Keep an eye on: André Bjerregaard

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  • Name: André Bjerregaard
  • Age: 21 (03-09-1991)
  • Position: Left Midfielder
  • Club: AC Horsens
  • International Caps: None
  • Value: £300.000


He is only 21-years old, but he has already been in his first Danish Cup final and played European football. This week we keep an eye on AC Horsens’ André Bjerregaard.

André Bjerregaard had most of his football in education in Silkeborg IF, but his career took speed in Horsens. However, before the Superliga club contacted him, he played six months in the minor Danish league Danmarks Serien for Herning Fremad.

”I’ve played football on the highest level my entire life, and it was a childhood dream to play on the highest level in Denmark. When Horsens offered me the opportunity, I couldn't say no,” Bjerregaard says.

The change from Herning Fremad in the minor league, to AC Horsens in the 1. Division was quite a culture shock for the talent, who suddenly had to play on a much higher level.  In 2010, he then got his first appearance for Horsens in the last match, in the season against Frem, in the Danish 1. Divison. However, Bjerregaard does not think back on the match as something special. Instead, his debut in the Danish Superliga against Fc Nordsjælland is a highlight in his career:

“My debut in the Superliga against FC Nordsjælland was a bigger achievement as the Frem match was with a team full of Danmarks Serie players.”

Since his debut, André Bjerregaard has often started the matches on the bench and had a role as a joker. However, coach Johnny Mølby sees a great future for his talented winger.

“He is still a young player, who has developed in the club. He have had matches where he has not only been good, but one of the profiles  in the match. However, he is still a bit unstable, but I don’t doubt he will have a breakthrough in the Danish Superliga,” Mølby says.

One of the great matches is the Danish Cup final in 2012. Here, Horsens met Fc Copenhagen, who brought themselves in front after 42 minutes. During the second half, Bjerregaard was sent on the pitch, and in the dying minutes of the match, the talents gets the ball, takes a touch and hammers the ball on the bar! A few seconds after, the match was over.

“I played well, and it was terrible to see the ball hit the bar, and I still think about it today,” Bjerregaard says about the match.

Despite losing the Danish Cup final, Horsens qualified for the Europa League Qualifications. Here, they were set up against Sporting Lisbon from Portugal. The first match in Horsens ended in a deserved 1-1 draw, but Danes were sent home from Lisbon with a 5-0 loss. Despite, being out of the qualifications, Bjerregaard sees it as a great experience, bot for him and the club as well as the city of Horsens.

If you ask Bjerregaard, this season wasn't the last with European football in Horsens. In fact, the talent has only seen progress and development since he joined the team in the 1. Division days. The talent dreams of one day to play abroad – and it doesn’t really matter where – but for now he is in Horsens. Coach Johnny Mølby is also keen to keep his talent:

“André and Horsens are a good mix, and he’s next target should be to become a starting player for every match.”

The last match André Bjerregaard played was against Aalborg last Thursday. Here, the winger contributed to the teams comeback from 2-0, by scoring Horsens first goal. The next mission for the talent will be tomorrow against Odense BK.
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Keep an eye on: Frederik Rønnow

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Name: Frederik Rønnow
Age: 20 (04-08-1992)
Position: Goalkeeper
Club: AC Horsens
International caps: 
Denmark U21: 5 match(es)
Denmark U20: 1 match(es)
Denmark U19: 3 match(es)
Denmark U18: 4 match(es)
Value: £275.000 (transfermarkt.co.uk)
 
                           
 



He is 20-years-old, the best goalkeeper debutant in the Danish Superliga and has been compared with Gordon Banks. This week’s talent is Frederik Rønnow.

He started playing football in the local club Stensballe IK, before joining AC Horsens in 2008 aged 16. Here, he signed a contract with the club and at the same time rejecting a proposal from the league rivals Aarhus GF.
”I have always been happy to play in Horsens, but the other hand I have a lot of family in Aarhus. However, I talked with my parents as well as listing to my gut feeling and stayed in Horsens.”

Already the year after, Rønnow sign a contract worth three years with Horsens. The plan is that he will be playing fulltime in his last year of the contract. However, in 2010 he signs a new 5-years contract and starts his fulltime career in Horsens as a part of the senior squad.

Frederik Rønnow is now a regular face for the reserves in Horsens, but in September 2011 he is given his debut for the first team in the Danish Cup win against Holstebro. The future looks bright for the goalkeeper talent, but in the start of 2012 Horsens decide to bring in a more routined keeper, Robert Veselovsky.
”It was a special time for me as they brought a new goalkeeper to the club, which I had to compete with in every training session. The preseason was all about who did best and for the time being the coach decided that Robert [Veselovsky] was the starting goalkeeper”.

However, soon after Frederik Rønnow was given his league debut in the 1-0 win against Aalborg BK in March 2012.
”At the time, I felt that we were very equal, and I kept pushing myself in training and in the reserves matches I had, and it led to me getting a chance, and it has gone my way ever since.”

Frederik Rønnow became  an instant success in the Danish league with four clean sheets in his four first matches. This made him the best goalkeeper debutant in Denmark, and he had now made it clear that he was the first choice in Horsens. The media in Denmark speak well about the Danish youth national player, and he has developed to be one of the profiles in the league.
”It is very affirmative! At first I did not know what I was getting in to, and I am getting much more experience and routine, and it has become more natural for me to play. That people notice this and believes that what I do is great gives me appetite for more”.

