Thomas Røll

Infobox Football biography
playername = Thomas Røll
fullname = Thomas Christopher Røll Larsen
height = height|m=1.84
dateofbirth = Birth date and age|1977|3|12
cityofbirth = Aarhus
countryofbirth = Denmark
currentclub = Vejle Boldklub
clubnumber = 5
position = Midfielder, forward
youthyears =
youthclubs = Bylderup Bov
Tønder FS
years = 1996-2001
2001-2006
2005
2006-
2008-
clubs = Silkeborg IF
F.C. Copenhagen
→ Silkeborg IF (loan)
FC Midtjylland
→ Vejle Boldklub (loan)
caps(goals) = 152 (12)
097 (20)
011 0(0)
018 0(2)
021 0(1)
nationalyears = 1996-1997
1997-1999
2002-2004
nationalteam = Denmark U-19
Denmark U-21
Denmark
nationalcaps(goals) = 002 0(0)
007 0(1)
008 0(1)
pcupdate = October 8, 2008
ntupdate = October 8, 2008

Thomas Christopher Røll Larsen (born March 12 1977) is a Danish professional football player, who plays as a midfielder for Vejle Boldklub in the Danish Superliga, on loan from FC Midtjylland. He has played eight games and scored one goal for the Denmark national football team.

Club career

ilkeborg IF

Born in Aarhus, Røll also lived on Funen, before he started playing football in Bylderup Bov near the Danish-German border. He was accepted into the youth academy of Silkeborg IF, and went on to play for a local club in Tønder, before moving to Silkeborg in autumn 1994.Bjarne Nielsen, "Elkjærs nye fund", "Ekstra Bladet", 20 August 1996] At Silkeborg's youth academy, Røll played alongside future Danish international defender Martin Laursen. Røll began his senior career as a forward for Silkeborg under manager Preben Elkjær, who believed Røll lacked only temper to become a star in Danish football. Røll debuted in the top-flight Danish Superliga championship in May 1996, ["Vejen til den umulige drøm", "B.T.", 18 May 1996] and was a part of the Silkeborg team which won the international 1996 UEFA Intertoto Cup competition, beating Croatian team HNK Segesta in the final games.

Røll quickly established himself in the first team, and played 29 of 33 league games during the 1996-97 Superliga season. He played six seasons for Silkeborg IF, and eventually settled as the playmaker of the team. In his position of deep-lying forward, he especially experienced a successful striking partnership with Henrik Pedersen. He helped Silkeborg win silver medals in the 1997-98 Superliga and bronze medals in the 2000-01 Superliga season, as well as the 2001 Danish Cup trophy.

F.C. Copenhagen

In June 2001, the financially struggling Silkeborg IF sold Røll to the defending Danish champions F.C. Copenhagen (FCK) in a transfer deal reportedly worth DKK 7 million.Thorsten Dam, "FCK henter Thomas Røll", "Berlingske Tidende", 1 June 2001] Røll signed a five-year contract, and the move was seen as an opportunity for Røll to attract the attention of clubs abroad, with Silkeborg getting a part the future transfer earnings. He predominantly played on the flanks for FCK, and only occasionally got the chance to play in his familiar deep-lying forward position, as when he scored two goals against Aarhus GF in October 2001. ["Røll rykker i ny position", "B.T.", 11 October 2001] Røll played five seasons at FCK, and helped the club win three Danish Superliga championships. Initially an important part of the FCK first team, a number of injuries caused him to play fewer and fewer games for both club and country.

Røll returned to the FCK squad in July 2004, but suffered another injury in October 2004. He had a hard time re-entering the FCK starting line-up, and was loaned out to his former club Silkeborg IF in February 2005. He played the second half of the 2004-05 Superliga season for Silkeborg, helping the club avoid relegation. Back in FCK, Røll injured his ankle in July 2005, and was soon a long way from the FCK starting line-up. With his contract expiring in the summer 2006, he moved to league rivals FC Midtjylland (FCM) on a free transfer.

FC Midtjylland

Røll suffered another injury before playing any games for FCM, and underwent rehabilitation until January 2007.

International career

At the age of 19, Røll was called up for the Danish under-21 national team in February 1997. He scored a goal in his debut against the Israel under-21s; in a game the Denmark under-21s won 2-1.

Røll made his Danish national team debut in October 2002, under national manager Morten Olsen.

On November 20 2002, he became the first coloured player ever to score for Denmark.

In March 2004, Røll played a national team match despite suffering a sore Achilles tendon. [Casper Hjordt, "EM-drøm fik skadet Røll på banen", "B.T.", 3 April 2004] The Achilles tendon subsequently needed surgery, which caused Røll three months of rehabilitation, and he was dropped from the national team.

Honours

*Intertoto Cup: 1996
*Danish Cup: 2001
*Danish Superliga: 2003, 2004, 2006

References

External links

*da icon [http://www.vejle-boldklub.dk/Player-ThomasRoll.asp Vejle Boldklub profile]
*da icon [http://www.dbu.dk/lbase/playerInfo.aspx?playerid=4214 Danish national team profile]
*da icon [http://www.fck.dk/saesonen/statistik/spillerstatistik/?search=1&play_playerid_fk=138 FCK statistics]
*da icon [http://resol.dr.dk/sportservice_person.aspx?personid=112630 Career statistics] at Danmarks Radio