FOOTBALL LEGENDS

2010-09-05T08:30:00.002+02:00

Scott Matthew Parker (born 13 October 1980) is an English footballer who plays for West Ham United. He is a midfielder, who has represented England at every level; from under-15 to senior, for whom he has made one start and two substitute appearances. He won his three England caps while playing for three different clubs. He is known as a tough tackling central midfielder who likes to get forward.

Early life

Parker was born in Lambeth, Greater London,[1] and attended Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College in New Cross Gate. As a 13 year old, he appeared in a well-known British advert for McDonald's, in which he played keepie uppie during their 1994 World Cup campaign.[2] Parker is a graduate of the Football Association's now-defunct national School of Excellence at Lilleshall.[1]

Club career

Charlton Athletic

After graduating from Lilleshall, he signed for Charlton Athletic as a trainee and made his debut as a substitute against Bury[1] in the first division on 23 August 1997, a game which ended 0–0. He signed his first professional contract with the club two months later.[1] Over the next couple of years he made only a few sporadic substitute appearances for Charlton, although he was one of the brightest prospects in English football. In October 2000 Charlton, now in the Premier League, loaned Parker to First Division side Norwich City[3] for two months to give the England under-21 some first team experience. At Norwich he scored once against Sheffield Wednesday.[4] On his return to The Valley, Parker was immediately called into the first team to replace injured captain Mark Kinsella. Parker played so well for Charlton that, upon his return from injury, Kinsella could not regain his place in the starting lineup. Parker soon became the linchpin of Charlton's midfield, combining tenacious tackling with an ability to carry the ball quickly from defence to attack and play telling passes, creating many chances for his teammates. There was talk that the Addicks would mount a serious challenge for Champions League qualification. He played 145 times for Charlton, scoring ten goals.[1]

Chelsea

Parker, who had been consistently linked with moves away from Charlton for several years, finally left the Valley on 30 January 2004 to join Chelsea for a fee of £10 million[5] after a protracted and acrimonious transfer saga. Curbishley, the Charlton manager, criticised his attitude following news of Chelsea's interest, accusing him of bad behaviour and saying that "...his conduct in training has not been what it should have been."[6] Parker was initially signed as cover for Claude Makélélé and Frank Lampard, but did not get too many chances to play in his preferred position. He scored his only goal for Chelsea against Portsmouth at Fratton Park.[7] Within just two months of signing for Chelsea, he made another substitute appearance for England on 31 March 2004, this time against Sweden. At the end of the 2003–04 season Parker was named as the PFA Young Player of the Year.[8]

Following the summer signings of Arjen Robben, and Tiago, Parker's first team opportunities were extremely limited during the 2004–05 season. His problems were compounded when he broke a metatarsal bone in a game against his former club, Norwich City.[9] This injury, coupled with the signing of Jiří Jarošík, served to add to the rumours that he would be sold by José Mourinho in the summer.

Newcastle United

Parker was sold the following summer, moving to Newcastle United in July 2005 for a fee of £6.5 million.[10] Parker became a regular in the Newcastle first team and was one of the few players at the club to show any consistency during an often difficult season in which Newcastle finished in 7th place, despite having a very poor start under Graeme Souness. His first Newcastle goal came against his former club Charlton in a 3–1 defeat.[11] In March 2006 he was diagnosed with glandular fever, putting an end to his season.[12] The timing was especially unfortunate for Parker, who had been playing well for Newcastle, as it ended any hopes he may have had of forcing his way into the England squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

In July 2006, he was named Newcastle United's new captain by manager Glenn Roeder.[13] His first goal as captain came against Wigan Athletic in August 2006.[14] Parker scored his second goal of the season against Fulham in September 2006, but after he was substituted Newcastle conceded 2 goals and subsequently lost the game.[15] Despite Newcastle's poor form, his performances earned him a recall to the England squad in September after an absence of more than two years. In November, Parker scored a goal in the 116th minute against Watford in the Carling Cup and then scored in the penalty shoot-out to allow Newcastle to progress in the competition.[16] He scored his fourth goal of the 2006–07 season season against Tottenham in December 2006.[17]

Scott Parker was found to be the second best player in the country for December 2006 by Sky Sports and Opta Index. He led Newcastle on their way to Intertoto Cup victory and was presented with the UEFA Intertoto Cup plaque in March 2007 before the UEFA Cup first leg tie with AZ Alkmaar, which Newcastle won 4–2.

West Ham United

In June 2007, West Ham United signed Scott Parker for £7 million.[18] Due to injury, he did not make his first team debut until 26 September 2007 in the 1–0 League Cup victory against Plymouth Argyle.[19] His full Premier League debut came on 29 September 2007 in the 1–0 home defeat to Arsenal, a game which saw Parker sustaining yet another injury and being substituted by Hayden Mullins at half-time.[20] Parker scored his first goal for West Ham in the 2–1 win at Middlesbrough on 22 December 2007;[21] The match winner in the 90th minute.

In the 2008/2009 season Parker played a major part of West Hams' season and on 24 May 2009 was voted Hammer of the Year, by the club's supporters, for the 2008–09 season.[22] and became the first player since Julian Dicks in 1997 to retain the award after winning again on 4 May 2010.[23]

He was again one of West Ham's key players in the 2009-10 season, scoring the winning goal in a vital 3–2 win against Wigan Athletic, which ensured another season of Premier League football for West Ham.[24]

In July 2010, West Ham Chairman David Sullivan made a forceful public statement reiterating earlier comments that Parker was not for sale to another club at any price. His latest announcement came on the heels of a bid from Tottenham Hotspur and also very strong and public interest from Aston Villa.

International career

Scott Parker has represented England at every level from under-15 to the senior team.[1] He has 11 caps for the England under-21 team.[25]

Parker's international debut for the senior England team came on 16 November 2003 when he came on in the 66th minute as a substitute replacing Wayne Rooney in a 3–2 defeat against Denmark.[26]

Parker's form earned him a place in the starting line-up for England's European Championships qualifier away to Croatia. Parker was restricted to tracking back and covering due to the attacking players in the team like Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. England boss Steve McClaren specifically told Parker to chase the wingers and assist the two wing backs, Gary Neville and Ashley Cole.

On 11 May 2010, Parker was revealed to be among Capello's 30-man preliminary squad list for the 2010 World Cup.[27]

If Parker gains another England cap while at West Ham, he will become the first player to receive his first four full caps whilst playing for four different teams.

2010-09-05T08:28:00.000+02:00

Stewart Downing (born 22 July 1984) is an English footballer who plays for Premier League club Aston Villa and the England national football team. Primarily a left winger, Downing has previously played for Middlesbrough, with whom he won the Football League Cup, and Sunderland

Club career

Middlesbrough

Downing grew up in Middlesbrough's Pallister Park estate and supported the club since his school days. He was considered one of the most promising graduates of the Middlesbrough Academy.

His debut came on 24 April 2002 in a Premier League game away at Ipswich Town. He was limited to just three appearances during that season, plus a further three the following season despite scoring his first senior goal in a 4–1 League Cup victory over Brentford. He was sent out on loan to Sunderland in 2003 in order to gain experience. His first-team chances at Middlesbrough were limited due to the form of Bolo Zenden in the left-midfield slot. Downing's career began to take-off when he was recalled from his loan during an injury crisis and was pushed into the first-team. The 2004–05 season saw Downing make forty-nine appearances, scoring six goals, as well as providing numerous assists. His performances that season saw him called up to Sven Göran Eriksson's England squad in February 2005 for a friendly against the Netherlands.[1]

A knee injury saw Downing sidelined for five months at the end of 2005,[2] though he returned to play his part in the run to the 2006 UEFA Cup Final, including three assists in the 4–2 (4–3 agg) victory over Steaua Bucharest in the semi-final second leg.[3]

On 26 February 2008, Downing signed a new five-year contract, keeping him signed on at Middlesbrough until 2013.[4]

With the departure of Mark Schwarzer in May 2008, Downing became Middlesbrough's second longest serving player after Brad Jones.

