Sander Westerveld

Sander Westerveld

Personal information
Full name	Sander Westerveld
Date of birth	23 October 1974 (1974-10-23)
Place of birth	Enschede, Netherlands
Height	1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Club information
Current club	Ajax Cape Town
Number	1
Youth career
1980–1988	De Tubanters
1988–1994	Twente
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1994–1995	Twente	14	(0)
1995–1999	Vitesse	101	(0)
1999–2001	Liverpool	75	(0)
2001–2005	Real Sociedad	77	(0)
2004–2005	→ Mallorca (loan)	6	(0)
2005–2006	Portsmouth	6	(0)
2006	→ Everton (loan)	0	(0)
2006–2007	Almería	33	(0)
2007–2008	Sparta Rotterdam	29	(0)
2009–2011	Monza	54	(0)
2011–	Ajax Cape Town	0	(0)
National team‡
1999–2004	Netherlands	6	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 28 July 2011. † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20 May 2008

Sander Westerveld (born 23 October 1974) is a Dutch professional football goalkeeper, currently playing for South African Premier Soccer League club Ajax Cape Town.

Career

His first professional match was for the Enschede club FC Twente in 1994. After two seasons at Enschede he moved to Vitesse Arnhem where, in the course of three seasons, he developed into a goalkeeper of national stature.

Following the 1998–1999 season, during which he helped Vitesse to qualify for Europe, Westerveld was sold to Liverpool, where he succeeded David James. He became the most expensive goalkeeper in British football when he joined the Reds for a reported fee of £4 million during the summer of 1999. Westerveld made his Liverpool debut against Sheffield Wednesday on the 7 August 1999 in a 2–1 away win. The giant keeper was Gérard Houllier's first choice to succeed James as Anfield's number one, and Westerveld fully justified the manager's confidence by playing a leading role in Liverpool's return to Europe, conceding the fewest goals in the 1999–2000 Premiership season.

He played a key role in the treble season of 2000–2001 for Liverpool, emerging as the hero of Liverpool's League Cup final victory over Birmingham City, making the match winning save from Andy Johnson in the penalty shoot-out.

However, towards the end of his two season spell on Merseyside, he was often subjected to criticism from the media. After a major mistake in a game against Bolton Wanderers on 27 August 2001 he was put on the bench by then-manager Gérard Houllier, who promptly signed two new goalkeepers – the Polish international Jerzy Dudek (who would become a Champions League-winning hero) and the injury-prone but impressive Englishman Chris Kirkland. Westerveld was then sold despite being part of a team that had won three trophies the previous season.

A move abroad saw a successful spell with Spanish side Real Sociedad culminating in Champions League participation and finishing as runner up in La Liga of the 2002=2003 season.

In July 2005 he moved back to England with Portsmouth, being signed by Alain Perrin, where he was to be first choice ahead of Jamie Ashdown and Greek keeper Konstantinos Chalkias. However, after an inconsistent time at Fratton Park, in February 2006 he was allowed to move on a short term loan to Everton, rivals of his former club Liverpool, because of a goalkeeping crisis which saw Nigel Martyn, Richard Wright and Iain Turner all unavailable. Westerveld played only two games.

Once he returned to Portsmouth he remained a substitute and was released by Harry Redknapp in May 2006. During the summer of 2006, Westerveld signed with Spanish Second division club UD Almería for one season, in which he helped them to achieve promotion to the Spanish First division before leaving the club at the end of his contract. In September 2007, he joined Sparta Rotterdam on a short-term contract and in May 2008 he announced that he was to leave Sparta.

During the summer of 2009 he signed for Italian Lega Pro Prima Divisione outfit A.C. Monza Brianza 1912, after a successful trial with the club. He later joined Ajax Cape Town in South Africa where he is the number 1 goalkeeper. He was at Sanlam head office on 25 November 2011 to signed autographs where he was crowded by Liverpool fans for previous achievements and special bond with the club.

Career statistics

Club performance			League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
Season	Club	League	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Netherlands			League		KNVB Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1994–95	Twente	Eredivisie	3	0
1995–96			11	0
1996–97	Vitesse	Eredivisie	34	0
1997–98			34	0
1998–99			33	0
England			League		FA Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
1999–2000	Liverpool	Premier League	36	0
2000–01			38	0
2001–02			1	0
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Copa de la Liga		Europe		Total
2001–02	Real Sociedad	La Liga	20	0
2002–03			37	0
2003–04			20	0
2004–05	Mallorca	La Liga	6	0
England			League		FA Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
2005–06	Portsmouth	Premier League	6	0
2005–06	Everton	Premier League	2	0
Spain			League		Copa del Rey		Copa de la Liga		Europe		Total
2006–07	Almería	Segunda División	34	0
Netherlands			League		KNVB Cup		League Cup		Europe		Total
2007–08	Sparta Rotterdam	Eredivisie	29	0
2009–10	A.C. Monza Brianza 1912	Lega Pro	23	0
Total	Netherlands		144	0
	England		83	0
	Spain		117	0
Italy		23	0
Career total			344	0

Career honours

Honours as player

Liverpool

Winner

• 2000–01 League Cup
• 2000–01 FA Cup
• 2000–01 UEFA Cup
• 2001–02 Charity Shield
• 2001–02 European Super Cup

Real Sociedad

Runners-up

• 2002–03 Spanish Primera División

Almería

Runners-up

• 2006–07 Spanish Segunda División

References

http://www.rtvoost.nl/sport/default.aspx?nid=128517

External links

• Liverpool FC profile
• LFCHistory.net profile
• Everton FC profile
• Sander Westerveld career stats at Soccerbase
• Player profile – Sparta Rotterdam
• Career stats – Voetbal International (Dutch)