Glenn Loovens

Glenn Loovens
Personal information
Full name	Glenn Loovens
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Team information
Current team	Celtic
Number	22
	‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 1

Glenn Loovens (born 22 September 1983 in Doetinchem, Netherlands) is a Dutch professional footballer currently playing as a centre back for Celtic in the Scottish Premier League. He is a former Netherlands under-21 international, but has never played for the full national side, though he was called up to the squad on 28 August 2009.

Early Career

Loovens, a defender, came through the Feyenoord youth system and made his debut against PSV Eindhoven in the 2001-02 season in the Feyenoord team that later won the UEFA Cup, along with Robin van Persie, Civard Sprockel and Ferne Snoyl. In the later seasons he failed to make good on his promising start as he quickly lost his position in defence to Patrick Paauwe again. He made his European debut at 19 years old, in a 2-0 defeat to Dynamo Kiev at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev on 23 October 2002.

Cardiff City

Loovens spent the 2005-06 season on loan at Football League Championship side Cardiff City and impressed enough so that they signed the promising young defender on a permanent deal after several months of negotiations for a reported fee of £250,000.^[1]. He originally formed a defensive partnership with club captain Darren Purse but the 2007-08 season saw Purse lose his place in the side to Roger Johnson and the pair went on to form a vital base for the team to build on, including playing alongside each other in all 6 matches during the clubs run to the 2008 FA Cup Final. Loovens found the back of the net in the final against Portsmouth but it was disallowed for an earlier infringement. The 2007-08 season also saw Loovens make his 100th appearance in all competitions for Cardiff by playing against Hull City on 12 March.

Celtic

Loovens was the subject of transfer interest for most of Summer 2008, with Old Firm rivals Celtic and Rangers emerging as leading candidates to secure his signing. Walter Smith, manager of Rangers, declared his interest in Loovens and made an offer for his services but their valuation of the defender was rejected by Cardiff. On 16 August 2008, Loovens joined Scottish champions Celtic on a four-year contract for a fee of around £2.5 million. Loovens stated that Parkhead was his preferred destination as he will get the chance to play in the Champions League. ^[2] He made his Celtic debut on 23 August 2008, in a 3-0 win over Falkirk at Celtic Park. His first goal came on 23 September 2008 in a Co-op Insurance League Cup tie, also at Celtic Park, as Celtic beat Livingston 4-0.

International Career

Loovens received his first senior cap for Holland when he started for the Oranje in a September 5 friendly against Japan.

Statistics

Last updated 18 October 2008

Season	Club	Apps	Goals	Assists
2001/02	Feyenoord	10	0	2
2002/03	Feyenoord	14	0	1
2004/05	Feyenoord	9	0	1
2005/06	Cardiff	36	2	3
2006/07	Cardiff	32	1	2
2007/08	Cardiff	43	0	3
2008/09	Celtic	17	3	1
2009/10	Celtic	5	0	0
Total		162	6	13

Honours

Feyenoord

Template:Sport honours

Cardiff

Template:Sport honours

Celtic

Template:Sport honours

References

^ "Cardiff City look to the Loovenator" Western Mail Retrieved on 12 April, 2008
^ "Celtic sign Loovens from Cardiff". BBC Sport. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.

External links

Voetbal International Profile
Glenn Loovens profile at cardiffcityfc.co.uk
Glenn Loovens at Soccerbase

{{subst:#if:Loovens, Glenn|}} [[Category:{{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc:1983}}

|| UNKNOWN | MISSING = Year of birth missing {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc: }}||LIVING=(living people)}}
| #default = 1983 births

}}]] {{subst:#switch:{{subst:uc: }}

|| LIVING  = 
| MISSING  = 
| UNKNOWN  = 
| #default =

}}

[1] "Cardiff City look to the Loovenator" Western Mail Retrieved on 12 April, 2008

[Celtic_sign_Loovens_from_Cardiff-2] "Celtic sign Loovens from Cardiff". BBC Sport. 16 August 2008. Retrieved 16 August 2008.

[1]

[2]