Serginho Greene
Encyclopedia
Serginho Greene, (born 24 June 1982 in Amsterdam
) is a Dutch
association football player who is currently playing for Levski Sofia
in the Bulgarian A PFG.
or basketball
, but totally in love with football. He loved to play with the ball and work on his technique by doing tricks or playing matches on the streets of Amsterdam.
At six, his father took him to FC Abcoude where he played in their youth squads until he was twelve, before joining Ajax Amsterdam
's famous football school. He cruised through all youth squads until the A1 squad where they told him he was too good for Ajax' reserve team, but was not yet able to make the step towards their first team. They offered him to join HFC Haarlem
on loan, but he wasn't keen on such a move. Eventually he decided to go there and to start his professional career.
, playing 34 matches and scoring one goal. He still had a three year remaining contract at Ajax which he gave up, because he did not want to play in the Eerste Divisie any longer. Ajax decided to release him and fellow Eredivisie
contenders RKC Waalwijk
showed interest in him. Working with Martin Jol
, Željko Petrović
(who still was a player at RKC in those days) and Erwin Koeman
he learned a lot about professional football and he developed quickly.
, Tottenham Hotspur, Galatasaray
Hamburger SV
, Rangers F.C.
, AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord Rotterdam
showed interest in signing him. Eventually Feyenoord announced signing Greene on a free transfer on 14 April 2005. The main reasons for Greene to join Feyenoord were the club's reputation and their well known fanatic supporters.
and joined the Feyenoord squad in the summer of 2005. At Feyenoord's presentation day on July 27, 2004 Greene flew into De Kuip by helicopter among other new signed players Maikel Aerts
, Timothy Derijck
, Gianni Zuiverloon
, Tim Vincken
and Ali Boussaboun
. Feyenoord also appointed a new coach to replace Ruud Gullit
and to Greene's surprise it was his latest RKC coach Erwin Koeman who was given the job.
At Feyenoord Greene impressed right from the start and gained his first team spot right away playing in the center of Rotterdam
defence. Late December 2005 Feyenoord signed fellow central defender Ron Vlaar
from AZ Alkmaar and questions arose about who was going to play where. As rightback Alexander Östlund
left the club it was decided that Vlaar and André Bahia
would play in the center and Greene would play further as a right defender. Since joining Feyenoord Greene hardly missed a match; The team however is struggling in both finances and results.
In the season of 2008–09, Greene's contract, which expires in the summer of 2009, was not renewed, as Feyenoord announced the release of Greene after the end of the season.
club.
In June 2010, he went on trial with a Russian side FC Terek Grozny
, but Terek decided not to sign him.
, Bulgaria
in order to negotiate terms with Bulgarian side Levski Sofia
. On the next day, he made his first training with Levski. Serginho signed his contract with Levski, two days later, on August 10, 2010. The contract is for two years.
During the 2010/2011 Levski qualified for UEFA Europa League after eliminating Dundalk F.C.
, Kalmar FF
and AIK Fotboll
. Levski was drawn in Group C, facing Gent, Lille
and Sporting CP.
Greene quickly became a first team regular playing as a defensive midfielder alongside Vladimir Gadzhev
.
Serginho scored his first goal for Levski on 16 September 2010 against Gent. This goal gave Levski a 3-2 home win in their first Europa League Group stage match.
Serginho started playing as a defensive midfielder, but due to Levski's defensive problems he was moved to centre-back. With the January purchase of midfielder Daniel Dimov
it's likely Greene will continue playing centre-half in 2011.
On 4 August 2011, he was sent off in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League match against Slovak
side Spartak Trnava.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
) is a Dutch
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...
association football player who is currently playing for Levski Sofia
PFC Levski Sofia
"Levski Sofia" redirects here. For the sports club, see Levski Sofia .PFC Levski Sofia, otherwise simply known as Levski or Levski Sofia, is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria...
in the Bulgarian A PFG.
Early life
Greene's life was all about football since he was a little kid, growing up in the south-eastern part of Amsterdam where playing street football was a daily routine. He was never interested in other sports like tennisTennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
or basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, but totally in love with football. He loved to play with the ball and work on his technique by doing tricks or playing matches on the streets of Amsterdam.
At six, his father took him to FC Abcoude where he played in their youth squads until he was twelve, before joining Ajax Amsterdam
Ajax Amsterdam
Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax , also referred to as AFC Ajax, Ajax Amsterdam or simply Ajax , is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands...