The 2008–09 season was a mixed one for Downing. Middlesbrough had their best start to the season in six years which saw them climb to 8th in the table, however, a terrible winless run which started in November 2008 saw them fall into the relegation zone. On the 5 January 2009, he handed in a written transfer request expressing his desire to leave the club but the request was turned down on the same day.[5] In the penultimate match of the season, he sustained a foot injury after a challenge from Stilian Petrov in a home game against Aston Villa in May, which needed an operation, ruling him out for at least four months.[6] After spending the whole of the second half of the season in the relegation zone, Middlesbrough were relegated on the final day after they lost 2–1 away at West Ham United. Downing, having started every league game, except the last match, ended the season with no league goals, having only scored two against West Ham United in the FA Cup.

Aston Villa

Following Middlesbrough's relegation, Downing signed a four-year contract with Aston Villa, becoming Martin O'Neill's first signing of the 2009 Summer transfer window for a fee of £10 million with an extra £2 million to be paid depending on appearances.[7] On November 7, 2009, O'Neill announced that Downing had returned to full training following his injury against Villa while playing for Middlesbrough during the 2008–09 season. Downing made his Aston Villa début coming on as a 69th minute substitute for Steve Sidwell in the away game versus Burnley.[8] He scored his first goal for Villa in the Carling Cup against Portsmouth on 1 December 2009.[9] Downing's return to action saw him returning to his preferred left wing role, with James Milner moving to central midfield for Villa. Downing played in Villa's first win at Old Trafford against Manchester United since 1983 on 12 December 2009. Downing then went on to score his first and second league goal for Villa in their 5–2 win against Burnley on the 21st February 2010. [10] On the opening day of the 2010-11 season Downing scored his 3rd goal for the club in a 3-0 win against West Ham United.

International career

Downing was first called up as a 19-year-old for the 2003 UEFA European U-19 Championship. With seven Under-21 caps to his credit, Downing made his England debut on 9 February 2005 in a home friendly, played at Villa Park against the Netherlands, replacing Shaun Wright-Phillips in the second half.[11]

Downing's international career took a setback in May 2005 when he was injured training with England on their tour of United States, keeping him out of the game until 2006.

Downing was included in the England World Cup squad in May 2006 by Sven-Göran Eriksson,[12] primarily as a back-up for Joe Cole, and came on as a second half substitute in England's victorious opening game against Paraguay.[13] He was brought on once again in the match against Trinidad and Tobago, when England scored two goals in the last ten minutes.[14]

On 16 August 2006, Downing made his first start for England, as Greece were beaten by 4–0, with Downing involved in three of the goals.[15] He started the subsequent three Euro 2008 qualifiers, against Andorra and the Republic of Macedonia. His performances drew criticism from the press, with many stating that Downing was only being selected due to his friendship with manager Steve McClaren. However, Downing hopes to have proven many of his critics wrong after Fabio Capello became the third successive England manager to give him an England cap, on 26 March 2008 in a 1–0 friendly defeat to France.[16] He was also called up (alongside Middlesbrough teammate David Wheater) for Capello's friendlies against United States and Trinidad and Tobago, where he received the nod ahead of Ashley Young. His performance justified his selection by contributing with the first two goals and won praise from the press who had previously slated his inclusion in the squad.[17] A few months after Capello took charge of England, the Italian boss stated that he had been most impressed by Downing

Honours

Club

Middlesbrough

League Cup

Winner: 2003–04

Aston Villa

League Cup:

Runner up: 2009–10

Personal life

Downing has been involved in several charitable and community projects outside his playing career. He supports the nationwide No Messin' campaign, along with freestyler Colin Nell and boxer Amir Khan, warning youngsters against playing on railway lines. Downing held a charity dinner with special guest boxer Ricky Hatton to raise funds for the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle Upon Tyne in February 2008.[20] The hospital had cared for Vicky, Stewart's sister, who died of leukaemia in 1993 at the age of 4. The honorary position of president of Middlesbrough Futsal Club was bestowed on Downing in December 2007. During his spare time Downing has DJ-ed at several nightclubs in Middlesbrough.[21]

Downing's former agent Ian Elliott was arrested by Cleveland Police in September 2008 after he was reported to the police by the player himself after he had concerns "regarding the way his and his company's affairs [had] been handled". He told Middlesbrough about his concerns some time earlier and the club advised him to involve lawyers and accountants to investigate, while The FA acted as liaison between the police and the club.[22]

2010-09-05T08:26:00.002+02:00

Gabriel Imuetinyan "Gabby" Agbonlahor (born 13 October 1986)[3] is an English footballer who plays for Aston Villa of the Premier League. He is of Nigerian and Scottish descent.[4][5] Agbonlahor is a product of Aston Villa's Academy system and has earned three caps for the English national team.[6] He is currently the longest-serving player at Villa Park, playing professionally for the club since 2005.[7]

Club career

Aston Villa

2005–06 season

Born in Erdington, Birmingham, Agbonlahor came through the youth ranks at local club Aston Villa. As an 18-year-old, he was loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday and Watford in 2005 to gain first team experience. Agbonlahor's FA Premier League debut for Villa came on 18 March 2006 at the age of 19, under manager David O'Leary, against Everton at Goodison Park. O'Leary was forced to delve into the youth academy because of a lack of senior strikers due to injury, thus earning Agbonlahor a rare start. He scored after 63 minutes, although Villa went on to lose the match 4–1.[8]

2006–07 season

In five pre-season games of the 2006–07 season, Agbonlahor netted four goals in five games for Aston Villa. After netting a quick double salvo against Walsall (the first a near-post header, the latter a close range finish) in a 5–0 victory.[9] Agbonlahor also netted in the second match of Aston Villa's tour against NEC, which turned out to be a consolation goal, in a 2–1 victory for NC.[10]

Agbonlahor started the season on the right wing in Martin O'Neill's new-look Villa side, and would be part of the team that managed a get a point from the first Premiership game at Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium.[11] Agbonlahor's first goal of the season came at home against Charlton Athletic, in a 2–0 win.[12] On 30 September, Agbonlahor scored a crucial equaliser against Premiership champions Chelsea just before half-time, heading in Liam Ridgewell's cross with a glancing header to earn Villa a 1–1 draw.[13]

Agbonlahor also provided cup heroics in 2006, scoring an extra-time injury-time winner to beat Leicester City 3–2 at the Walkers Stadium.[14] The following game, he scored a consolation effort in Villa's first loss of the season, on 28 October, ten games in.[15]

Agbonlahor completed his run of scoring against the Big Four, when he added Manchester United to a list of his victims that included Chelsea and Liverpool. Aston Villa were beaten 3–1 in the game at Old Trafford.[16] Agbonlahor then scored deep into injury time in the following game, against Watford on 20 January, to end a Villa winless run that stretched back to 11 November.[17]

Agbonlahor had played every minute of Aston Villa's campaign in 2006–07, until he was replaced by Patrik Berger, in the 2–0 away fixture against Reading, on 10 February 2007. The following match was the first of the season that Agbonlahor did not start — he instead appeared from the bench, replacing new Villa signing Shaun Maloney. Manager Martin O'Neill suggested that Agbonlahor, who had been playing out of position on the right wing for much of the season, had done superbly, and being dropped from the first 11 was in order to rest him, and alleviate growing crowd pressure.

Following this break, Agbonlahor went on a scoring spree. He scored from the right-wing against Everton on 2 April, to gain Villa a valuable point.[18] Following this match, Agbonlahor signed a new-four year contract at Aston Villa.[19] The following Saturday, in the absence of John Carew, he was moved back to his natural position at centre forward and again found his name on the scoresheet.

Agbonlahor made it three in a row on Easter Monday, again scoring an equaliser, adjudged to have crossed the line by assistant referee Dave Richardson.

