Joos Valgaeren

Joos Valgaeren

Personal information
Date of birth	3 March 1976 (1976-03-03)
Place of birth	Leuven, Belgium
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Centre back, Full back
Youth career
1985–1987	Serskamp
1987–1993	Verbroedering Geel
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1993–1994	Verbroedering Geel	20	(0)
1994–1997	Mechelen	62	(1)
1997–2000	Roda JC	58	(7)
2000–2005	Celtic	116	(7)
2005–2008	Club Brugge	29	(0)
2008–2009	Emmen	18	(0)
National team‡
2000–2003	Belgium	19	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 January 2010. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22 June 2006

Joos Valgaeren (Dutch pronunciation: [ˈjoːs vɑl.ˈʝaː.rə(n)]) (born 3 March 1976 in Leuven) is a former Belgian international footballer who lastly played as a defender for FC Emmen in the Dutch Eerste Divisie. His former clubs include Club Brugge in Belgium, Roda JC in the Netherlands and Celtic in Scotland and he was in the Belgian squad for Euro 2000.

Football career

Joos Valgaeren started his career at amateur side Serskamp in his home town of Leuven. He then moved to K.F.C. Verbroedering Geel where he proved to be a sturdy and consistent centre-back as well composed full-back in the club's youth squad. After a number of years at Geel he left for Eerste Klasse side KV Mechelen in 1994. At the age of 21 Valgaeren moved to Dutch Eredivisie club Roda JC where he broke into the first-team in his second season. His competent displays for Roda earned him a call up to the Belgium squad by manager Georges Leekens in late 1997. Before he left the club the media had linked him with big-money moves to Ajax and Bayern Munich. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill signed Valgaeren in 2000 from Roda JC for an undisclosed fee, said to be around £2 million. He was an instant success at Celtic and scored two goals against Juventus in the 2001–02 Champions League campaign, most notably his header in Celtic's 4–3 win at Celtic Park. Under O'Neill Valgaeren was first choice in a three-man defence, consisting of Johan Mjällby, Bobo Baldé and Valgaeren. However, when Gordon Strachan took over as Celtic manager in 2005 he was released on a free transfer after five years at the club which he made over 100 appearances for. In 2005 Valgaeren returned to Belgium to sign for Club Brugge on a free transfer from Celtic. He made over 35 appearances for Club Brugge. In 2008 he signed a two year contract at FC Emmen for the seasons 2008/2009 and 2009/2010 with an option for another year. He got a lot trouble with injuries and during the season 2009/2010 he stopped playing professional football in November 2009.

Valgaeren made his debut for Belgium in 1997 in a friendly match against Austria at the King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels. He was named in Robert Waseige's 23-man squad for the 2000 European Football Championships but missed out on the 2002 FIFA World Cup because of injury.

External links

• Career Stats