's famous football school. He cruised through all youth squads until the A1 squad where they told him he was too good for Ajax' reserve team, but was not yet able to make the step towards their first team. They offered him to join HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem
HFC Haarlem was a Dutch football club from the city of Haarlem, established in 1889. The club won the Dutch national title in 1946 and reached five Cup finals, winning in 1902 and 1912...
on loan, but he wasn't keen on such a move. Eventually he decided to go there and to start his professional career.
Haarlem
At Haarlem he spent one season in de Eerste DivisieEerste Divisie
The Eerste Divisie is the second-highest division of football in the Netherlands. It is linked with the top-level Eredivisie via a promotion/relegation system. It is also known as the Jupiler League due to sponsorship, which is the same name as the top league in Belgium...
, playing 34 matches and scoring one goal. He still had a three year remaining contract at Ajax which he gave up, because he did not want to play in the Eerste Divisie any longer. Ajax decided to release him and fellow Eredivisie
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....
contenders RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:...
showed interest in him. Working with Martin Jol
Martin Jol
Maarten Cornelis "Martin" Jol is a Dutch football manager and former midfielder who currently manages Fulham in the Premier League. Jol played over 400 games during his career which included spells in the Netherlands, Germany, and England, as well as earning three caps with the Dutch national team...
, Željko Petrović
Željko Petrovic
Željko Petrović is a retired Montenegrin footballer and was the technical coach of Feyenoord Rotterdam in the 2004/2005 season.-Club career:...
(who still was a player at RKC in those days) and Erwin Koeman
Erwin Koeman
Erwin Koeman is a former football player and Dutch football manager. Currently he is the manager of FC Utrecht in the Dutch Eredivisie. He is the son of Dutch international footballer Martin Koeman, and, alongside his younger brother Ronald, has also represented the Netherlands...
he learned a lot about professional football and he developed quickly.
RKC Waalwijk
Greene played on many positions during is RKC spell. In his first season at the club he played as a left fullback, while in his second season he played both in the centre of defence and as a right fullback. During his second season at the club he became one of RKC's key players and teams like VfL WolfsburgVfL Wolfsburg
VfL Wolfsburg is a professional German association football club based in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, who play in the Bundesliga football competition. Wolfsburg have won the Bundesliga once in their history, in the 2008–09 season, and were DFB-Pokal runners-up in 1995. The current head coach is Felix...
, Tottenham Hotspur, Galatasaray
Galatasaray
Galatasaray Spor Kulübü is a Turkish sports club based in Istanbul, most notable for its football section, also known as Galatasaray S.K.. It also fields teams in Athletics, Basketball, Wheelchair basketball, Volleyball, Water polo, Swimming, Rowing, Sailing, Judo, Bridge, Equestrian, Handball,...
Hamburger SV
Hamburger SV
Hamburger Sport-Verein, usually referred to as HSV in Germany and Hamburg in international parlance, is a German multi-sport club based in Hamburg, its largest branch being its football department...
, Rangers F.C.
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...
, AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord Rotterdam
Feyenoord Rotterdam
Feyenoord is a Dutch professional football club located in Rotterdam. Along with Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord is one of the "big three" clubs in the Netherlands. These three clubs and Utrecht and Roda JC are the only clubs never to have been relegated from the Dutch first division...
showed interest in signing him. Eventually Feyenoord announced signing Greene on a free transfer on 14 April 2005. The main reasons for Greene to join Feyenoord were the club's reputation and their well known fanatic supporters.
Feyenoord
Greene finished the 2004–05 season in WaalwijkRKC Waalwijk
RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:...
and joined the Feyenoord squad in the summer of 2005. At Feyenoord's presentation day on July 27, 2004 Greene flew into De Kuip by helicopter among other new signed players Maikel Aerts
Maikel Aerts
Maikel Aerts is a Dutch goalkeeper who currently plays for Hertha BSC.-Career:He started his career at FC Den Bosch...
, Timothy Derijck
Timothy Derijck
Timothy Derijck is a Belgian footballer. He currently plays as a centre back in the Dutch Eredivisie for PSV Eindhoven.-Early Career:...
, Gianni Zuiverloon
Gianni Zuiverloon
Gianni Michel Eugene Zuiverloon is a Dutch footballer currently playing for Spanish La Liga outfit Mallorca as a right back.-Club career:...