2007–08 season

Agbonlahor also scored the vital second goal in the match between Aston Villa and Chelsea on 2 September, in which Villa won 2–0.[20][21] Agbonlahor scored the winning goal in the 86th minute of the Birmingham Derby, 60 seconds after saving the ball on the line from a Liam Ridgewell shot. After 13 games, Agbonlahor was the clubs top goal scorer, with six Premier League goals. On 7 December it was announced that Agbonlahor had won the Barclays Premier League Player of the month award and Manager Martin O'Neill had won the Manager of the month award for the same month.[22]

On 12 April 2008, Agbonlahor scored the fourth goal against Derby County in a 6–0 victory at Pride Park in the Premier league.[23] In the Birmingham derby on 20 April 2008, he scored the fifth and final goal in the 5–1 victory.[24]

2008–09 season

On 15 August 2008, Aston Villa announced that Agbonlahor had signed a new four-year deal, tying him to the club until 2012.[25]

Following his contract extension, on 17 August 2008, Agbonlahor scored a "perfect" hat-trick (scoring goals with his head, right foot and left foot) against Manchester City in Villa's opening game of the 2008–09 season at Villa Park. The three goals were netted in the space of seven minutes, making it the second-fastest hat-trick in the history of the Premier League. He was later named man of the match for this performance, which led to a 4–2 victory.[26]

Early in the season he began to form a successful strike partnership with team-mate John Carew, this demonstrated in the Premier League away games against West Bromwich Albion[27] and Wigan Athletic[28] where both players scored in both games and provided assists. On 3 November, Agbonlahor was at the centre of a controversy with Newcastle United's Joey Barton when, during the match, Barton appeared to brush his fingers on Agbonlahor's face. It later emerged that Barton's attack might have been race-orientated but, after careful consideration by both Aston Villa and the FA, no further action was taken.[29][30] On 8 November, it emerged in some national newspapers that the reason Agbonlahor decided not to pursue legal action against Barton was because he "felt sorry" for him.[31][32] On 15 November, he scored once and played a part in the other goal, when Aston Villa beat Arsenal 2–0 at the Emirates Stadium.[33] He scored a brace against Bolton Wanderers on 13 December.[34] Agbonlahor notched his tenth league goal of the season in the 90th minute in a 2–0 win against Blackburn Rovers on 7 February.[35]

However, this was a high point in a dismal run of form in which he scored just 1 goal in 12 league games. Some fans began to get frustrated with Agbonlahor and in Villa's home defeat against Spurs there were some sarcastic cheers as he was substituted off by Martin O'Neill. He was subsequently dropped to the bench for Villa's next game away to Liverpool which Villa lost 5–0. After the heavy defeat to Liverpool and despite his lack of form Agbonlahor was recalled to the starting 11 and went on to score a goal against Manchester United on 5 April in a 3–2 defeat for Villa. Gabriel Agbonlahor was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year with fellow team mate Ashley Young winning the honour.

2009–10 Season

Agbonlahor's first goal of the 2009–10 season came at home in a 2–0 victory over Fulham on 30 August 2009. The striker brought the ball from the centre of the field to strike, left-footed, past Mark Schwarzer from around 20 yards out.

The striker scored the only goal in the season's opening Second City Derby against Birmingham City, netting an open header past Joe Hart as a result of a free kick taken by Ashley Young. Agbonlahor scored his third goal of the season scoring in a 2–0 win against Portsmouth.[36] He scored his fourth and fifth consecutive goals of the season against Cardiff City in the League Cup and Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League. His next goal came on 24 October 2009 against Wolverhampton Wanderers at Molineux in the Premier League. Fellow Villa forward Emile Heskey played the ball into the penalty area where Agbonlahor turned a defender and placed a low shot past Wolverhampton goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. The game finished 1–1. He scored the only goal in the 1–0 win against Manchester United at Old Trafford, heading in a cross from Ashley Young after 21 mins, providing Villa's first league win at Old Trafford since 1983. In the first leg of the League Cup semi final at Ewood Park against Blackburn Rovers Agbonlahor was booked for diving. Agbonlahor scored in the scond leg of the game helping Villa to get to the final where they lost to Manchester United 2–1. He scored twice in 2–0 win at Fulham on 30 January 2010. On 21 February, Agbonlahor provided an assist for Emile Heskey before adding Villa's final goal in a 5–2 victory over Burnley for his 11th league goal of the season.

Agbonlahor finished the season with thirteen goals in the Premier League, and 16 in all competitions.

2010–11 Season

Agbonlahor had a difficult start to the 2010–11 season due to injury. He did not feature until 26 August 2010 in a UEFA Europa League fixture at home to Rapid Vienna; a game that saw Villa bow out of the competition via a 3–2 loss. Agbonlahor opened the scoring, but had to be withdrawn prior to half time due to more injury concerns.

Despite Villa suffering some issues on and off the field at the beginning of the season such as the resignation of manager Martin O'Neill and a humiliating 6–0 defeat at the hands of Newcastle United, Agbonlahor defended the club and stated his intent to remain there for the long term.[37]

International career

Agbonlahor's ancestry qualifies him to play for Scotland or Nigeria at International level, but he chose to play for his homeland of England.

On 20 September 2006, Agbonlahor was pencilled in as a player in the Nigeria U20 team for the match against Rwanda. He turned down the chance, whilst not ruling out playing for the country in the future.[38] He later pledged his future to England.[39][40]

On 28 September 2006, Agbonlahor received his first call-up to the England U21 squad, and won his first U21 cap as a substitute against Germany U21 on 6 October.

Agbonlahor was then omitted from the England's U21 Championship squad, by manager Stuart Pearce, on 30 May 2007, as a result of missing the England U21 training camp in Spain. David Bentley, also included in the England first team lineup, took his place.

Agbonlahor was later recalled to the side by Pearce, in September 2007,[41] netting his first goal for the under-21s, by scoring the second in a 3–0 victory, over Montenegro U21.

On 1 February, Agbonlahor was named in Fabio Capello's 23-man England squad to play Switzerland in February 2008,[42] although a hamstring injury forced him to withdraw from the game.[43]

Agbonlahor was also an unused substitute in England's respective 2–0 and 3–0 friendly victories against the United States[44] and Trinidad & Tobago[45] in May–June 2008.

On 15 November 2008, he was called up to Fabio Capello's squad for the upcoming match against Germany in Berlin, joining three other Aston Villa players in the squad; Ashley Young, Curtis Davies and Gareth Barry. On 19 November, he was named to start against Germany. He played for 76 minutes, had a goal disallowed[46] and received high praise from John Terry. Terry declared Agbonlahor in his post-match interview "a nightmare to play against".[47]

On 11 February 2009 he was in the starting line up against Spain, he played for 75 minutes before being substituted for debutant Carlton Cole.

On 31 March 2009 he was called into the England squad to face Ukraine in a World cup qualifier after Darren Bent limped out of training with an injury. Bent was the third England striker to drop out of the squad through injury, after Emile Heskey and Carlton Cole.[48]

On 15 October 2009 he started for England against Belarus and was replaced in the 66th minute and was replaced by Carlton Cole. Agbonlahor playing in his first competitive international, managed to assist a goal.

Honours

Aston Villa

League Cup: Runners Up 2009–10

Individual

Young Player of the Season: 2006–07,2007–08

Player's Young Player of the Season: 2006–07,2007–08

England

UEFA European Under-21 Championship: Runner Up 2009

[49]

2010-09-05T08:07:00.000+02:00

Aaron Justin Lennon (born 16 April 1987) is an English footballer who plays as a winger for who plays for Tottenham Hotspur and the England national team. He is widely regarded to be the quickest player with the ball in the Premier League.[1]

Early life

Lennon's family is of Jamaican, Irish and English descent. He has one older brother and a younger sister and brother. He attended Boston Spa School.[2]

Club career

Leeds United

Born in Chapeltown, Leeds, Lennon began his professional career at Leeds United, where he became the youngest player to appear in the Premier League at the age of 16 years and 129 days, coming off the bench at White Hart Lane against Tottenham Hotspur in a 2–1 loss in August 2003.[3] Initially a student at City of Leeds High School, he then continued his studies at Leeds' partner school, Boston Spa School. Lennon gained an assist against Arsenal where Alan Smith got a deft touch onto Lennon's cross shot. He had been a member of the Leeds United Academy for a long time before breaking into the first team setup.

In 2001, he set a record as the youngest player ever to have his boots sponsored when he signed up with Adidas at the age of just 14. Lennon scored his only goal for Leeds against Sunderland on Boxing Day 2004 during a 3–2 win. Lennon had been a regular on the bench up until that point, but when John Oster was sacked Lennon took his place and never looked back and became a regular starter after that point. His pace and skills on the wing excited Leeds fans, and he was one of the star performers in Leeds' first season in the Championship under the management of Kevin Blackwell with his performances earning rave reviews.

