Christian Kalvenes
Christian Kalvenes ( born March 8, 1977 in Bergen) is a Norwegian football player. Currently, he is for the third time in his career with his hometown club Brann Bergen under contract.
- 2.1 In the club
- 2.2 As a player
Club career
Career start in Norway
Kalvenes began his career in the youth of the small IL Varegg from his home town of Bergen. In 1995 he received the Grand Club Brann a professional contract, but came in three years to only one application in the professional team.
In 1998, he then moved into the third highest Norwegian league to Åsane IL. In Åsane he became immediately a regular place, once 3rd and twice was runner-up in the 2nd Division Group 1 Through his consistent performances he received in consequence a contract offer from the second division club Sogndal IL, which he accepted.
DC in his debut season, he managed then a relegation place, and in consequence also the rise in the Tippeligaen. This was followed by three seasons he spent with surprising Sogndal in midfield in the league, before Brann Bergen submitted it an offer to return.
Kalvenes it decided to try again with his " heart association" and signed. There followed three years of disease. Right at the beginning of the 2004 season, he injured his knee and fell hard on the entire season off. After recovering from convalescence out he could fight no more regular place in a row. Overall, he came in three contract years only eleven missions without scoring for Brann.
Successful time on the island
In August 2006, he decided that the final line under the unfortunate chapter to draw " Brann Bergen " and moved to Scotland to Dundee United. On his debut for Dundee at Ibrox Stadium against the Rangers he had a goal to make it 2-2 late on. At the end of the season Kalvenes had completed 29 missions season and was selected as the best left-back in the Team of the Year of the Scottish Premier League. In the 2007 /08 season he made in January 2009 for a controversy when he already announced early to go to the end of the season back to Norway in order to be closer to his family. In March of the same year, he seemed to have undergone a change of heart because he was holding in an interview a contract extension now but possible. When he then again seriously injured in April at the knee and turned out for the rest of the season, it said again that it would have been his last game for Dundee. Despite many injuries that almost partially forced him to suspend the entire season, he was elected at the end of the season back in the top defenders in Scotland. It was followed by another nomination in the Team of the Year.
After he did not renew his contract then he signed in July 2008, the then English Championship team Burnley FC a two year contract. The change caused those in charge of Dundee for wonder, who wanted to extend to the end with the player. Consequently, he announced that it has always been his dream was to play in England and therefore he rejected his plan to return to their homeland.
In Burnley he acquiesced at once in a homogeneous team without the outstanding player and became an indispensable part in the defensive network of the " Claret ". At the end of the season was reached with table space 5 sensational relegation for the Premier League. After victories against the favored teams in Reading and Sheffield United, we finally got on well in this.
Through his Premier League debut in August 2009, he is now the first player from Bergen, who came to be used in the English top flight.
Achievements
In the club
As a player
- 2x SPL Team of the Year: 2007, 2008