sporting Kansas City. After the 2009 season, Nielsen was admittedly "very close" to retiring after his former club, Vejle Boldklub
, was relegated from the Danish Superliga
. However, after having a conversation with and receiving a contract offer from Peter Vermes
, Nielsen decided to join the Wizards. Since then, Nielsen has stated that he would love to stay with the club another two or three years before considering retirement again.
As reported on December 15, 2010, Nielsen signed a 1-year contract extension to stay with the club through, at least, the 2011 MLS season. He was sent off for a handball outside the box on June 9, 2011, in Sporting Kansas City's inaugural game at their new stadium, Livestrong Sporting Park
.
Nielsen signed a contract extension with Kansas City through the 2013 season on November 28, 2011. The contract also includes an option for the 2014 season.
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Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
professional footballer currently playing for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
.
Until June 2007, he played 398 games for Danish team AaB Fodbold. Playing every league match for AaB since 1997, Nielsen won the 1999 Danish Superliga
Danish Superliga
The Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
championship with AaB. Nielsen has on occasion featured in the Danish national team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
setup as an unused substitute. He won the 1998 and 2004 Danish Goalkeeper of the Year
Det Gyldne Bur
Det Gyldne Bur is an award given to the best goalkeeper in Danish football each year. The winner is found by votes among the goalkeepers in the two top divisions of Danish football; the Danish Superliga and Danish 1st Division. The award has been handed out by Danish sports paper TIPS-Bladet since...
award.
Football career
Nielsen started his career in local amateur club B 52/Aalborg FC. He played youth football for AaB Fodbold, before signing for EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
club Millwall F.C.
Millwall F.C.
Millwall Football Club is an English professional football club based in South Bermondsey, south east London, that plays in the Football League Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded as Millwall Rovers in 1885, the club has retained its name despite having last played in the...
in 1994. He did not play for the club and moved back to Denmark, settling in at AaB in 1995. He made his senior debut in 1996, quickly becoming the starting goalkeeper in AaB. Nielsen was one of the cornerstones of AaB, culminating in the 1998–99 Danish Superliga championship. During a session with the Denmark national under-21 football team
Denmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
in 1999, Nielsen and u-21 teammates Allan Kierstein Jepsen
Allan Kierstein Jepsen
Allan Kierstein Jepsen is a Danish former professional football player. He played as a left back for a number of clubs, spending most of his career with Aalborg Boldspilklub...
and Peter Degn
Peter Degn
Peter Degn was a Danish professional football player, who is now retired. He has played 25 games and scored three goals for the Denmark national under-21 football team.-Biography:...
went to the Munkebjerg casino
Casino
In modern English, a casino is a facility which houses and accommodates certain types of gambling activities. Casinos are most commonly built near or combined with hotels, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships or other tourist attractions...
in Vejle
Vejle
Vejle is a town in Denmark, in the southeast of the Jutland Peninsula at the head of Vejle Fjord, where the Vejle and Grejs Rivers and their valleys converge. It is the site of the councils of Vejle Municipality and the Region of Southern Denmark...
at night to gamble. They were subsequently excluded from all national team practices, a ban that lasted several years. This earned Nielsen the nickname
Nickname
A nickname is "a usually familiar or humorous but sometimes pointed or cruel name given to a person or place, as a supposedly appropriate replacement for or addition to the proper name.", or a name similar in origin and pronunciation from the original name....
Casino-Jimmy.
Nielsen signed a contract with Leicester City on June 4, 2007. He joined via Martin Allen's agent, who claimed he was "another Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
". However, he was left in the reserve squad following the arrival of Hungarian
Hungary
Hungary , officially the Republic of Hungary , is a landlocked country in Central Europe. It is situated in the Carpathian Basin and is bordered by Slovakia to the north, Ukraine and Romania to the east, Serbia and Croatia to the south, Slovenia to the southwest and Austria to the west. The...
goalkeeper Márton Fülöp
Márton Fülöp
Márton Fülöp is a Hungarian footballer who plays for West Bromwich Albion as a goalkeeper. After playing in Hungary for MTK Budapest FC, BKV Előre SC and BFC Siófok, he signed for English club Tottenham Hotspur....
. As a result, Nielsen revealed he planned to leave the club during the January transfer window, and was given the green light to do so on November 14. He left the club on January 22, 2008 having his contract terminated by mutual consent without ever having played for the club. The next day he signed a 2½-year contract with Danish team Vejle Boldklub
Vejle Boldklub
Vejle Boldklub is a Danish football club with proud traditions from the town of Vejle. The club has won the Danish championship five times and the Danish cup title six times....
.
In February 2010, Nielsen moved to Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer
Major League Soccer is a professional soccer league based in the United States and sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation . The league is composed of 19 teams — 16 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada...
team Sporting Kansas City. After the 2009 season, Nielsen was admittedly "very close" to retiring after his former club, Vejle Boldklub
Vejle Boldklub
Vejle Boldklub is a Danish football club with proud traditions from the town of Vejle. The club has won the Danish championship five times and the Danish cup title six times....
, was relegated from the Danish Superliga
Danish Superliga
The Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
. However, after having a conversation with and receiving a contract offer from Peter Vermes
Peter Vermes
Peter Joseph Vermes is an American former professional soccer player. He is currently the head coach of Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer....
, Nielsen decided to join the Wizards. Since then, Nielsen has stated that he would love to stay with the club another two or three years before considering retirement again.
As reported on December 15, 2010, Nielsen signed a 1-year contract extension to stay with the club through, at least, the 2011 MLS season. He was sent off for a handball outside the box on June 9, 2011, in Sporting Kansas City's inaugural game at their new stadium, Livestrong Sporting Park
Livestrong Sporting Park
Livestrong Sporting Park is a soccer-specific stadium in Kansas City, Kansas and is the home of Sporting Kansas City. The stadium opened during the 2011 season of Major League Soccer on June 9, 2011 with a match against the Chicago Fire. The stadium has a seating capacity of 18,467 seats, which can...
.
Nielsen signed a contract extension with Kansas City through the 2013 season on November 28, 2011. The contract also includes an option for the 2014 season.
Honours
- Danish Goalkeeper of the YearDet Gyldne BurDet Gyldne Bur is an award given to the best goalkeeper in Danish football each year. The winner is found by votes among the goalkeepers in the two top divisions of Danish football; the Danish Superliga and Danish 1st Division. The award has been handed out by Danish sports paper TIPS-Bladet since...
: 1998 and 2004 - Danish SuperligaDanish SuperligaThe Danish Superliga is the current Danish football championship tournament, and administered by the Danish Football Association. It is the highest association football league in Denmark and is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams to be relegated, which proves to be one of the...
: 1998–99
Major League Soccer
- Save of the Week: 2010 Six times
•Week 9
•Week 13
•Week 14
•Week 16
•Week 21
•Week 22
- Save of the Week: 2011 Four times
•Week 19
•Week 21
•Week 25
•Week 32
- All Star: 2010