, Tim Vincken
Tim Vincken
Tim Vincken is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a right-winger for SBV Excelsior...
and Ali Boussaboun
Ali Boussaboun
Ali Boussaboun is a Dutch-Moroccan football player who is currently unattached to a club. Previously he served ADO Den Haag, FC Groningen, NAC Breda, Feyenoord, Al-Wakrah Sports Club, FC Utrecht and Al-Nasr Sports Club. He joined the Dubai-based club on July 2009, after his contract with FC...
. Feyenoord also appointed a new coach to replace Ruud Gullit
Ruud Gullit
OON is a Dutch football manager and former football player, who played professionally in the 1980s and 1990s. He was the captain of the Netherlands national team that was victorious at Euro 88 and was also a member of the squad for the 1990 World Cup. He was named the European Footballer of the...
and to Greene's surprise it was his latest RKC coach Erwin Koeman who was given the job.
At Feyenoord Greene impressed right from the start and gained his first team spot right away playing in the center of Rotterdam
Rotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
defence. Late December 2005 Feyenoord signed fellow central defender Ron Vlaar
Ron Vlaar
Ron Peter Vlaar is a Dutch footballer who currently plays as a centre back for Dutch Eredivisie club Feyenoord.Vlaar made his professional debut at the age of 20 for the club AZ...
from AZ Alkmaar and questions arose about who was going to play where. As rightback Alexander Östlund
Alexander Östlund
Jan Alexander Östlund is a retired Swedish football player. He was released from Esbjerg fB on 25 January 2010 because of too many injuries and the same day Östlund announced that he would retire from football because of his bad knee.-Sweden:Östlund started his career in the club IFK Österåker in...
left the club it was decided that Vlaar and André Bahia
André Bahia
André Luiz Bahia dos Santos Viana is a Brazilian footballer. He is currently plays for Turkish club Samsunspor.-Early life:...
would play in the center and Greene would play further as a right defender. Since joining Feyenoord Greene hardly missed a match; The team however is struggling in both finances and results.
In the season of 2008–09, Greene's contract, which expires in the summer of 2009, was not renewed, as Feyenoord announced the release of Greene after the end of the season.
Vitesse
On November 4, 2009 Greene joined Vitesse on a free transfer, agreeing a one-year deal with the Dutch EredivisieEredivisie
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....
club.
In June 2010, he went on trial with a Russian side FC Terek Grozny
FC Terek Grozny
FC Terek Grozny is a Russian football club, currently playing in the Russian Premier League....
, but Terek decided not to sign him.
Levski Sofia
On August 8, 2010 it was announced that Greene arrived in SofiaSofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
in order to negotiate terms with Bulgarian side Levski Sofia
PFC Levski Sofia
"Levski Sofia" redirects here. For the sports club, see Levski Sofia .PFC Levski Sofia, otherwise simply known as Levski or Levski Sofia, is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria...
. On the next day, he made his first training with Levski. Serginho signed his contract with Levski, two days later, on August 10, 2010. The contract is for two years.
During the 2010/2011 Levski qualified for UEFA Europa League after eliminating Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk F.C.
Dundalk Football Club is a professional Irish football club based in Dundalk, County Louth. The club currently play in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. Founded in 1903, they are the second most successful team, in terms of trophies won, in the history of the League of Ireland. The...
, Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF
Kalmar FF is a Swedish football club located in Kalmar. Formed 10 January 1910, the club has won three national cup titles and 1 league title. Kalmar FF currently play in the highest Swedish league, Allsvenskan....
and AIK Fotboll
AIK Fotboll
AIK, , an abbreviation for Allmänna Idrottsklubben, , when needed internationally AIK Stockholm, is a Swedish football club based at Råsunda stadium in Solna, a municipality in Stockholm County bordering to Stockholm City Centre...
. Levski was drawn in Group C, facing Gent, Lille
Lille OSC
LOSC Lille Métropole is a French association football club based in Lille. The club was founded in 1944 as a result of a merger and currently play in Ligue 1, the first division of French football. Lille plays its home matches at the Stade Lille-Metropole in nearby Villeneuve-d'Ascq. In 2012, the...
and Sporting CP.
