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Vennegoor of Hesselink, Jan

Real name Jan Johannes Vennegoor of Hesselink
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Weight
Date of birth 07-11-1978
Place of birth Oldenzaal, Netherlands
Position Forward
Nationality Netherlands
International Caps (to June 08) 17
International Goals (to June 08) 3


Summary

Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink was a £3.4 million capture from PSV Eindhoven in August 2006.

The Dutchman made an immediate impact in the Hoops by netting a second-half equaliser as the Celts came from a goal behind to defeat Hibernian 2-1. The winner in a 1-0 victory at Aberdeen followed but after such a great start it would prove a frustrating season for the forward who was plagued by a series of injuries.

Season 2007/08 got off to an indifferent start and by Christmas some Hoops fans were becoming increasingly critical of the player’s efforts and ability. Others however pointed out that service to the former FC Twente player was frequently poor and that Celtic were simply not playing to his strengthens. Certainly few players in recent times have split the opinion of fans like Jan.

There’s little doubt that the Dutchman lacks pace but most observers believe that given decent service in and around the penalty area he will deliver. His link up play and workrate is also commonly under-rated. Unfortunately for Jan though he is regularly compared to the likes of Larsson and Sutton and in truth few Celtic forwards could match up to the standards set by that pair.

But Jan will always be capable of getting goals and that was certainly the case in the latter half of the season when Jan became one of the Bhoys’ most crucial performers with a superb double against Motherwell, a late winner against Rangers and, of course, the goal at Tannadice which helped to seal Celtic’s title triumph.

Finishing the season on 20 goals - part of a excellent 50 goal partnership with Scott McDonald – Jan had all but silenced all but his most stubborn critics.

The Dutch international – who went to Euro 2008 with an impressive Holland squad – seems to enjoy life at Parkhead as his rendition of the ‘Fields of Athenry’ at the Tannadice title party and recent media comments illustrate. If Jan stays free from injury and continues his end of season form then he could have a lot to offer the Bhoys over the forthcoming seasons.


Jan Facts!

It will cost you £15 to get his name on the back of your shirt!

His name - the longest in European football - derives from the 17th Century, when two farming families in the Enschede area of Holland intermarried. Both the Vennegoor and Hesselink names carried equal social weight, and so rather than choose between them they chose to use both. 'Of' in Dutch actually translates to 'or' in English, which would mean that a strict translation of his name would read Jan Vennegoor or Hesselink.


KDS Honours
Quotes
"Celtic is far more than a football club. The traditions, the history, the warmth - you have to experience it every day to really understand this."
(JVoH on Celtic, June 08)

"Our stadium is a phenomenal place, and is difficult to put across just how much it means to play for this club, and what this club means to so many, and how well known it is in any part of the planet until you experience playing at the stadium. Celtic is a way of life and very important for the Scots and the Irish, wherever they have emigrated to, and wherever you go, they applaud you and support you.’’
(Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink)

Pictures

Song

JVoH on Celtic David Friel
HE is about to star for Holland in the European Championships but Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink has revealed there is only one thing football fans want to talk to him about – Celtic’s SPL title win.
The Hoops striker, a key member of Marco van Basten’s Euro 2008 squad, is currently at the Dutch training camp in Switzerland and came on as a substitute in his country’s 2-0 win over Wales on Saturday.
Yet, the subject of Celtic’s three-in-a-row triumph is never far from his thoughts. Wherever he goes and whatever he does, someone always brings it up. And the Dutchman couldn’t be happier.
"This title was unique because of the manner in which we achieved it, by fighting back in the final weeks," he said. "We knew that if we lost or drew, then it would have been all over.
"Nobody gave a cent for our chances as Rangers were miles ahead. The goal against Rangers in April in the last minute was really special and even now people are still talking to me about it.
"They come up to me in the street, in the shops and at the club. For the fans, that goal was priceless.
"Celtic is far more than a football club. The traditions, the history, the warmth - you have to experience it every day to really understand this."
Drawn against Italy, France and Romania in a ridiculously tough group, Holland will still have aspirations of reaching the latter stages of Euro 2008, which starts on Saturday.
To do that, they will doubtless have to call on the services of Vennegoor of Hesselink. Normally used as a substitute by van Basten, the Celtic man provides a more robust approach than first-pick strikers Ruud van Nistelrooy and Arjen Robben.
He added: "My role is well defined and it isn't so difficult to carry it out. The hard part is that you have so little time and you're dependent on the balls you get.
"It demands another sort of concentration, so different from the one required if you play 90 minutes, but it’s just fantastic being part of the squad."


Latest page update: made by joebloggscity , Jun 20 2008, 10:10 AM EDT (about this update About This Update joebloggscity Edited by joebloggscity

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