Theo Janssen

Theo Janssen
Janssen warming up for Vitesse in 2012.
Personal information
Date of birth (1981-07-27) 27 July 1981
Place of birth Arnhem, Netherlands
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Playing position Midfielder
Youth career
Vitesse 1892
Vitesse
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1998–2008 Vitesse 206 (21)
2003–2004 → Genk (loan) 15 (2)
2008–2011 Twente 86 (18)
2011–2012 Ajax 31 (9)
2012–2014 Vitesse 36 (2)
Total 374 (52)
National team
2006–2011 Netherlands 5 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Theo Janssen (born 27 July 1981) is a Dutch former footballer who played as a midfielder for various clubs in the Netherlands, including Vitesse Arnhem, Twente and Ajax, as well as on loan for Belgian club Genk. He spent 10 years with Vitesse before joining Twente in 2008, where he helped them win the Eredivisie and qualify for the Champions League for the first time in their history. After being named Dutch Footballer of the Year in 2011,[1] he played a season with Ajax, before returning to Vitesse in August 2012.[2]

Club career

Vitesse

Janssen began his career at amateur club Vitesse Arnhem 1892 and played from 1995–1996 in the reserves of SBV Vitesse. After breaking through in several youth teams Janssen made his professional debut on 9 December 1998 in the first team against NAC Breda, which Vitesse won 2–0. Janssen came in as substitute in 90th minute to replace Marian Zeman. Janssen played 5 games that season for Vitesse. The next season Janssen made 17 appearances for Vitesse. In the 2000–2001 season Janssen became a starter for Vitesse and made 30 appearances, in which he scored once. In September Janssen broke his shin, he played 10 games total that season, and scored 1 goal.

Genk

For the 2003–2004 season Janssen was loaned to Genk in Belgium. He played 15 games for games and scored 2 goals before returning to Vitesse in January 2004.

Return to Vitesse

Janssen played another 16 games in 2004 in which he scored one goal.

He played primarily on the wing in the following season. His leg operation was sometimes troubling him, nevertheless he made 28 appearances in which he scored 8 goals.

In the 2005–2006 season he played 30 games for Vitesse and scored 7 goals. Janssen's good performance at Vitesse was not unseen, as he received an invitation for the Dutch national football team for a friendly game against Ecuador on 1 March 2006. However, Janssen could not play, due to surgery on his tonsils.

Janssen remained a regular starter for Vitesse in the following season, and was again selected to play for Oranje. This time he was able to play and made his debut for Oranje in a friendly against Ireland. He came in the 83rd minute for Stijn Schaars. On 2 September 2006, Janssen started for Oranje in a European Championship qualifier against Luxembourg. Janssen made only 22 appearances for Vitesse that season, due to injuries and suspensions. Vitesse trainer Aad de Mos told Janssen he could search for another club, despite an existing contract until 2009.

During the 2007–2008 season, Janssen once again got injured, this time for a several months. He returned playing in late 2007.

FC Twente

Janssen playing with Twente against Zenit, March 2011.

In mid-April 2008 FC Twente announcing the signing Janssen for the upcoming season on a contract until 2012. The transfer fee was approximately worth €1.5 million.

In November 2009 Janssen was suspended by Twente for two months, after a drunk-driving accident.[3] One of his passengers, former professional goalkeeper Kevin Moeliker, ended up in hospital where he was kept in a coma for several days. He lost one of his ears in the accident.[4] Janssen won the Eredivisie that year with FC Twente.

In July Janssen was invited by van Marwijk to play a friendly against Ukraine.

In the 2010–11 season Janssen had his best season up to that point. He won the Johan Cruijff Schaal and the KNVB Cup with FC Twente. He scored 20 goals in 46 appearances, which made him club top scorer, among them some important goals for Twente like against Internazionale, Werder Bremen, Ajax and PSV. He was also voted best player of the Eredivisie of the season 2010–11.

Ajax

Janssen lining up for Ajax, September 2011.

On 23 May 2011, Ajax and Twente agreed on a transfer of Janssen to Ajax. The transfer fee was worth €3.2 million. Janssen signed a contract with Ajax for two years and was handed the number 16 shirt, previously worn by Luis Suárez. His first couple of matches for Ajax were not very successful, as coach Frank de Boer decided that Janssen had to play as a defensive midfielder, which was not Janssen's best position. After he was playing in a more attacking position, Janssen became very important in achieving the league victory in 2012.

Second return to Vitesse

Janssen wanted to leave Ajax, after he had heard from Frank de Boer that he would be playing less matches in the coming season. He refused to play a role as substitute. On 27 August 2012, Janssen returned to Vitesse for a fee of approximately 600,000 euro's.[5]

End of active football career

After suffering from different injuries of which the latest involved a meniscus operation, Janssen on 4 March 2014 announced that he would immediately end his active football career and that he would pursue a career with Vitesse as a scout for youth players and specialist trainer.

International career

Janssen made his debut for the Dutch national team against the Republic of Ireland in August 2006.

International appearances and goals
AppDateVenueOpponentResultGoalCompetition
2006
116 August 2006Lansdowne Road, Dublin Republic of Ireland0–40Friendly
29 September 2006Stade Josy Barthel, Luxembourg Luxembourg0–10Euro 2008 qualifying
2010
311 August 2010Donbass Arena, Donetsk Ukraine1–10Friendly
417 November 2010Amsterdam ArenA, Amsterdam Turkey1–00Friendly
2011
59 February 2011Philips Stadion, Eindhoven Austria3–10Friendly

Career statistics

Club performance

As of 1 July 2013
Club performance League Cup Continental Other Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe Other Total
1998–99VitesseEredivisie500000-50
1999–001700050-220
2000–013012040-361
2001–0210131--132
2002–032802060-360
2003–0416100--161
Belgium League Belgian Cup Europe Other Total
2003–04Racing GenkBelgian Pro League15200--152
Netherlands League KNVB Cup Europe Other Total
2004–05VitesseEredivisie29830--328
2005–0630711--318
2006–0722110--231
2007–0819210--202
2008–09FC Twente2846280-426
2009–1028120101-402
2010–11301344113-4520
2011–12Ajax298206010337
2012–132100001031
Vitesse2714200-313
2013–14911120-122
Total Belgium 15200--152
Netherlands 3595032115242044665
Career total 3745232115242046167

International performance

Dutch national team
YearAppsGoals
200620
201020
201110
Total50
Statistics accurate as of matches played on 7 June 2013.[6]

Honours

Janssen (right) with FC Twente against Rubin Kazan, February 2011.

Club

FC Twente

Ajax

Individual

References

  1. ↑ Janssen named Netherlands' finest By Berend Scholten on UEFA.com, 23 May 2011
  2. ↑ Janssen tekent voor twee jaar bij Vitesse By Gelderlander, 24 August 2012 (in Dutch)
  3. ↑ Zwaar auto-ongeluk: Theo Janssen had te veel gedronken Archived 11 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Elsevier, 30 November 2009 (in Dutch)
  4. ↑ 'Moeliker verloor oor bij auto-ongeval Theo Janssen' AD Sportwereld, 23 November 2009 (in Dutch)
  5. ↑ Vitesse legt Janssen alsnog vast (Dutch)
  6. ↑ "Theo Janssen - Voetbal International profile". Voetbal International.
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