Greene quickly became a first team regular playing as a defensive midfielder alongside Vladimir Gadzhev
Vladimir Gadzhev
Vladimir Gadzhev is a Bulgarian footballer who is playing for Levski Sofia. Gadzhev plays as a central midfielder.-Youth career:He had trained at Levski Sofia's Youth Academy before he moved to Panathinaikos in 2004.-Levski Sofia:...
.
Serginho scored his first goal for Levski on 16 September 2010 against Gent. This goal gave Levski a 3-2 home win in their first Europa League Group stage match.
Serginho started playing as a defensive midfielder, but due to Levski's defensive problems he was moved to centre-back. With the January purchase of midfielder Daniel Dimov
Daniel Dimov
Daniel Dimov is a Bulgarian football midfielder, who currently plays for Levski Sofia.-Cherno More:Dimov made his debut during the 2006–07 season on September 15, 2006, in the 6–0 away win against Chernomorets Burgas Sofia, coming on as a substitute for Slavi Zhekov.On 14 July 2007, Dimov scored...
it's likely Greene will continue playing centre-half in 2011.
On 4 August 2011, he was sent off in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League match against Slovak
Slovak
Slovak may refer to:* Related to, from, or belonging to the country of Slovakia* Slovaks, An ethnic sub-group of the Western Slavic people inhabiting the nation of Slovakia.* Slovak language...
side Spartak Trnava.
Career stats
| Season | Club | Apps | Goals | Division |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001/02 |  Netherlands HFC HaarlemHFC Haarlem HFC Haarlem was a Dutch football club from the city of Haarlem, established in 1889. The club won the Dutch national title in 1946 and reached five Cup finals, winning in 1902 and 1912... |
34 | 1 | 2 |
| 2002/03 | Netherlands RKC Waalwijk RKC Waalwijk RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:... |
17 | 0 | 1 |
| 2003/04 | Netherlands RKC Waalwijk RKC Waalwijk RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:... |
34 | 3 | 1 |
| 2004/05 | Netherlands RKC Waalwijk RKC Waalwijk RKC Waalwijk is a football club currently playing in the Eredivisie. Its name is derived from 'Rooms Katholieke Combinatie' and was a fusion club of HEC, WVB and Hercules.-History:... |
31 | 0 | 1 |
| 2005/06 | Netherlands Feyenoord Feyenoord Rotterdam Feyenoord is a Dutch professional football club located in Rotterdam. Along with Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord is one of the "big three" clubs in the Netherlands. These three clubs and Utrecht and Roda JC are the only clubs never to have been relegated from the Dutch first division... |
32 | 1 | 1 |
| 2006/07 | Netherlands Feyenoord Feyenoord Rotterdam Feyenoord is a Dutch professional football club located in Rotterdam. Along with Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord is one of the "big three" clubs in the Netherlands. These three clubs and Utrecht and Roda JC are the only clubs never to have been relegated from the Dutch first division... |
22 | 0 | 1 |
| 2007/08 | Netherlands Feyenoord Feyenoord Rotterdam Feyenoord is a Dutch professional football club located in Rotterdam. Along with Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord is one of the "big three" clubs in the Netherlands. These three clubs and Utrecht and Roda JC are the only clubs never to have been relegated from the Dutch first division... |
5 | 0 | 1 |
| 2008/09 | Netherlands Feyenoord Feyenoord Rotterdam Feyenoord is a Dutch professional football club located in Rotterdam. Along with Ajax and PSV Eindhoven, Feyenoord is one of the "big three" clubs in the Netherlands. These three clubs and Utrecht and Roda JC are the only clubs never to have been relegated from the Dutch first division... |
22 | 0 | 1 |
| 2009/10 | Netherlands Vitesse |
18 | 2 | 1 |
Levski Sofia Career Stats
- As of 9 January 2011.
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Europe | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| PFC Levski Sofia PFC Levski Sofia "Levski Sofia" redirects here. For the sports club, see Levski Sofia .PFC Levski Sofia, otherwise simply known as Levski or Levski Sofia, is a professional football club based in Sofia, Bulgaria... |
2010–11 2010–11 A PFG The 2010–11 A PFG is the 87th season of the Bulgarian A Professional Football Group, Bulgaria's premier football league. The season commenced on 31 July 2010 and will end with the last games on 28 May 2011. The winter break will be in effect between weekends around 29 November 2010 and 26 February... |
22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 33 | 2 |
| Career totals | 22 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 33 | 2 | |