PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Dirk Kuyt





Dirk Kuyt

Date of Birth: 22 Jul 1980
Birthplace: Katwijk

Nationality: Dutch

Signed for LFC: 2006
LFC Debut: 26 Aug 2006
LFC Appearances: 285
LFC Goals: 71




PROFILE

Dirk Kuyt is one of the hardest workers Anfield has ever seen - and his time at the club was punctuated by never-to-be-forgotten goals.

In six years at Liverpool the Dutchman fired in European and Carling Cup finals, scored hat-tricks and braces against our biggest rivals, struck late to earn us a place in the Champions League and smashed home numerous crucial penalties.

Originally purchased by Rafael Benitez in 2006 as a striker, he proved himself to be selfless and versatile by operating just as often on the right wing.

Kuyt arrived on these shores with a prolific goalscoring record in Dutch football, latterly Feyenoord, and he instantly found favour on the Kop with an all-action debut as a substitute at home to West Ham on August 26.

The Holland international notched his first Liverpool goal against Newcastle United on September 20, 2006, and he'd net a further 13 in his debut season.

He was already proving a hit with the fans, not least for his habit of applauding all four stands after each game.

The 2006-07 campaign ended with the Champions League final. Kuyt hit the winning penalty in the semi-final triumph over Chelsea and was rewarded with a starting place against AC Milan. It was he who scored the Reds' late consolation in Athens.

One of the No.18's finest moments in a red shirt arrived in October 2007 with a penalty brace at Goodison Park as Liverpool clinched a dramatic last-minute win over their bitter rivals.

This came just months after the death of his father, a personal tragedy which, by his own admission, impacted upon his game.

However, by the end of 2007-08 Kuyt had returned to top form, with priceless goals against Marseille, Inter Milan and Arsenal helping the Reds reach another Champions League semi-final. Defeat to Chelsea followed despite another goal in the Anfield leg to take his tally for the season to 11.

By the start of 2008-09, Benitez had moulded the six footer into an indispensable right winger, from where he scored 15 times to help Liverpool take champions Manchester United right to the wire.

Kuyt continued his knack of breaking Everton hearts with goals in both 2009-10 derbies en route to a final haul of 11. Sadly, it proved to be a poor season for the club as a whole, with failure to qualify for the Champions League resulting in Benitez parting company with the Reds.

The weeks that followed would go some way to easing Kuyt's disappointment, however, as Holland reached their first World Cup final in 32 years.

Our man started every game in South Africa, where his performances earned universal acclaim. Dutch icon Johan Cruyff was among those to laud the forward - claiming he was 'worth his weight in gold'.

Despite Kuyt's best efforts, though, it was clubmates Fernando Torres and Pepe Reina who returned to Melwood with World Cup medals following Spain's extra-time victory.

He found some consolation in top scoring for the Reds in 2010-11, with his tally of 15 including an unforgettable hat-trick against Manchester United at Anfield.

The following season saw Kuyt collect a first medal with Liverpool. He scored a goal in extra-time and then converted a spot-kick in the Carling Cup shoot-out win over Cardiff City.

It would prove to be one of his final acts in a Liverpool shirt. Kuyt left for a new challenge at Turkish side Fenerbahce in the summer of 2012 with his place as an Anfield great secure.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Jan Kromkamp

Jan Kromkamp : Defender
Date of Birth: 17-08-1980
Birthplace: Makkinga, Holland
Debut : v Luton Town, January 7th 2006. FA Cup 3rd round. Won 5-3
1st team games: 18
1st team goals: 0
Other clubs: Go Ahead Eagles, AZ67 Alkmaar, Villarreal.
International caps while with Liverpool: -
International goals while with Liverpool: -
Honours with Liverpool: FA Cup 2006.

PROFILE

Dutch international right back Jan Kromkamp won an FA Cup winners medal during his short spell with Liverpool in 2006.

Kromkamp was Rafael Benitez's first signing of 2006 when he arrived at Anfield during the transfer window in a swop deal that saw Spaniard Josemi move to Villarreal.

He made his Liverpool debut as a substitute in the epic FA Cup 5-3 win over Luton in January 2006 and went on to pick up an FA Cup winners medal in his first season at Anfield. He played his part in the final when he came on as a substitute and brought some fresh energy to the team on the right side of midfield.

Born in Makkinga, Holland, he started his professional career as a midfielder with Go Ahead Eagles in 1998, for whom he scored five goals in 61 appearances before joining AZ67 Alkmaar.

His spell in La Liga with Villarreal was brief. After joining them during the summer of 2005 he found it hard to settle and made just a handful of appearances before Liverpool swooped.

Kromkamp was sold by Benitez to PSV Eindhoven in September 2006.

PAST PLAYER PROFILE - Bolo Zenden

Date of Birth: 15/08/1976
Birthplace: Maastricht
Debut : v TNS. July 13th 2005, Champions League qualifier. Won 3-0
1st team games: 47
1st team goals: 2
Other clubs: PSV Eindhoven, Barcelona, Chelsea, Middlesbrough.
International caps while with Liverpool: -
International goals while with Liverpool: -
Honours with Liverpool: UEFA Super Cup 2005, FA Community Shield 2006.

PROFILE

Versatile Dutch international Boudewijn Zenden was captured on a free transfer from Middlesbrough in July 2005 and played his part in helping Liverpool reach the Champions League final in 2007.

Zenden, who was commonly known as Bolo, became the third Dutchman to play for Liverpool following in the footsteps of Sander Westerveld and Erik Meijer. He had an injury hit spell at Anfield but he was a useful outlet for Rafael Benitez because he could play central midfield, left midfield and even played at left back on a few occasions.

The Dutchman's best moment was the 2007 Champions League semi-final at Anfield. He was a surprise choice to start the game but he did a good job on the left side of midfield and scored a penalty in the shoot-out that Liverpool went on to win.

He also played in the Champions League final against AC Milan and in the 2005 Super Cup final he showed his versatility by playing in three positions during the win over CSKA Moscow in Monaco.

Bolo began his career at PSV Eindhoven and collected a Dutch Championship winner's medal in 1996, before he moved to Spanish giants Barcelona. Benitez first came across Zenden when he played for Barcelona and helped the Catalan club win the Spanish title in his first season at the Nou Camp.

He then moved to the Premiership in 2001 when he joined Chelsea for a fee of 7.5 million, before spending the whole of the 2003/04 season on loan with Middlesbrough, scoring the winner against Bolton Wanderers in the Carling Cup final as the club won their first ever major trophy.