Richard Knopper
Encyclopedia
Richard Knopper is a Dutch
footballer who plays for Haaglandia
as a midfielder
.
.
In 1999, he was voted by Ajax supporters as Most Talented Player, receiving the Marco van Basten Trophy. The following year, he netted 15 league
goals as a midfielder, but the club could only finish fifth.
A regular under Jan Wouters, Knopper saw his playing time reduce when Co Adriaanse
took over as head coach in 2000, also being injured for almost the entire season, playing only eight matches that year, and appearing slightly more in the following, which would be his last.
In May 2002, Knopper had a trial with English
Premier League side Sunderland
and played in that predicament in the Niall Quinn
testimonial match
with the Republic of Ireland
on the 14th. From 2002–04 he served two loans, first with Greece
's Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
then with SC Heerenveen, slightly reviving his career with the latter. Upon his Ajax release in the 2004 summer, he spent two additional seasons with Vitesse Arnhem, appearing regularly.
After some problems with Vitesse manager Aad de Mos, Knopper was forced to leave, joining ADO Den Haag
. In July 2007, a three-year link was agreed, with the player netting again in double figures (10) in 2008–09, crucial to help in a narrow escape from relegation; in the 2010 summer, aged 33, he was released.
In January 2011, 33-year old Knopper moved to Liga Primer Indonesia club PSM Makassar
, leaving after a couple of months, and signing with lowly VV Haaglandia
back in his country.
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
footballer who plays for Haaglandia
Haaglandia
VV Haaglandia is an association football club from Rijswijk, the Netherlands.The club was established on July 1, 2005, through a merger of amateur sides RVC/Rijswijk and FC Kranenburg...
as a midfielder
Midfielder
A midfielder is an association football position. Some midfielders play a more defensive role, while others blur the boundaries between midfielders and forwards. The number of midfielders a team uses during a match may vary, depending on the team's formation and each individual player's role...
.
Club career
Knopper began his footballing career with Feyenoord Rotterdam but, still in his youth, moved to rivals Ajax Amsterdam, making his club debuts in November 1997, against Sparta RotterdamSparta Rotterdam
Sparta Rotterdam is the oldest professional football team in the Netherlands, established on April 1, 1888. Sparta is one of three professional football clubs from Rotterdam, the others being Excelsior and Feyenoord , the latter playing in the Eredivisie.-History:Sparta was first founded in 1887....
.
In 1999, he was voted by Ajax supporters as Most Talented Player, receiving the Marco van Basten Trophy. The following year, he netted 15 league
Eredivisie
The Eredivisie is the highest football league in the Netherlands. The league was founded in 1956 two years after the start of professional football in the Netherlands. It is currently ranked the ninth best league in Europe by UEFA....
goals as a midfielder, but the club could only finish fifth.
A regular under Jan Wouters, Knopper saw his playing time reduce when Co Adriaanse
Co Adriaanse
Jacobus "Co" Adriaanse is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who is currently the head coach of Eredivisie team FC Twente.-Playing career:...
took over as head coach in 2000, also being injured for almost the entire season, playing only eight matches that year, and appearing slightly more in the following, which would be his last.
In May 2002, Knopper had a trial with English
England
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...
Premier League side Sunderland
Sunderland A.F.C.
Sunderland Association Football Club is an English association football club based in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear who currently play in the Premier League...
and played in that predicament in the Niall Quinn
Niall Quinn
Niall John Quinn honorary MBE is a former Irish international footballer, and the ex-chairman of Sunderland AFC. He still works at the club as an overseas manager. He is also heavily involved in the management side of horse racing...
testimonial match
Testimonial match
A testimonial match or testimonial game, often referred to simply as a testimonial, is a practice in some sports, notably football and especially in the United Kingdom, where a club puts on a match in honour of a player for service to the club....
with the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
on the 14th. From 2002–04 he served two loans, first with Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
's Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris Thessaloniki F.C.
Aris Football Club , also known as God of war and the Yellows, is a Greek football club based in the city of Thessaloniki, Macedonia. Formed in 1914, the club was a founding member of Macedonian Football Clubs Association as well as the Hellenic Football Federation, they currently compete in...
then with SC Heerenveen, slightly reviving his career with the latter. Upon his Ajax release in the 2004 summer, he spent two additional seasons with Vitesse Arnhem, appearing regularly.
After some problems with Vitesse manager Aad de Mos, Knopper was forced to leave, joining ADO Den Haag
ADO Den Haag
Alles Door Oefening Den Haag , commonly known by the abbreviated name ADO Den Haag , is a Dutch football club from the city of The Hague. The club was for a time known as FC Den Haag , with ADO representing the amateur branch of the club...
. In July 2007, a three-year link was agreed, with the player netting again in double figures (10) in 2008–09, crucial to help in a narrow escape from relegation; in the 2010 summer, aged 33, he was released.
In January 2011, 33-year old Knopper moved to Liga Primer Indonesia club PSM Makassar
PSM Makassar
PSM, an acronym for Persatuan Sepakbola Makassar, is a football club that plays in the Liga Primer Indonesia. It was once considered as one of Indonesia's strongest football clubs, having won a title in 2000 and finishing runner-up three out of the past four seasons after that...
, leaving after a couple of months, and signing with lowly VV Haaglandia
Haaglandia
VV Haaglandia is an association football club from Rijswijk, the Netherlands.The club was established on July 1, 2005, through a merger of amateur sides RVC/Rijswijk and FC Kranenburg...
back in his country.