Great Dane Football Blog - UK Edition: Alexander Juel Andersen

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.

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.