His last involvement at Leeds was playing and scoring in Lucas Radebe's testimonial. His older brother Anthony was also at the Leeds Academy, but never made it into the first team as he was involved in a car accident. With Leeds' financial problems Lennon was sold to Spurs for a heavily reduced fee, with a sell on clause inserted into the deal.

Tottenham Hotspur

With Leeds suffering financial difficulties, Lennon made a £1 million move to Tottenham Hotspur in early June 2005.[4] His Spurs debut came a couple of months later in an August defeat against Chelsea. On 18 March 2006, Lennon scored his first Premier League goal in Tottenham's 2–0 victory over Birmingham City at St. Andrew's, early in the second half.

He was nominated by fellow Premiership players for the PFA Young Player of the Year for the 2005–06 season, and subsequently again in the 2006–07 season. The awards ultimately went to Wayne Rooney, and to Cristiano Ronaldo of Manchester United.

Lennon signed a new 5 ½ year deal worth £20,000 a week with Tottenham on 8 January 2007, which will keep him at the club until 2012.[5] He signed an improved deal in March 2009 which contracts him to Spurs until 2014.[6] For the third successive year, in the 2008–09 season, he was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year. The award was ultimately awarded to Aston Villa's Ashley Young. Lennon also won both the Tottenham Hotspur 'Player of the Season' and the 'Young Player of the Season' award in the 2008–09 season.

The winger was named the supporters' Player of the Season for 2008–09. He terrorised left-backs up and down the country during his 47 games in all competitions, earning a new five-year contract at the Club in March 2009 as well as a recall to the England senior squad the same week. Aaron also scored five goals during the campaign, including a memorable last minute equaliser during a 4–4 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium in October 2008.

His goals early in the 2009–10 season – against West Ham at Boleyn Ground, and Birmingham City – kept Tottenham at the top of the league table, with four successive wins, their best start to a league season since the 1960–61 season.[7]

On 24 October 2009, Lennon was injured in a match against Stoke; Tottenham were consequently reduced to ten men as Harry Redknapp had used all three available substitutes. However he returned on November 22 in a 9–1 victory against Wigan Athletic. He provided three assists and scored one goal. He was substituted in the 79th minute for David Bentley receiving a standing ovation from the fans at White Hart Lane.

The Tottenham winger suffered a groin injury in December 2009, against West Ham United, which kept him out of the team during the first months of 2010 and in the run up to the 2010 World Cup. He made his return from the groin injury in a 3–1 defeat against Manchester United at Old Trafford on 24 April.[8]

International career

Lennon was called up to the England U-21 team team for the first time in October 2005 and on 8 May 2006, he was picked in England's 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, despite being only 19 years of age and uncapped at senior level.

He was named Man of the match in the England B match with Belarus on 25 May 2006 in England's World Cup warm-up match at the Madejski Stadium in Reading, Berkshire, which ultimately England B lost 2–1. He made his full England debut as a second-half substitute in the 6–0 win over Jamaica on 2 June.

Lennon came on as a substitute for England in their second group stage game of World Cup 2006 (his first World Cup finals appearance) against Trinidad and Tobago. England scored twice following his and Wayne Rooney's arrival on the field, winning the game 2–0. There were some suggestions amongst fans for him to replace David Beckham on the right side of midfield.[9] Lennon then played in the quarter-final match against Portugal, coming on as a substitute for the injured David Beckham. Lennon was then himself substituted for Jamie Carragher immediately prior to a penalty shootout, in which England lost.

Lennon also came on as a substitute against Andorra during a UEFA Euro qualifier and made an instant impact by assisting Peter Crouch's second goal after receiving the ball for the first time.

Lennon made his first start for England against Israel in a UEFA Euro qualifier on 24 March 2007 and four days later, he was again selected in the first XI against Andorra. This proved to be Lennon's last appearance for exactly two years as it wasn't until 28 March 2009 that he was selected again by England, starting in a friendly match with Slovakia at Wembley Stadium. Lennon started again for England when they played Ukraine on 1 April 2009 at Wembley Stadium, although Lennon was substituted in both games for Beckham.

He was called up for the friendly against Slovenia and the World Cup qualifier versus Croatia, following his fine form for Tottenham,[10] and was named Nationwide Man of the Match for the 5–1 win over Croatia.

Lennon made it into the final 23-man squad with England for the World Cup. Lennon started for England in the opening two fixtures in Englands World Cup campaign; in the 1-1 between the USA and in the 0-0 draw with Algeria.

Personal life

Aaron is currently dating model and actress Montana Manning. They have been dating since 2007.[11]

Honours

Club

Carling Cup: 2007–08

Premier League Asia Trophy: 2010

Individual

Leeds United Football Club 'Young Player Of The Year': 2004–05

PFA Fans' Player of the Month: March 2009

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club 'Player Of The Year': 2008–09

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club 'Young Player Of The Year': 2005–06, 2008–09

Tottenham Hotspur Football Club 'Moment Of The Year': 2008–09 (for his last gasp equaliser vs Arsenal in the dramatic 4–4 draw.)

PFA Young Player of the Year (nominated): 2005–06, 2006–07, 2008–09

2010-09-05T08:03:00.000+02:00

Joseph John "Joe" Cole (born 8 November 1981) is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool, and the England national team. He started his career with West Ham United where he played more than 100 games during five years, until he left for Chelsea in 2003. He won a number of trophies with Chelsea, including three Premier League titles and two FA Cups before leaving on a free transfer in July 2010 to join Liverpool.

Biography

Cole was born in Paddington, London and lived there until he moved to Camden at the age of six. He was educated at St. Mary's Primary School, Bryanston Square in Marylebone along with brother Nicky and sister Charly, He also attended Haverstock School (Now Haverstock Business & Enterprise College) in Chalk Farm, Camden and St. Aloysius RC College in North London.[1]

Club career

West Ham United

A child prodigy who received national media attention as a schoolboy, he famously scored 7 of the 8 goals the England youth team scored against Spain in one match. Cole is a product of the famed West Ham United youth system. He was long touted as the hottest prospect in English football with Manchester United reportedly offering to pay £10 million for his services as a 16-year-old.[2] Playing in a mould similar to former England favourite Paul Gascoigne, he quickly progressed through the West Ham ranks before making his first-team debut at the age of 17. In 1999 Cole was part of West Ham's victorious FA Youth Cup winning squad (alongside Michael Carrick), defeating Coventry City 9–0 on aggregate in the final. In January 2003 Glenn Roeder, then West Ham United manager gave Cole the club captain's armband at the age of 21.[3] The club was relegated from the Premier League at the end of that season. Cole won the "Hammer of the Year award" for 2003.[4]

Chelsea

Cole took advantage of injuries to other players to become one of the stars of Chelsea's Premier League title winning team in 2004–05. He also won a starting place in the England team on the left side of midfield, which England had struggled to fill for several years. Cole's form saw him hit a run of goals towards the end of the season, and his goal against Norwich City (blasted in from 22 yards off his weaker left foot) was voted in the top ten goals of the 2004–05 Premier League season. Cole scored 10 goals for Chelsea in 2004–05 and ended the season with the first of his three Premier League Champions' medals. He was subsequently named in the PFA's team of the season.

Cole, playing for Chelsea, taking on Sunderland player George McCartney

In the first half of the 2005–06 season Cole secured himself in the Chelsea first team line up, ahead of Shaun Wright-Phillips and Damien Duff. Cole also extended his contract with Chelsea for another four seasons. He ended his season by scoring the one of the three goals against Manchester United, which sealed the title for Chelsea.

Just weeks after Cole's participation in England's 2006 World Cup squad, in which he made his mark by scoring the side's best goal of the tournament, he was injured in the pre-season. In January 2007, Cole underwent surgery for a stress fracture on his foot he suffered in late 2006. Cole made his return for Chelsea in the first leg of Chelsea's 1–1 draw in the Champions League quarter-final tie against Valencia. Cole worked hard in Chelsea's 2–1 victory in the second leg. He started for Chelsea in their victory over Manchester United in the 2007 FA Cup Final, and went on to be substituted at half time.

Joe Cole training before a match

In 2007–08 Cole scored another goal in the League Cup semi finals against Everton which sent Chelsea to another final.

