Player Profile: Andre Ooijer

Full Name: Andre Ooijer
Date of Birth: 11th July 1974, Amsterdam
Nationality: Dutch
Position: Defender
Squad Number: 20
Internationals: Capped at Full level for Holland
Signed: August 2006
Previous Clubs: SDW, SDZ (both Amateur), Ajax, Volendam (loan), Roda JC & PSV Eindhoven (all Holland)

Andre Ooijer finally signed for Blackburn Rovers in August 2006 after a long drawn out transfer saga. His career has started some twenty-years prior.

When as young as 5-years-old Ooijer took his first steps into football signing for Dutch Amateur side SDW in 1979, later moving onto another amateur side SDZ.

In 1986 his hometown club of Ajax signed him as a 12-year-old. First team football proved hard to come across and despite playing regular reserve football Ooijer went in search of a challenge elsewhere.

He spent the 1994-1995 season on loan with Volendam before making a permanent move from Ajax to Roda JC in the summer of 1995.

His impressive performances as a right-back, the position he was mostly used in, central defence or even a defensive midfielder brought the attentions of a bigger Dutch clubs and halfway through the 1997-1998 season Ooijer transferred to PSV Eindhoven where he remained up until his move to Rovers.

A move away from Holland was almost secured in the summer of 2005 however as a fee had been agreed with Italian Serie A club Genoa. Having just been promoted back to the top flight they were looking for experienced quality defender and Ooijer fit the bill… however following the Italian Football Federation's investigation into match fixing Genoa were relegated to Serie C1, the deal was called off and he returned to PSV.

With Rovers showing an interest in the Dutch International in the summer of 2006 but as a deal could not be agreed Ooijer was unwilling to play, due to worries of picking up an injury so he went on strike. Eventually he arrived at Ewood Park for an undisclosed fee thought to be £2.1 million in August 2006.

The Dutch International having amounted more than twenty caps since his debut against Brazil in 1999, selected in squads under four different national team managers being a member of two Dutch World Cup Squads, being one of Holland's top performers at the 2006 World Cup Finals. Ooijer has been unlucky not to have featured in more tournaments having played his part in qualifying for at least two others before missing the final cut.

Having endured a difficult start to life at Ewood Park after improving his fitness and getting used to the surroundings the 2006-2007 season finally took off for him after the Middlesbrough game in September 2006, with him showing some impressive form especially during November.

With temporary captain Lucas Neill injured Andre Ooijer became the latest in a line of players to captain Rovers this season, doing so superbly well. Whether or not he will retain the captaincy upon Neill's return remains to be seen?

Blackburn Rovers appearances and goals up to the start of the 2006-2007 Season
League: 0
FA Cup: 0
League Cup: 0
Other (European etc.): 0
TOTAL: 0 - 0 goals

Ooijer only signed in August 2006 so he has no previous Rovers data.

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