PLAYER PROFILE

Andre Ooijer

Position: Defence

Height: 6'1

Weight: 11st 9lbs

Date of Birth: 1974-07-11 Amsterdam, Netherlands

Andre Ooijer

Blackburn Rovers boss Mark Hughes bolstered his squad by signing the experienced PSV Eindhoven defender Andre Ooijer in August 2006.

The Holland international penned a two-year deal at Ewood Park after completing his transfer for an undisclosed fee.

He came through Ajax's youth system and had spells with FC Volendam and Roda JC before joining PSV in 1997.

He won five Eredivisie title winners' medals with the club and was called into the national squad for the 1998 World Cup, but did not play a game as the Oranje reached the semi-finals.

The versatile defender won his first cap in June 1999 but was left out of the squads for Euro 2000 and Euro 2004.

However, Dutch coach Marco van Basten used Ooijer in all four of his side's World Cup encounters at this summer's World Cup Finals in Germany.

Ooijer's first season at Ewood Park was a mixed one as he gave away a penalty in his debut against Chelsea. He then went on to make 20 league appearances for the club, but suffered an injury in January 2007 which kept him out for the rest of the campaign. He will be hoping for better fortunes in the 2007/08 term.