On 17 August 2008, Cole scored the first Premier League goal of the Scolari era in a 4–0 win against Portsmouth. He scored his second against Bordeaux in the Champions League Group Stage in the 4–0 victory. He scored his third goal against Aston Villa on 5 October in a 2–0 victory.

After surgery on his knee to repair an injury he picked up in the FA Cup clash with Southend United, Cole missed the rest of the season.

Cole did not play for Chelsea in the pre-season, due to cruciate ligament damage in his knee, suffered in January 2009. He was one of the substitutes for Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League clash against F.C. Porto, which Chelsea won 1–0, however he was never brought on in a match that saw torrential rain lashing Stamford Bridge in London. He made a return to the starting squad in Chelsea's Carling Cup Match with QPR on 23 September 2009, in which he was also handed captain's armband. He also came on as a substitute in the Champions League game between Cypriot side Apoel Nicosia.[5] Cole made his first Premier League 2009-10 appearance for Chelsea against side Blackburn Rovers. He played in the attacking midfield role and influenced Chelsea to blast 5 goals against Blackburn.[6] On 8 November Cole played his 250th game for Chelsea, coming on as a substitute against Manchester United in the 62nd minute for Deco, on his 28th birthday. On 21 November he scored the last goal in Chelsea's 4–0 win against Wolves. On 3 April, he scored the opener against Manchester United at Old Trafford after 19 minutes with a masterful back heel deflection from a Florent Malouda cross, Chelsea went on to win the game 2–1. He came on as a substitute as Chelsea won the 2010 FA Cup Final, his second appearance in a victorious FA Cup final for Chelsea.

His contract with Chelsea expired on 30 June 2010, making him a free agent.[7]

Liverpool

Cole joined Liverpool on a free transfer after signing a four-year deal in July 2010.[8][9] He was manager Roy Hodgson's first signing at the club and was given the number 10 shirt.[10]

Cole made his Liverpool debut against Borussia Moenchengladbach in a pre-season friendly before making his competitive debut in a 2-0 win against Rabotnicki in the Europa League.[11] His league debut, against Arsenal on 15 August 2010, lasted just 45 minutes as he was sent off for a challenge on Laurent Koscielny.[12] In his next match on 19 August 2010, Cole missed a penalty against Trabzonspor in the Europa League third qualifying round first leg, as Liverpool won 1-0.[13] Joe cole played in Jamie Carragher's Testimonial match , where , he scored his first goal for the club.

International career

As an England youth international Cole scored seven goals in an 8-1 victory against Spain, as well as playing for England's Under 17 team, where he scored the winning goal against Norway in a final of the Nordic Tournament.[14]

Cole made his senior international debut against Mexico in May 2001.[15] He was a member of England's 2002 World Cup squad, and made one substitute appearance. Cole was also a squad member at Euro 2004, but did not play.

His displays in England's friendlies leading up to the 2006 World Cup enhanced his reputation ahead of the summer's finals in Germany. In May 2006 he was confirmed in the England squad for the World Cup, ahead of Chelsea teammate Shaun Wright-Phillips.[16] He played on the left side of midfield in England's opening game against Paraguay on 10 June 2006.

On 20 June 2006, England drew with Sweden, in the World Cup, with a final score of 2–2. Cole scored a volley in the 34th minute of the match and got an assist in the 85th when he sent in a ball to Steven Gerrard. At the end of the match, Budweiser announced that Cole received the Man of the match. The Swedish football fans congratulated England for having such a valuable player in the tournament. Cole lined up for the England squad for the first time since the 2006 World Cup in the 1–1 friendly draw against the Netherlands, providing an assist for Wayne Rooney from a cross. After another injury, he returned to start the friendly against Brazil at Wembley on 1 June.

Cole scored his seventh goal for England in June 2007, in their European Championship qualifier, away to Estonia.

On 7 February 2008, Cole was one of the 23-man squad selected for the friendly against Switzerland which they won 2–1, courtesy of Jermaine Jenas and Shaun Wright-Phillips goals. For Jenas' goal, Cole received the ball on the left wing, and with a quick bit of trickery, he lured his defender into an early tackle and skipped past. He then passed a smart ball through the box to Jenas who did not have to raise a leg. Cole received Man of the match for his performance.

In August 2008, Cole scored a late equalising goal in a 2–2 draw at Wembley against the Czech Republic after coming on as a substitute. He then scored England's two goals in the next fixture after coming on as a second half substitute in the 2–0 defeat of Andorra in the opening match for the 2010 World Cup Qualifers. In England's next world cup qualifier against Croatia he suffered a head injury in a clash with Croatian defender Robert Kovač which resulted in the Croatian's sending off. After initially getting up he then collapsed and had to be substituted. However he was able to come back and watch the remainder of the match.

Cole was named in the final 23 man selection for England's 2010 World Cup squad.[17] He played in, and scored, in a 3-0 victory against the Platinum Stars, of South Africa's Premier Soccer League, in an unofficial warm-up game.[18] However he was limited to just two substitute appearances in the tournament itself as England lost to Germany in the second round.

Personal life

Cole married fitness instructor[19] Carly Zucker in June 2009.[20] Cole had been dating Zucker since 2002 and proposed to her in 2007. The couple have a daughter, Ruby Tatiana Cole, born in March 2010.

In November 2009, Cole was caught driving his Audi A4 at 105mph on a 70mph section of dual carriageway in Claygate, Surrey.[21] At the subsequent court case, Cole was warned he could lose his driving licence and was ordered to pay £600 costs.[21] He has launched an appeal concerning his driving ban.[21]

Honours

West Ham United

UEFA Intertoto Cup: 1999

Chelsea

Premier League: 2004–05, 2005–06, 2009–10

Football League Cup: 2004–05, 2006–07

FA Cup: 2006–07, 2008–09, 2009–10

FA Community Shield: 2005

Individual

West Ham 'Hammer of the Year': 2003

PFA Team of the Year: 2006

Chelsea Player of the Year: 2008

Premier League Player of the Month: March 2005

2010-09-05T07:51:00.000+02:00

Ledley Brenton King (born 12 October 1980) is an English footballer who plays as a central defender for Tottenham Hotspur in the English Premier League and the England national team. He is the longest serving player at the club and captained Spurs for four years. He is currently contracted to Tottenham until 2012. Known for his pace, strength, heading, composure on the ball with both feet and ability in timing his tackles, he has been described as "the best central defender I have seen in my career" by Martin Jol[2] In March 2009 an article in The Times named King as Tottenham's 25th best player of all time.[3]

In recent seasons King has been plagued by chronic knee problems, for which no effective treatment or remedy has been found, which prevent him from playing more than one game a week.[4] Instead of training with the rest of the squad King undertakes fitness exercises on his own.[5] His manager Harry Redknapp has called King "an absolute freak" for being able to perform at a high level despite not training.[6] King has also received praise from former team mate and Sky Sports pundit Jamie Redknapp, saying that “He is like a magnet for the ball, a thoroughbred of a defender, the best centre-half in the country.”[7]

Club career

Tottenham Hotspur

1997–2001

King joined Tottenham as a trainee in July 1997 and became a professional the following year. His debut came in May 1999 at Anfield ending in a 3–2 defeat to Liverpool. When breaking into the first team under former manager George Graham he was often used as a midfielder. It was with a performance in central midfield during Tottenham's 2–1 win over Liverpool in November 2000 that he established himself as a regular in the Spurs side. His first goal for Tottenham was scored in December 2000 in a 3–3 draw away to Bradford City which was scored in 10.2 seconds, setting a new Premier League record for the quickest goal. [8]

2001–2006

After Graham was sacked, King was moved back into defence under new manager Glenn Hoddle, and with the departure of Sol Campbell to rivals Arsenal, there was a chance for King to establish himself as the club's top centre-back. He began the season with a clean sheet against Aston Villa and a performance man-marking Duncan Ferguson as Spurs held on for a point against Everton at Goodison Park despite playing the final 25 minutes with 9 men. By the end of the season he'd been capped for England and was regarded as one of the best young defenders in the country as Tottenham finished 9th, their highest league finish in 6 years.

A hip injury sustained in the summer meant he did not start the campaign until November. However, King was criticised due to the large amount of goals Tottenham were conceding. The season ended with Tottenham letting in 9 goals in their final two games against Middlesbrough and Blackburn Rovers.

