Kevin Hofland

Football player infobox| playername= Kevin Hofland
fullname = Kevin Keegan Hofland II
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|6|7
cityofbirth = Heerlen
countryofbirth = Netherlands
height = height|m=1.85
currentclub = Feyenoord
clubnumber = 3
position = Defender
youthyears =
youthclubs = Limburgia
Fortuna Sittard
years = 1997-2000 2000-2004 2004-2007 2007-
clubs = Fortuna Sittard PSV Eindhoven VfL Wolfsburg Feyenoord
caps(goals) = 59 (1) 90 (5)
80 (2)
32 (1)
nationalyears = 2000-2004
nationalteam = Netherlands
nationalcaps(goals) = 7 (0)
pcupdate = September 1, 2007
ntupdate = August 19, 2007

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. [ [http://leedsunited.rivals.net/default.asp?sid=888&p=2&stid=8238945 PSV 0 Leeds U 0] , leedsunited.rivals.net]

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. [http://www.feyenoord.nl/pages/datapresenter/s2/playerinfo.aspx?dataid=10010000030650 Kevin Hofland spelers info] , feyenoord.nl] 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. 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.

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. 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.

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. 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. 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. At VfL Wolfsburg Hofland was however one of the important players of the team and he even became the team's captain. Hofland did not have to leave Wolfsburg, but he agreed on a contract with Bayer Leverkusen, this eventually did not go through as Wolfsburg asked more than Leverkusen wanted to pay. 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. [ [http://www.feyenoord-internet.nl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4816&Itemid=203 Het succes van Feyenoord] , feyenoord-internet.nl]

tatistics

External links

*nl icon [http://www.vi.nl/vi/show/id=40053/dbid=13334/typeofpage=40054/sc=e6790c Voetbal International profile]
*nl icon [http://kevinhofland.homestead.com/ Official site]
*nl icon [http://www.feyenoord.nl/pages/datapresenter/s2/playerinfo.aspx?dataid=10010000030650 Official Feyenoord profile]
*nl icon [http://www.voetbalstats.nl/nedxi/sp647.html Voetbalstats profile]

References

* [http://www.vi.nl Voetbal International website and 2007/2008 presentation magazine]