Peter Kjær
Encyclopedia
Peter Kjær is a Danish
former football player, current television commentator, and sporting director of Silkeborg IF
. During his active career as a goalkeeper, he played the bulk of his career with Danish clubs Vejle Boldklub
and Silkeborg IF
. He played for Turkish club Besiktas
before ending his career with Aberdeen
in Scotland, retiring in 2003. He represented the Denmark national football team
in four matches.
, he started his senior career at Vejle BK in 1983. He played a total 225 games and scored two goals for the club. He only played one game in the Danish Superliga 1991-92
season, serving as back-up for Boye Habekost, as Vejle were relegated to the Danish 1st Division
. He played his last Vejle game in November 1992, before he joined Superliga club Silkeborg IF
, making his debut for the team in March 1993. He played a total 291 games and scored two goals for Silkeborg, won the Danish Superliga 1993-94
championship and 2001 Danish Cup
with the team, and was named 1999 Danish Goalkeeper of the Year
.
He had a brief stint in Turkey
with Beşiktaş J.K.
in 2001, under manager Christoph Daum
. After two months at the club, Kjær was told by Daum that he contemplated leaving the club, and Kjær asked for his contract to be annulled. In October 2001, he was picked up by Danish manager Ebbe Skovdahl
to join Scottish
club Aberdeen
. He stayed with the club until June 2003, after which he retired.
Kjær was included in the Denmark squads for the 1995 Intercontinental Cup
, 1998 FIFA World Cup
, Euro 2000
but he spent all three tournaments on the bench. He made his Denmark debut on 25 April 2001 in the farewell match of Peter Schmeichel
. He was 35 years and 171 days old at the time, breaking the old record for oldest Danish debutant by 17 days, a record set by Johannes Gandil
in 1908. He went on to play four international games until March 2002. He was included in the Danish squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
, serving as a back-up to Thomas Sørensen
.
After his retirement, Kjær was hired as a commentator and pundit for Danish TV 3 in August 2004. He was named sporting director of his former club Silkeborg IF
in October 2008, and was in the job for nearly six months. He then went back to doing TV work.
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...
former football player, current television commentator, and sporting director of Silkeborg IF
Silkeborg IF
Silkeborg IF is a Danish professional football club based in the city of Silkeborg, in the middle of Jutland. Silkeborg IF plays in the Danish Superliga. The club was founded in 1917 and they first reach the highest level of football in Denmark in 1987, at that time called 1st division today known...
. During his active career as a goalkeeper, he played the bulk of his career with Danish clubs 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....
and Silkeborg IF
Silkeborg IF
Silkeborg IF is a Danish professional football club based in the city of Silkeborg, in the middle of Jutland. Silkeborg IF plays in the Danish Superliga. The club was founded in 1917 and they first reach the highest level of football in Denmark in 1987, at that time called 1st division today known...
. He played for Turkish club Besiktas
Besiktas J.K.
Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
before ending his career with Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
in Scotland, retiring in 2003. He represented the Denmark national football 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...
in four matches.
Biography
Born in FredericiaFredericia
Fredericia is a town located in Fredericia municipality in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, in a sub-region known locally as Trekanten, or The Triangle...
, he started his senior career at Vejle BK in 1983. He played a total 225 games and scored two goals for the club. He only played one game in the Danish Superliga 1991-92
Danish Superliga 1991-92
The 1991-92 Danish Superliga season was the 2nd season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association....
season, serving as back-up for Boye Habekost, as Vejle were relegated to the Danish 1st Division
Danish 1st Division
The 1st Division has been the name of the second highest football league in Denmark since 1991. From 1945 to 1991 the 1st Division was the name of the highest level of football in Denmark...
. He played his last Vejle game in November 1992, before he joined Superliga club Silkeborg IF
Silkeborg IF
Silkeborg IF is a Danish professional football club based in the city of Silkeborg, in the middle of Jutland. Silkeborg IF plays in the Danish Superliga. The club was founded in 1917 and they first reach the highest level of football in Denmark in 1987, at that time called 1st division today known...
, making his debut for the team in March 1993. He played a total 291 games and scored two goals for Silkeborg, won the Danish Superliga 1993-94
Danish Superliga 1993-94
The 1993-94 Danish Superliga season was the 4th season of the Danish Superliga league championship, governed by the Danish Football Association....
championship and 2001 Danish Cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
with the team, and was named 1999 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...
.
He had a brief stint in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
with Beşiktaş J.K.
Besiktas J.K.
Beşiktaş Jimnastik Kulübü , or simply Beşiktaş , is a Turkish sports club. The club's football team is one of the major teams in Turkey. The professional sports club, founded in 1903, is based in the Beşiktaş district in Istanbul, Turkey...
in 2001, under manager Christoph Daum
Christoph Daum
Christoph Daum is a German football coach, currently managing Club Brugge.-Career as a player:Daum began his football career in 1971 in the youth league with Hamborn 07, transferred in 1972 to Eintracht Duisburg and then in 1975 to 1...
. After two months at the club, Kjær was told by Daum that he contemplated leaving the club, and Kjær asked for his contract to be annulled. In October 2001, he was picked up by Danish manager Ebbe Skovdahl
Ebbe Skovdahl
Ebbe Skovdahl Hansen is a retired Danish football manager. He most prominently was a successful manager at Brøndby IF, for whom he had also played in his active years...
to join Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
club Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
. He stayed with the club until June 2003, after which he retired.
Kjær was included in the Denmark squads for the 1995 Intercontinental Cup
1995 King Fahd Cup
-Group B:---------Third place play-off:-Final:-Goalscorers:3 goals Luis García2 goals Gabriel Batistuta Peter Rasmussen Daniel Amokachi1 goal José Chamot Ariel Ortega Sebastián Rambert Brian Laudrup Michael Laudrup...
, 1998 FIFA World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, Euro 2000
2000 UEFA European Football Championship
The 2000 UEFA European Football Championship, or Euro 2000, was the 11th UEFA European Football Championship, which is held every four years and organized by UEFA, association football's governing body in Europe....
but he spent all three tournaments on the bench. He made his Denmark debut on 25 April 2001 in the farewell match of 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...
. He was 35 years and 171 days old at the time, breaking the old record for oldest Danish debutant by 17 days, a record set by Johannes Gandil
Johannes Gandil
Johannes Gandil was a Danish amateur footballer, who played one game as a forward for the Denmark national football team, winning a silver medal at the 1908 Summer Olympics...
in 1908. He went on to play four international games until March 2002. He was included in the Danish squad for the 2002 FIFA World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
, serving as a back-up to Thomas Sørensen
Thomas Sørensen
Thomas Løvendahl Sørensen is a Danish professional football goalkeeper, who plays for Premier League club Stoke City. He has previously represented Premiership teams Sunderland and Aston Villa....
.
After his retirement, Kjær was hired as a commentator and pundit for Danish TV 3 in August 2004. He was named sporting director of his former club Silkeborg IF
Silkeborg IF
Silkeborg IF is a Danish professional football club based in the city of Silkeborg, in the middle of Jutland. Silkeborg IF plays in the Danish Superliga. The club was founded in 1917 and they first reach the highest level of football in Denmark in 1987, at that time called 1st division today known...
in October 2008, and was in the job for nearly six months. He then went back to doing TV work.