When Hoddle was sacked in September 2003, caretaker manager David Pleat moved King into midfield to offer a better defensive presence in the middle of the park. In February 2004, having not scored in over 3 years, King scored from the edge of the box in the FA Cup against Manchester City, and followed that up by scoring against Charlton a week later, before scoring on his first start for England the following week. Despite playing out of position for most of the season, he had done enough to convince Sven-Göran Eriksson to call him up to England's Euro 2004 squad.

In the summer of 2004, the Tottenham management team and squad was changed dramatically. Jacques Santini was appointed as manager and with defensive midfielders such as Michael Carrick, Pedro Mendes and Sean Davis joining the club, King was able to move back into his preferred centre-back slot. Noureddine Naybet was signed to bring experience to the Tottenham defence and King formed a fine partnership with him. This new partnership, as well as the form of newly signed England goalkeeper Paul Robinson meant that compared with 57 and 62 in the previous two seasons, Tottenham conceded just 41 goals in the Premier League, the fewest amount of league goals Tottenham had conceded in a season since the 1970–1971 season (albeit some of the seasons played in that time were 42 game seasons instead of 38). King played the full 90 minutes in all 38 of Tottenham's league games and 9 of Tottenham's 10 cup games, the only game he missed all season was a 3–0 win away to Nottingham Forest. Spurs kept 13 clean sheets in the Premiership, King scored 3 goals that season, one in the North London derby against Arsenal. He was voted Premier League Player of the Month for September 2004, the first defensive based player to win the award in almost 3 years. In January 2005, after the sale of Jamie Redknapp to Southampton, new manager Martin Jol appointed King as club captain.

In the summer of 2005, King captained Tottenham to win the Peace Cup, beating French champions Lyon in the final. King formed a new partnership with Michael Dawson. Spurs were even stronger in defence than the previous season, conceding only 38 league goals. King was helping at the other end of the pitch too, with goals against Charlton, Portsmouth, and once again in the derby against Arsenal. For much of the season, Spurs occupied fourth place and a possible Champions League place. However, in April he broke his metatarsal, meaning he missed the final four games of the season, in which Spurs took just 4 points, meaning they slipped down to 5th place on the final day of the season.

2006–Present

After injuring his knee in training before the start of the season, King didn't start his season until mid-September. Then after breaking his metatarsal again, he didn't feature for Spurs from Boxing Day until the UEFA Cup quarter-final clash with Sevilla FC in mid-April. Spurs played 59 games in all competitions that season, but King featured in less than half of them. Tottenham only managed 3 clean sheets against top flight opposition without King in the side. In a Premier League clash with reigning champions Chelsea at White Hart Lane, Spurs went on to win the game 2–1, meaning King had captained Tottenham to their first league win over Chelsea since 1990, and the first at White Hart Lane since 1987.

King underwent surgery in the summer, meaning he would miss the start of the season. Manager Martin Jol had been sacked and replaced by Juande Ramos. But on Boxing Day 2007, King made a surprise return to the starting lineup against Fulham, playing 73 minutes before being replaced by Adel Taarabt. He appeared sporadically for the rest of the season, but captained Tottenham to a 2–1 victory over Chelsea in the 2008 Carling Cup final, the first major honour of his career.

On 3 April 2008 it was announced that he would be rested for the remainder of the season, Spurs having been knocked out of the UEFA Cup, FA Cup and unable to qualify for the Champions League through the League.[9] King had featured in just 10 games all season, with just 4 Premiership games under his belt.

On 12 August 2008, Ledley picked up the trophy for the cleanest team in the Premier league for the season. He received the award at the 'Get on With the Game' programme which was shown on Sky Sports News.[citation needed]

It became clear at the start of the 2008/2009 season that King's injury problems meant that he could not play in every game. Ramos picked him in all 5 of the cup games he managed the club for that season, but only two of the eight league games. With Spurs rooted to the bottom of the league, having picked up just 2 points from those 8 games, Ramos was sacked and replaced by Harry Redknapp, who chose to prioritise the league and only play King in those games. On 26 October 2008, King made his 200th league appearance for Tottenham Hotspur as they defeated Bolton Wanderers 2–0. He captained the club in the Carling Cup final yet again, this time against Manchester United, keeping a clean sheet after 120 minutes of play, but Tottenham lost on penalties.

Harry Redknapp said of King's knee injury:

"There's no cure. There's no cartilage, nothing to operate on. It's just bone on bone. So it's just a question of managing it. It swells up after games and it normally takes seven days to recover but having played on Monday night he's had less time than usual. He rarely trains, he mostly just goes to the gym to keep himself ticking over. But not running or anything like that. But even if he only plays 20 games a season, he's worth having because he's so good we have a much better chance of winning."[10]

King won his first game ever against Arsenal in the league on April 14th 2010, with a 2–1 win, which he played 90 minutes of. Exactly three weeks later, on May 5th 2010 King captained Tottenham to a 1–0 away victory at Manchester City, thus guaranteeing Tottenham's highest ever finish in the Premier League and securing entry into the qualification round of the UEFA Champions League for the first time. King had been a major doubt for the match having played against Bolton just 4 days earlier, however his performance in this game and many other games in early 2010 look to have secured his place in Fabio Capello's England squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. On May 16th 2010 it was reported that King had signed a new two-year contract extension with Spurs which will keep him at the club to 2012.

International career

King's England debut came in a 1–2 loss to Italy in March 2002.[11] He was called into the England squad for the friendly against Portugal on 18 February 2004, and netted his first goal on his third appearance.

King received his England call-up for Euro 2004 deputising for the injured John Terry in the opener against France in Portugal.[12] He also made a substitute appearance in midfield in the final group game against Croatia.[13]

After featuring regularly in the qualifiers, King looked a likely participant in the England 2006 World Cup squad before fracturing a bone in his foot on 15 April 2006. Although not as bad as a similar injury affecting David Beckham, Gary Neville and Steven Gerrard, King's injury prevented him from being named in Sven-Göran Eriksson's squad.[14]

"Ledley King is injured and he can't train. If you talk about centre-halves we are very well covered, so taking another one half-injured when we have so many good ones it is not a good idea."

King played in the Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia on 6 June 2007. King played 90 minutes and England won 3–0. Although he featured in Fabio Capello's first squad, he had to pull out through injury. Due to a chronic knee condition which preventing him holding down a regular place in the club side he was also not selected for England games for the rest of 2007 and during the whole of 2008.

On 22 March 2009, King was given a recall by head coach Fabio Capello to the England team to play Slovakia and Ukraine.[4] However, two days later he was removed from the squad after being assessed by England's medical staff, who thought it was in his best interests to continue his personal training regime at his club, due to the chronic knee condition that he has.[15] Fabio Capello later said, in response to Harry Redknapp's objection to King's call-up, "Without doubt, King is one of the best central defenders in England. If he was fit, Redknapp would not need to make the journey. King could come with us." He later promoted King's cause again, saying that "We hope (he has an international future), because he's a very interesting player – one of the best centre-backs. But I don't know the future."

On May 11, 2010 King was named in the 30-man provisional squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup alongside fellow Spurs central defender Michael Dawson. He went on to score a headed goal against Mexico in the first preparation friendly on 24th May.[16]

King made it into England's World Cup 2010 squad.

On 12th June 2010 King played 45 minutes for England in their opening game against the USA, before picking up a groin injury which kept him out of the rest of the tournament [17]

2009 arrest

On 10 May 2009 at 2:30 am, King was arrested on Soho Street on suspicion of assault and causing actual bodily harm outside a London nightclub. He was subsequently bailed until mid-July while the police investigated the incident.[18] King later issued an apology to his club, saying:

"I sincerely regret that a night out with friends went too far. I have apologised to Harry and I fully appreciate that, as a professional footballer, I have a duty to behave in a responsible manner," King said in a statement on the club's website. "I am assisting the police with their enquiries. Anyone who knows me, knows that much of what has been suggested is totally out of character. I am keen to resolve this as soon as possible and concentrate on my football."[19]

This prompted his manager at Tottenham, Harry Redknapp, to promise a ban on alcohol for Tottenham players:

"I'll implement a strong rule next season that drinking is a no-no here. Footballers should not drink. You shouldn't put diesel in a Ferrari. I know it's hard but they are earning big money, they are role models to kids. We wouldn't get these problems if the players weren't drinking. There's still too much of a drinking culture in English football but it's not as bad as it used to be. At Tottenham we do a lot with kids, a lot of them underprivileged. We have to set an example. Too much drinking goes on in this country. Too many people are not happy unless they have had a drink." [20]

Despite his arrest, Harry Redknapp later stated that King would start Tottenham's next league game.

