July 10, 2007 3:44 PM

Celtic profiles: Gravesen and the midfielders

With the MLS All-Star Game a little more than a week away, FC Rocky continues its series profiling Glasgow, Scotland's, Celtic FC. Today we take a look at Thomas Gravesen and the midfield.

Gravesen, 31, joined Celtic in 2006 from Real Madrid and won the Scottish Premier League championship and the Scottish Cup in his first season with the Hoops. He is adept as an attacker and a defender.

He began his career with his hometown club, Velje, in Denmark before joining Hamburg in 1997. The German club sought him for his size, strength and defensive abilities, and he even played sweeper for the team.

In his first season at Everton, his offensive skills were in demand, and he made 33 starts. He was a valuable member of the team because of his hard shot and hard tackling. Everton had a strong beginning to the 2004-05 season, and Real Madrid came calling for the Dane.

He was sold for 2.5 million pounds in January 2005 and was off to Spain, where he filled the role of defensive midfield enforcer for the Galicticos with his competitiveness and tenacity. That fiery demeanor got him in trouble twice: once for a hard tackle on the field and the other for an altercation with a teammate off the field. The incidents paved the way for his departure and signing with Celtic.

You can read more about Gravesen here, here or at the Celtic Web site.

Will we get to see Gravesen on Thursday, July 19, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park? Only Celtic manager Gordon Strachan knows for sure. Gravesen did play 45 minutes in each of two friendlies recently in Switzerland. And visiting clubs at the All-Star Game have been playing top-notch lineups. So I'd say the chances are good we'll see Gravesen in the game, perhaps even starting.

Here's a look at some of the players who have been active recently in Celtic's midfield (in no particular order):

Massimo Donati – The club made international news with the signing of this former AC Milan midfielder. Donati signed a four-year deal with Celtic in June after playing last season on loan with Atalanta. Will wear jersey No. 18 to honor Celtic legend Neil Lennon. Much more about Donati here and here and here.

Aiden McGeady — Crafty offensive player who has been named the club's Young Player of the Year for the past three years. Broke in as an 18-year-old in 2004. Hopes to score in double figures this year for the Hoops. Read more about him here and here.

Derek Riordan — 2005 Scottish Young Player of the Year joined Celtic last summer. Prolific scorer, strong finisher, good with both feet. More here.

Jiri Jarosik — 29-year-old has played for Birmingham City, CSKA Moscow and Sparta Prague.

Scott Brown — Celtic emerged as the winner in a race to sign Brown, sending a record 4 million pounds to Hibernian for the transfer. Rangers, Middlesbrough, Tottenham and Everton were also chasing the 21-year-old, but he chose to sign a five-year contract with Celtic. Club officials described him as one of the most talented player in the country. Read more about the signing here.

Teddy Bjarnason — is climbing up from the team’s reserves, hoping to land job with the full squad. Bjarnason, from Iceland, agreed a new three-year deal with the Hoops during the summer. He played in both Celtic friendlies in the past week in Switzerland.

Adam Virgo — Utility player who also fills in on defense. Had was loaned to Coventry City in 2006-07. Previously, at Brighton, he was used as a forward in an injury pinch and excelled, scoring eight goals. Was named the Championship Player of the Month in September 2004, and Brighton ended up restructuring its offense to accommodate him.

Derek Riordan — Listed as a forward on Celtic's Web site but described as "comfortable anywhere in attack" and as one of the best finishers on the team. The 24-year-old played in the middle third in the recent Swiss trip. Two-footed.

Here's a look at Celtic's lineup Saturday vs. Berne's Young Boys in Grenchen, Switzerland. Strachan once again made liberal substitutions:

FIRST HALF
Goalkeeper: Michael McGovern
Defense: Dianbobo Balde, Stephen McManus, Lee Naylor, Evander Sno
Midfield: Teddy Bjarnason, Derek Riordan, Jiri Jarosik, Scott Brown
Forward: Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink, Scott McDonald
SECOND HALF
Goalkeeper: McGovern
Defense: Naylor, Steven Pressley (Sno 60) (Chris Killen 70), John Kennedy
Midfield: Bjarnason, Thomas Gravesen, Adam Virgo, Aiden McGeady, Massimo Donati
Forward: Maciej Zurawski, Kenny Miller

Following the six-day trip to Switzerland, Celtic will fly to England on Friday. The Hoops have friendlies schedule against Peterborough United on Friday and against Queens Park Rangers on Sunday.

From England, Celtic will fly to the U.S. on Monday. The All-Star Game is Thursday, July 19, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

If you missed FC Rocky's profiles of the goalkeepers, you can find it here.

Daniel Joao Paulo, of Berne's Young Boys, tries to navigate through Celtic defender Dianbobo Balde, left, and midfielder Teddy Bjarnason during a friendly Saturday at Bruehl Stadium in Grenchen, Switzerland. (LUKAS LEHMANN/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Massimo Donati is introduced to the media at Parkhead, Glasgow, after signing with Celtic.(ANDREW MILLIGAN/ASSOCIATED PRESS)

(Sources: Celtic FC, 4thegame.com, realmadridportal.com, feed24.com)

Posted by George Tanner at 3:44 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack