Lars Høgh
Encyclopedia
Poul Lars Høgh Pedersen (born 14 January 1959) is a Danish
former football
player, who played his entire career as a goalkeeper for Odense BK
. He won three Danish football champions
hips and three Danish Cup
trophies with OB, and won the Danish Best Goalkeeper of the Year
award five times. He played eight matches for the Danish national team
, and was selected for the 1986 World Cup
and 1996 European Championship squads. He was a part of the Danish team which won the 1995 King Fahd Cup.
, Høgh started playing football with local club Odense BK (OB). He made his senior debut in 1977 as an amateur (later to become semi-professional, and eventually fulltime-professional), and was an understudy to Danish national team goalkeeper Mogens Therkildsen, as OB won the 1977 Danish championship. The following years he established himself as OB's starting goalkeeper, and debuted for the Danish under-21 national team
in March 1979. He was a part of the OB team which won the 1982 Danish championship and 1983 Danish Cup, and was called up for the Danish national team by national team manager Sepp Piontek. He made his national team debut in May 1983, and was a part of the Danish team at the 1986 World Cup.
He started the World Cup as a substitute, but played in Denmark's last two matches at the tournament. Høgh replaced Troels Rasmussen
as starting goalkeeper when Denmark beat Germany
2-0 and advanced to the knock-off stage. In the quarter-finals against Spain
, Høgh conceded four goals to Spanish
striker Emilio Butragueño
, as Denmark lost 5-1 and was eliminated from the tournament. After the 1986 World Cup, Høgh was named 1986 Best Goalkeeper of the Year. Troels Rasmussen reclaimed his starting position in the national team, and Høgh played what would be his last national team in eight years in September 1987. With the emergence of record-setting goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel
, Høgh established himself as one of Schmeichel's most frequent understudies.
With OB, Høgh continued his consistent goalkeeping, and guided the team to another Danish championship in 1989, as well as Danish Cup triumphs in 1991 and 1993. He won the Best Goalkeeper of the Year award a further four times, setting a record five award wins in 1994. Høgh was a part of the Danish national team at the 1995 King Fahd Cup, where he was Denmark's stating goalkeeper in the absence of Peter Schmeichel. In the second game of the tournament, Høgh suffered an injury, and was replaced by Mogens Krogh
, who tended the goal as Denmark won the tournament.
Høgh retired as a footballer in 2000, 41 years old, after an outstanding career with OB. He played his entire career with OB, for whom he played a total 817 matches from his debut in 1977. Following his retirement, Høgh served three years as sports director for Odense BK. He went on to become a footballing coach, both for individual goalkeepers, as well as clubs. In 2008 he replaced Jørgen Henriksen as coach for the goalkeepers of the national team of Denmark.
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player, who played his entire career as a goalkeeper for Odense BK
Odense BK
Odense Boldklub is a Danish professional football club based in the town of Odense. The club has won three Danish championships and five Danish Cup trophies. OB play in the Danish Superliga and their home field is TRE-FOR Park in Odense on Funen...
. He won three Danish football champions
Danish football champions
The Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...
hips and three Danish Cup
Danish Cup
The Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
trophies with OB, and won the Danish Best Goalkeeper of the Year
Det Gyldne Bur
Det Gyldne Bur is an award given to the best goalkeeper in Danish football each year. The winner is found by votes among the goalkeepers in the two top divisions of Danish football; the Danish Superliga and Danish 1st Division. The award has been handed out by Danish sports paper TIPS-Bladet since...
award five times. He played eight matches for the Danish national team
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
, and was selected for the 1986 World Cup
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
and 1996 European Championship squads. He was a part of the Danish team which won the 1995 King Fahd Cup.
Biography
Born in OdenseOdense
The city of Odense is the third largest city in Denmark.Odense City has a population of 167,615 and is the main city of the island of Funen...
, Høgh started playing football with local club Odense BK (OB). He made his senior debut in 1977 as an amateur (later to become semi-professional, and eventually fulltime-professional), and was an understudy to Danish national team goalkeeper Mogens Therkildsen, as OB won the 1977 Danish championship. The following years he established himself as OB's starting goalkeeper, and debuted for the Danish under-21 national team
Denmark national under-21 football team
The Denmark national under-21 football team has played since 1976 and is controlled by the Danish Football Association. Before 1976, the age limit was 23 years.-U-21 European Championship:*1978 – Quarterfinals*1980 to 1984 – Did not qualify...
in March 1979. He was a part of the OB team which won the 1982 Danish championship and 1983 Danish Cup, and was called up for the Danish national team by national team manager Sepp Piontek. He made his national team debut in May 1983, and was a part of the Danish team at the 1986 World Cup.
He started the World Cup as a substitute, but played in Denmark's last two matches at the tournament. Høgh replaced Troels Rasmussen
Troels Rasmussen
Troels Rasmussen is a Danish former football player, who played as a goalkeeper for Danish clubs Vejle Boldklub and AGF. He played 391 games for AGF, and scored 5 goals on penalty kicks...
as starting goalkeeper when Denmark beat Germany
Germany national football team
The Germany national football team is the football team that has represented Germany in international competition since 1908. It is governed by the German Football Association , which was founded in 1900....
2-0 and advanced to the knock-off stage. In the quarter-finals against Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, Høgh conceded four goals to Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
striker Emilio Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño
Emilio Butragueño Santos is a retired Spanish footballer who played as a striker.He was best known for his spell with Real Madrid...
, as Denmark lost 5-1 and was eliminated from the tournament. After the 1986 World Cup, Høgh was named 1986 Best Goalkeeper of the Year. Troels Rasmussen reclaimed his starting position in the national team, and Høgh played what would be his last national team in eight years in September 1987. With the emergence of record-setting goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel
Peter Schmeichel
Peter Bolesław Schmeichel MBE is a retired Danish professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and was voted the "World's Best Goalkeeper" in 1992 and 1993...
, Høgh established himself as one of Schmeichel's most frequent understudies.
With OB, Høgh continued his consistent goalkeeping, and guided the team to another Danish championship in 1989, as well as Danish Cup triumphs in 1991 and 1993. He won the Best Goalkeeper of the Year award a further four times, setting a record five award wins in 1994. Høgh was a part of the Danish national team at the 1995 King Fahd Cup, where he was Denmark's stating goalkeeper in the absence of Peter Schmeichel. In the second game of the tournament, Høgh suffered an injury, and was replaced by Mogens Krogh
Mogens Krogh
Mogens Krogh is a Danish retired professional football player who is currently the goalkeeper coach for the youth teams of Brøndby IF...
, who tended the goal as Denmark won the tournament.
Høgh retired as a footballer in 2000, 41 years old, after an outstanding career with OB. He played his entire career with OB, for whom he played a total 817 matches from his debut in 1977. Following his retirement, Høgh served three years as sports director for Odense BK. He went on to become a footballing coach, both for individual goalkeepers, as well as clubs. In 2008 he replaced Jørgen Henriksen as coach for the goalkeepers of the national team of Denmark.
Honours
- Danish championshipDanish football championsThe Danish football champions are the winners of the highest league of football in Denmark. The title has been contested since 1913, in a varying form of competitions. Since 1991, the winners have been found through the Danish Superliga championship...
: 1977, 1982 and 1989 - Danish CupDanish CupThe Danish Cup is the official "knockout" cup competition in Danish football, run by the Danish Football Association. The cup has been contested annually since 1955...
: 1983, 1991 and 1993 - Danish Best Goalkeeper of the YearDet Gyldne BurDet Gyldne Bur is an award given to the best goalkeeper in Danish football each year. The winner is found by votes among the goalkeepers in the two top divisions of Danish football; the Danish Superliga and Danish 1st Division. The award has been handed out by Danish sports paper TIPS-Bladet since...
: 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1994 - 1995 King Fahd Cup