2010-09-05T07:49:00.000+02:00

James Lee Duncan "Jamie" Carragher (born 28 January 1978) is an English footballer who plays as a defender for Premier League side Liverpool. He is the current vice-captain and is one of the club's longest-serving players; he made his 600th appearance for Liverpool in all competitions in December 2009.

Carragher started his career with the Liverpool youth team. He made his professional debut in the 1996–97 season and became a first team regular the following season. He gained his first senior honours in 2001, winning a cup treble of the FA Cup, League Cup and UEFA Cup. Having initially played as a full back, the arrival of manager Rafael Benítez in 2004 saw Carragher move to the centre back position and that season he won his greatest honour to date—the UEFA Champions League. In the next season, he won the FA Cup and was selected in the PFA Team of the Year. Carragher set a record for the most appearances in European competition for Liverpool in 2007.

Internationally, Carragher held the national record for most caps at under-21 level and earned his senior debut in 1999. Although he competed at Euro 2004 and the 2006 World Cup, he failed to pin down a first team place in the England national team. Carragher decided to retire from international football in 2007, with 34 senior England caps, and released his autobiography, Carra, in 2008. However, he came out of retirement after being selected for the 2010 FIFA World Cup squad.

Club career

Carragher in action against Manchester City

Born James Lee Carragher in Bootle, Merseyside,[2] Carragher attended the former FA school of excellence in Lilleshall in his youth.[3] He chose to join Merseyside rivals Liverpool and was a member of their FA Youth Cup winning team in 1996 along with his friend Michael Owen. He signed a professional contract in October 1996 and then made his first team debut under Roy Evans' management three months later in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final against Middlesbrough, coming on as a substitute for Rob Jones. Next came his Premiership debut, again coming on as a substitute, against West Ham United. He then started the next game against Aston Villa and marked the occasion with his first goal (a header in front of the Kop) in a 3–0 win to temporarily take the side to the top of the table, but Liverpool finished the season in fourth place. In the 1997–98 season, Jamie broke into the first team, making twenty Premier League appearances. The following season he cemented his place in the first-team squad, missing just four league games all season, and Kevin Keegan awarded him his first full international cap.

Throughout his early years he was essentially used as a utility player spending time as a centre-half, right and left full-back and defensive midfield in a squad that was often negatively labelled the "Spice Boys". Carragher, young and caught up with the negative media reputations of that squad initially[4], learned to shun the spotlight and focus on football as new coach Gerard Houllier used him consistently in a new continental side focused on discipline and a new era. Carragher's versatility meant he would be deployed to fill in wherever there was a hole, but ironically harmed his ability to hold down a first team position of his own. In 1999–2000 he played mainly as a right-back, this season saw one of Carragher's darkest Liverpool moments as he scored two own goals in 3–2 home defeat to Manchester United, then in 2000–01 he made the left-back position his own. 2001 also saw Carragher gain his first senior trophies: the FA Cup, UEFA Cup, League Cup (scoring in the shootout in the final against Birmingham), Community Shield and European Super Cup.

He hit the headlines in January 2002 during an FA Cup tie against Arsenal, when he threw a coin back into the stands that had been tossed at him, Carragher earned a red card.[5][6] He escaped an FA misconduct charge after apologising, but did receive a formal police warning about the incident.[7]

From 2002 till 2004 Jamie was hit by two serious injuries, firstly missing the 2002 FIFA World Cup for an operation on his troublesome knee and later due to a broken leg in the first half of the 2003–04 season after a tackle by Blackburn's Lucas Neill at Ewood Park in the Reds' fifth game of the season. During this period, Carragher's place in the team was also threatened by signings of Steve Finnan and John Arne Riise. However, he succeeded in retaining his place in the team, making 24 appearances in the first half of 2004.

Carragher in action against Benfica

The 2004–05 season was a career defining one for Carragher. New manager Rafael Benítez moved him to centre-half where he managed 56 appearances alongside Sami Hyypiä. Carragher shrugged off the utility tag and established himself as a centre half. Carragher developed a reputation as a strong and positionally astute defender.[8] His partnership with Hyypiä was central in Liverpool's 2004–2005 UEFA Champions League victory. One of the most memorable moments of the match was when Carragher made two vital last ditch intercept into extra time whilst suffering from cramp.[9] Carragher was voted as Liverpool's player of the year at the end of the campaign. He later went on to captain the team in their 2005 UEFA Super Cup victory over CSKA Moscow.

On 13 May 2006, Carragher played in the FA Cup final against West Ham. It was his tenth final in as many years of club football. He scored an own goal in the 21st minute, but Liverpool went on to win 3–1 on penalties after the match finished 3–3 after extra-time.

On 9 December 2006, Carragher scored his first league goal since January 1999, in a match against Fulham at Anfield. His central defence partner Daniel Agger flicked the ball on from a corner, and Carragher slid the ball under Fulham keeper Jan Lastuvka at the far post. The goal was only his fourth in his Liverpool career.

In Liverpool's Champions League semi-final second leg against Chelsea on 1 May 2007, Carragher set a record for the most appearances in European competition for the club. His 90th European match took him past Ian Callaghan's 89 matches between 1964 and 1978.[10] Carragher was voted as Liverpool's Player of the Year for the 2006–07 season by the fans and soon after extended his contract till 2011. That season also saw Carragher's international retirement, with the defender citing frustration with a lack of appearances under Steve McClaren.

The 2007–08 season saw Carragher reach his 500th appearance for Liverpool. He was made captain for this match. He currently stands at 9th in the all time Liverpool appearances table in all competitions, just behind Alan Hansen.

On 18 May 2009, in the match against West Bromwich Albion, Carragher was involved in an on-field clash with fellow defender Álvaro Arbeloa and the twosome to be separated by team mates Xabi Alonso, Daniel Agger and others. Manager Rafael Benítez refused to comment any further on the matter. The former England defender later explained, "We want to keep a clean sheet and we want Pepe to have a chance of the Golden Glove for the fourth season running."[11]

During the 2009–10 season, Carragher made a slow start and many questioned of his performances and whether he should remain in the starting line-up. He however put a solid performance against Manchester United on 25 October 2009, keeping a clean sheet and silencing his critics.[12]

On 31 October 2009, Carragher was sent off in a game against Fulham, this was his first red card in more than seven years.[13] On 19 December 2009 Carragher recorded his 600th Liverpool appearance, in a 2–0 away defeat to Portsmouth.[14] On the 4th September 2010, a mixture of Liverpool players past and present played an Everton XI in Carragher's charity fund-raising testimonial match. All proceeds from the game at Anfield went to local charities through Carragher's 23 Foundation.[15] He scored a goal for each side as his Liverpool team beat Everton XI 4-1, first by scoring from the spot for the Reds before converting a penalty own goal for the club he had supported as a boy after the break.

International career

In 1996, Carragher had his first appearance for the England under-21 team. Playing as a defensive midfielder, he became a regular for the team, and eventually captain. In 2000, when he became ineligible for the team, he held the national record for most caps at this level, with 27. The record was eclipsed in 2007 by former Liverpool goalkeeper Scott Carson.[16]

On 28 April 1999 he earned his first cap for the senior England team, as a substitute against Hungary. He made his full international début against Holland at White Hart Lane in 2001, and later came on as a substitute as England famously beat Germany 5–1 in the Olympiastadion. Carragher missed the 2002 World Cup through injury, but travelled with England to Euro 2004. He eventually ended up with no playing time, losing out to Ledley King when a vacancy opened up. He was selected for the England squad for the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and was not in the original starting eleven, but came into the team after Gary Neville suffered an injury.

