Kevin Hofland

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Kevin Hofland
Personal information
Full name Kevin Keegan Hofland
Date of birth June 7, 1979 (1979-06-07) (age 29)
Place of birth    Heerlen, Netherlands
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Feyenoord
Number 3
Youth clubs
Limburgia
Fortuna Sittard
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1997-2000
2000-2004
2004-2007
2007-		 Fortuna Sittard
PSV Eindhoven
VfL Wolfsburg
Feyenoord		 59 (1)
90 (5)
80 (2)
31 (1)   
National team2
2000-2004 Netherlands 7 (0)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of September 1, 2007.
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of August 19, 2007.
* Appearances (Goals)

Kevin Keegan Hofland (born June 7, 1979 in Heerlen) is a Dutch football defender who currently plays for Feyenoord. In his career he won two Eredivisie championships, as well as two times the Johan Cruijff-schaal. He has seven caps for the Netherlands national football team and is named after Kevin Keegan.[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Hofland was born in a hospital in Heerlen and grew up in Brunssum, where he started playing football for local team Limburgia in Brunssum at the age of four.[2] His father played nine years in the Hoofdklasse, as well as nine years in Belgium where he played for teams like KV Turnhout and KAS Eupen.[2] When he was ten years old Hofland moved to Fortuna Sittard where he played as a left midfielder, but when reached the A1 team manager Henk Duut positioned him as a central defender.[2]

Fortuna Sittard also became his first professional club. He made his debut on September 10, 1997 in a 1-1 draw against Sparta Rotterdam. He quickly gained recognition within the Eredivisie as a tough but consistent centre-back. It was also at the Sittard club where he teamed up with other future Dutch international stars such as Wilfred Bouma and Mark van Bommel, who also transferred to his future club PSV Eindhoven. Not long after his debut at the club manager Pim Verbeek was fired and replaced by Bert van Marwijk.[2] At first Hofland was the third choise defender behind Robert Roest and Jurgen Dirkx. When Dirkx moved to PSV Hofland became a first team regular leading the defence together with Roest.[2]

In 2000 he was transferred for 3.4 million pounds to PSV Eindhoven amidst rumors of a Manchester United transfer where he quickly teamed up with then PSV captain Ernest Faber and worked well with other fullbacks like Stan Valckx and at times, with André Ooijer. His improved performances for PSV convinced the Dutch coach at that time Louis van Gaal to hand him his debut for the national team in a match against Spain which the Dutch won 2-1 away. Hofland was however replaced after 46 minutes by Patrick Paauwe in that particular match. With PSV he won the Eredivisie Championship and the Johan Cruijff-schaal in 2001. In 2002 he suffered an ankle injury in a match against Arsenal FC, which sidelined him for almost the whole season. When he was declared with Bouma was playing at his position and he was only able to play a few times when others were unable to due to injuries or suspensions.[2] That season he won his second Eredivisie championship and at the start of the 2003-04 season he also won his second Johan Cruijff-schaal. At this point it became clear that PSV contracted Alex and despite a contract that lasted two more years he decided it was time to move on.[2] PSV chairman Harry van Raaij contacted Erik Gerets, a former PSV player and at that time manager of VfL Wolfsburg and Hofland signed a contract at the Bundsliga club.

The aim for VfL Wolfsburg was to play in the UEFA Champions League by 2007, but in fact they battled to avoid relegation for three years.[2] At VfL Wolfsburg Hofland was however one of the important players of the team and he even became the team's captain.[2] Hofland did not have to leave Wolfsburg, but he agreed on a contract with Bayer Leverkusen, this eventually didn't go through as Wolfsburg asked more than Leverkusen wanted to pay.[2] His players' manager Rob Jansen, who also works with Roy Makaay and Tim de Cler made a unique effort to discuss the future of his players with them, each other and their future club Feyenoord to bring them all together at the club. Also Sigi Lens the manager of Giovanni van Bronckhorst was a part of the deal and when manager Bert van Marwijk signed his contract as the new Feyenoord manager all these players were contracted within a few weeks time span.[3][2]

[edit] Statistics

Season Club Competition Apps Goals
1997/98 Fortuna Sittard Flag of the Netherlands Eredivisie 6 0
1998/99 Fortuna Sittard Flag of the Netherlands Eredivisie 29 1
1999/00 Fortuna Sittard Flag of the Netherlands Eredivisie 24 0
2000/01 PSV Flag of the Netherlands Eredivisie 29 2
2001/02 PSV Flag of the Netherlands Eredivisie 22 2
2002/03 PSV Flag of the Netherlands Eredivisie 7 0
2003/04 PSV Flag of the Netherlands Eredivisie 20 0
2004/05 VfL Wolfsburg Flag of Germany Bundesliga 27 0
2005/06 VfL Wolfsburg Flag of Germany Bundesliga 19 2
2006/07 VfL Wolfsburg Flag of Germany Bundesliga 30 0
2007/08 Feyenoord Flag of the Netherlands Eredivisie 0 0
Total 213 7

[edit] External links

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[edit] References

  1. ^ PSV 0 Leeds U 0, leedsunited.rivals.net
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Kevin Hofland spelers info, feyenoord.nl
  3. ^ Het succes van Feyenoord, feyenoord-internet.nl
v • d • e
Feyenoord – current squad

3 Hofland • 4 Bahia • 5 De Cler • 6 Lucius • 7 D. Buijs • 8 van Bronckhorst • 9 Makaay • 10 Hofs • 11 Slory • 14 Mols • 16 Lee • 17 Sahin • 18 Greene • 19 Landzaat • 20 Vlaar • 22 Bruins • 24 Hagary • 25 Wijnaldum • 26 Lensky • 28 Fer • 29 Vincken • 31 Timmer • 32 Ekramy • 33 De Guzmán • 34 Schet • 36 Pedro • 37 Mulder •

Manager: Verbeek