Brian Jensen (footballer, born 1975)
 | This article's lead section may be too short to adequately summarize the key points. (February 2010) |
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Brian Paldan Jensen | ||
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Burnley | ||
| Number | 12 | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1997 | B.93 | 2 | (0) |
| 1997–2000 | AZ | 1 | (0) |
| 1997–1998 | → Hvidovre (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2000–2003 | West Bromwich Albion | 45 | (0) |
| 2003– | Burnley | 245 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 18:53, 9 May 2010 (UTC) | |||
Brian Paldan Jensen (born 8 June 1975 in Copenhagen, Denmark) is a Danish professional football goalkeeper who plays for Burnley. Jensen has never played for either the youth or senior Denmark national football team. He is often referred to by his nickname, "The Beast".
Biography
Early career
Born and raised in the Nørrebro district of Copenhagen, Jensen began playing football as a defender in the youth team of B 93. As the youth team goalkeeper lacked height, the keeper job was given to the "biggest and dumbest" player of the team, according to Jensen himself.[1] Playing as a substitute to goalkeeper Jan Hoffmann at the B 93 senior team, his goalkeeping talent caught the attention of Dutch outfit AZ Alkmaar when he was named best goalkeeper at a youth tournament in the Netherlands.[2] He was loaned out from Alkmaar to Danish club Hvidovre IF for eight months, while finishing his electrician education, before going to play as a full-time professional for Alkmaar in February 1998.[1] Jensen managed one appearance in the Eredivisie championship, in his time at Alkmaar, serving exclusively as a substitute for Dutch international keeper Oscar Moens.
West Bromwich Albion
While waiting for his Alkmaar contract to run out, Jensen trained with Division One side West Bromwich Albion, where his imposing stature earned him the nickname 'The Beast'. When West Brom first choice keeper Chris Adamson was asked to comment on Jensen, he told reporters he was "nothing but a beast".[3] Jensen moved to West Brom for £80,000 in March 2000.[1] He made his Albion debut on 7 March 2000 and kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 victory over Tranmere Rovers. He stayed at West Brom for three years, playing a total of 50 games. He helped the club survive in Division One in 1999–2000, and was a regular for much of the following season, until the arrival of Russell Hoult in 2001 saw him relegated to the substitutes' bench. Jensen never re-gained a regular place, playing only one match in Albion's promotion season of 2001–02. He moved on in 2003, after West Brom were relegated, finishing 19th in the Premier League.
Burnley
He joined Burnley on 30 June 2003 on a free transfer. During his first season at Burnley, he was the only goalkeeper on their books. The club avoided relegation by just two points, finishing in 19th position in the last ever season of the Nationwide Football League. He has played over 200 games for "the Clarets", putting in some good performances during this time. After the arrival of Danny Coyne in the summer of 2004, he found himself second choice keeper at Turf Moor, but through hard work and two serious injuries to Coyne in two seasons, he earned his place back in the starting line-up. Following impressive form in autumn 2004, Jensen critizised national team manager Morten Olsen for not having watched him play, when Jensen thought he had earned a place in the Danish national squad.[4]
Jensen found himself second choice to Coyne throughout 2004 to 2006, but Coyne's injuries meant that Jensen played most matches. After a run of performances in which Jensen was deemed at fault for a number of goals Burnley manager Steve Cotterill brought goalkeeper Michael Pollitt on loan to Turf Moor in January 2007. In response to being left out of the Burnley team for a match at Southampton, Jensen wanted to leave the club, and on 22 January 2007 Burnley placed him on the transfer list. However, by April of that year, Jensen had not only re-established himself as the club's first-choice but his relationship with Cotterill had improved and he was taken off the transfer list.
Burnley brought in another goalkeeper, Gabor Kiraly, before the 2007–08 season and Jensen found himself once again seemingly second choice, spending four months out of the team from mid-September. He returned to regular first team action in January 2008. Jensen then had an average run of form in goal for the Clarets. Whilst saving two penalties to help Burnley beat Chelsea in the fourth round of the Carling Cup, after this game jensens form dropped considerably.He kept goal in the 2009 Championship play-off Final, in which Burnley beat Sheffield United 1–0 at Wembley Stadium to secure a place in the Premier League.[5] On the 19 August 2009 he was named man of the match in Burnley's 1–0 Premier League victory over Manchester United which was Burnley's first top division win in 33 years. The performance included a range of saves as well as a penalty save against Michael Carrick. [6]
References
- ^ a b c Kaspar Steenbach, "Bæstet fra Blågårds Plads", B.T., 20 August 2000
- ^ Niels Rasmussen, "Det populære udyr", Politiken, 19 March 2001
- ^ Tommy Heisz and Peter Gisselmann, "Talent: Bæstet i buret", Aktuelt, 29 January 2001
- ^ Kent Hedlundh, Jensen slams Danish boss, Sky Sports, 17 October 2005
- ^ Fletcher, Paul (25 May 2009). "Burnley 1–0 Sheff Utd". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 May 2009.
- ^ "Burnley 1–0 Man Utd". BBC News. 19 August 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2010.
External links
- Brian Jensen profile at burnleyfootballclub.com
- Brian Jensen profile at wba.co.uk
- Career statistics