Rønnow is also the youngest goalkeeper to have ever played in the Danish Cup final, and despite his young age he has already played European football. In 2012, Horsens med Swedish Elfborg and Sporting Lissabon from Portugal. In the first match against Sporting, Rønnow pulled one great save after the other securing Horsens a 1-1 draw. After the match, he was compared to the legendary Gordon Banks by the media.

But it is not only on the club level, that the talent plays against European stars. He has become the goalkeeper of the Danish U21 national team, where he so far has played 5 matches. However, as Rønnow is only 20-years-old, he will be available for the team next season, as well. However, asked if he was the next Thomas Sørensen, he answered that his focus was on the U21 team and in Horsens.
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Follow up: Alexander Juel Andersen - five shot shootout

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Follow up: Alexander Juel Andersen - five shot shootout

In relation to last weeks talent profile, Alexander Juel Andersen answers 5 questions from the twelve yard spot.

Who is your idol?

Steven Gerrard, without a doubt. He has had an influence on the world of football the last ten years with his unique play. I see him as a complete player, and he has always been one of the players that I have been following. Especially, when I was younger and positioned as a midfielder. I always looked at his play and tried to interpret some of the things I saw with him in the television. I will presumably never reach his level, but it is good to have someone to look up to.



What is the height of your career so far?

To be Captain in Viborg, is probably my greatest experience.


Where is Alexander Juel Andersen in 10 years?

In ten years, I will be… thirty one. Well, hopefully I have played a couple of years in Premier League and have a great success with what I am doing. I hope to be playing football till I am forty, but it is the fewest who is capable of it. In ten years, I have played some of my best years in the Premier League and will still be playing there.

Who from AC Horsens should the European football clubs keep an eye on?

Martin Spelmann and Martin Retov
When you look for players, you look for players for the future. A player like Martin Spelmann, who is a hot name in Denmark, is playing really well for us and has done so for a while. Another player could be Martin Retov, who has played abroad before. However, you might not see him abroad in the future.

Who is going to win the English Premier League this season?

United [Manchester] is going to take the title. They have tried this before. The table doesn’t lie, and I believe that it is impressing that they can keep playing this good, year after year. I am not a Manchester United fan at all. However, compared to City [Manchester] they don’t have star team, but they keep playing so well together, and off course it is also because of Alex Ferguson.
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Keep an eye on: Alexander Juel Andersen

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Keep an eye on: Alexander Juel Andersen

               Age: 21 (29-01-1991)  
          Position: Central Defender
              Club: AC Horsens,
                    Danish Superliga 
             Debut: 24-06-2011
                    against
                    FC Nordsjælland
                    (1-1)
International caps: Denmark U20: 1 match(es)
                                 0 goal(s)
                    Denmark U19: 6 match(es)
                                 0 goal(s)
                    Denmark U18: 3 match(es)
                                 0 goal(s)
                    Denmark U17: 16 match(es)
                                  2 goal(s)
             Value: £175.000 (transfermarkt.co.uk)


The twenty year old defender describes himself as a:
"Solid defender who has control over his defensive duties, and wants to participate in the offensive play where I have some qualifications. I am an all-around player and can play both right back center defend and center midfield. And at last, my heading is one of my strengths".

However, Alexander Juel Andersen is aware of his weaknesses, as he wants to be “even better in the offensive play, and maybe get some extra kilos on his body”.

He started playing football in Brunshåb Tapdrup IF as a child before moving on to Viborg Søndermarken IK and later Viborg F.F’s youth department, FK Viborg. Here, he got a two year contract in 2006, aged 15. The footballer’s talent was not to be missed as he went into 2007 with a trial in the French club AS Monaco, and later that year had his debut for Viborg F.F in the Danish Superliga, aged 16. The sixth youngest debutant throughout the history of the Danish Superliga.

Juel Andersen said about his stay in Monaco, that:
“It teached me how it is to be a youth player abroad, and it was not something that addressed my at the given time.”

However, the defender does not exclude an adventure abroad as “it is something else, when you’re an adult player and a senior player, and have had your breakthrough in your home country.”

In 2007, Alexander Juel Andersen had his debut for the Danish U17 national team in the Internordic match between Denmark and Belgium and was a regular part of the team throughout the tournament. His first goal in the national shirt came against Finland in the Syrenka Cup, same year, when Juel Andersen scored in the first minute of the match.

Alexander Juel Andersen continued his Denmark career on the Danish U18 national team, where he in his second match, was announced as Captain for the team. The year after, aged 19, Andersen also became Captain in Viborg. The modest defender was glad for the experience and said:
“It means a lot to become captain in such a young age. Viborg was my childhood club, and I am from Viborg as well, so it meant a lot and teached me how to manage a team”.

After sixty eight matches for Viborg, Juel Andersen, announced that he would continue his career in the Danish Superliga club AC Horsens, on a free transfer. During the last six months of his Viborg contract, the defender was on a loan in Randers FC.

After recovering from his injuries, the new Horsens player announced that he was looking to be a regular part of the team which he, since his debut against FC Nordsjælland in 2011, more or less has been. While the player is aiming to be a profile in the club, he is not expecting to be captain:

“It can be a couple of years before I am going to be a captain in Horsens. There are a lot of experienced players before me.”

The next target for the young talent is to be a part of the Danish U21 national team.
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