Carragher has played centre-back, right-back, left-back, and in the defensive midfield for England. Despite his many caps and regular squad appearances, he has never held down a consistent place in the starting eleven. Former England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson generally used two central defenders from John Terry, Rio Ferdinand and Sol Campbell in preference to Carragher, but occasionally used Carragher as right-back as deputy for Gary Neville, as he did during the 2006 World Cup.

On 1 July 2006 Carragher was one of three players to have a penalty saved by Ricardo Pereira, as England yet again succumbed on penalties to exit the 2006 World Cup in the quarter finals against Portugal. Carragher, who had been brought on as a substitute for Aaron Lennon late in he game, scored with his first attempt but was forced to re-take his penalty by the referee, who had not blown his whistle. Carragher then saw his second effort saved.

On 9 July 2007 it was reported that Carragher was considering quitting the England squad. TalkSport host Adrian Durham accused Carragher of "bottling it." Carragher confirmed on the show that he was indeed thinking about retirement, but he had already had two talks with England head coach Steve McClaren and would leave it until the upcoming match against Germany to decide.[17]

Carragher did subsequently retire from international football. McClaren attempted to persuade him to return to the International level on at least one occasion, whilst McClaren's replacement Fabio Capello has reportedly suggested that he would be happy to consider Carragher. Carragher's responses have suggested that he would not respond positively to any offers of a call-up. Carragher was said to have been unhappy at the failure of successive England managers to pick him at centre-back,[18] preferring to use him as cover along the back four and even as a holding midfielder.

On 11 May 2010, Carragher was named in Fabio Capello's preliminary 30-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.[19] Capello and assistant Franco Baldini managed to persuade Carragher into reversing his decision to retire, "The FA got in touch a few weeks ago and asked if I would have a rethink, due to injury problems; I said I would make myself available" Carragher said.[20] On 24 May, Carragher played his return match for England, in a friendly against Mexico, which England won 3–1.

Carragher appeared as a substitute for an injured Ledley King in England's opening World Cup game and replaced King in the following game versus Algeria, receiving a booking in each resulting in a one match ban. He was not selected for the knockout stage exit at the hands of Germany, being dropped in favour of Matthew Upson. Although not formally stating his retirement, Carragher subsequently stated he would prefer to focus on Liverpool under Roy Hodgson and that his international return had been a "one-off" due to injuries to other players[21]

Personal life

Carragher was an ardent supporter of Everton in his childhood and his teens, like several other high profile players to have worn the Liverpool shirt; including Ian Rush, Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen.[3] However, he states that an incident in January 1999 brought an end to his desire to support the team: Manchester United defeated Liverpool in 2-1 the FA Cup fourth round with two late goals and he returned, demoralised, to his local pub in Bootle. His friends taunted him about the loss and he chose to stop being an Everton supporter, later saying: "that did it for me. I couldn't take it any more. People who I thought loved me, were getting off on my misery."[22]

Carragher received the freedom of his home borough of Sefton for his local charity work and "the exceptional example he sets to the youth of today."[23] He occasionally visits schools as part of his charity work, promoting the importance of family life.[24]

Carragher is married to his childhood sweetheart, Nicola Hart, and has two children; James and Mia.[25]

Carragher has no navel due to having been born with gastroschisis.[26]

Carragher is a supporter of the Labour Party and endorsed Andy Burnham in the 2010 Labour Leadership election.[27]

Controversy

On 28 February 2008, Carragher was arrested and cautioned for assault outside a school near his home in Crosby. Liverpool refused to comment.[28]

On September 11, 2008, Carragher's biography, Carra, was released, but controversial excerpts were leaked to the press beforehand. In one instance, Carragher claimed that his close friends were looking to assault Australian defender Lucas Neill. He also claimed that the incident was averted only because Neill was in the company of David Thompson, one of Carragher's former team-mates, who Carragher did not want to "become a witness to an assault." Carragher sent a text to Thompson, "telling him Neill should give him a hug of thanks," suggesting had Thompson not been there, Neill would have faced an assault.[29][30]

There was a popular rumour circling Merseyside for years prior to the release of Carragher's autobiography, that Jamie sported an Everton tattoo on his right arm, and that this was why Jamie always wore long sleeved Liverpool shirts. This rumour was proven untrue by the release of Jamie's autobiography.[30]

Carragher claimed he launched a deliberate assault in a practice session against former Liverpool team-mate Rigobert Song because of the latter's perceived mockery of Carragher's defending.[31] "Song walked on to the training pitch with a smile on his face. He was limping off it with a grimace an hour later. The first chance I got, I did him. Never have I hunted down a 50–50 tackle with greater appetite. 'You're not fucking laughing now, are you, you soft cunt?' I said as he hobbled away."[30]

He stated that, though he was fully committed when playing for England, international defeats did not affect him as much as club defeats with Liverpool did.[30][32] Carragher ended his international abscence to return for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa after being persuaded by manager Fabio Capello. He never actually stated this time that he had retired or that he would never play again for his country, just that he would rather focus on his career with his beloved Liverpool for the time being and that his call-up to the England Squad was due only to injuries to other players.

Honours

Liverpool

FA Cup: 2000-01, 2005-06

League Cup: 2000-01, 2002-03;

FA Community Shield: 2001, 2006;

UEFA Champions League: 2004-05;

UEFA Cup: 2000-01

UEFA Super Cup: 2001–02, 2005–06

Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 2006

Liverpool fc player of the year: 2006-07

2010-09-05T07:46:00.002+02:00

Wesley Michael "Wes" Brown (born 13 October 1979) is an English football player who plays as a defender for Manchester United. He regularly plays in the right-back and centre-back positions.

Having joined the youth team in 1996, Brown has spent his entire career at Manchester United. He made his senior debut in 1998 and became a regular first team player in the 1998–1999 season, in which he was part of the club's Treble winning team. After a year-long hiatus due to injury, Brown became a regular fixture in the first team from 2000 onwards. Over the next eight years he won numerous honours, including four more Premier League titles, an FA Cup, a League Cup, and another Champions League. Manager Alex Ferguson has stated that Brown is "without question the best natural defender this club has had for years".[4]

Brown earned his first England cap in 1999 and was selected to play at the 2002 World Cup. He played in the 2008 European Championships qualifiers but England failed to progress to the final tournament. He scored his first international goal in 2008 against the Czech Republic. Brown announced his retirement from international football on 8 August 2010, just a day after being recalled to the England squad by Fabio Capello.

Club career

Manchester United

Early career

Born in Longsight, Manchester, Brown began his serious football career as a schoolboy playing for the Burnage High School and Fletcher Moss Rangers, a Greater Manchester youth side, and was a former student of the Lilleshall Hall FA School of Excellence, as well as spending time at Manchester United's football Academy, which he joined at the age of 12.[5] Brown showed talent and maturity at an early age, signing full professional terms with boyhood club Manchester United on 4 November 1996 at the age of 17.

Brown went on to success with the reserve and youth sides, winning the FA Youth Cup and a Lancashire Division One medal with the reserves. He also added two Jimmy Murphy (Young Player of the Year) awards to his collection, becoming only the second player to receive the award for a second time (the other being Ryan Giggs).[citation needed]

Breakthrough to the first-team

On 4 May 1998, Brown made his full first team Premiership debut against Leeds United, coming on as a substitute. His breakthrough would occur the next year, the 1998–99 season, where he made several first-team appearances at right-back as well as his more natural position of centre-back. The season could not have gone any better for Brown, as United completed The Treble, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League.

Brown suffered the first of what would be a string of injuries while training for the 1999–2000 campaign. As a result, he did not play a single competitive game all season, while United went on to seal their sixth Premier League title in eight seasons.

First-team regular

His strong comeback the following year prompted praise from all corners, with club manager Alex Ferguson making waves by proclaiming Brown to be Manchester United's most talented defender.[4]

Brown after the match against FC Barcelona in April 2008

A fine 2000–01 campaign was followed by another solid year in 2001–02. His reputation grew even greater during the 2002–03 season, but again, his performances were marred by injury. Brown tore a knee ligament on the final day of the season, and did not return until midway through the 2003–04 season. Brown finished the season in good form, notably giving an imperious, man-of-the-match performance in the FA Cup semi-final win over Arsenal. It was after this fine display that Ferguson re-iterated his confidence in Brown's abilities.[6]

Brown was a member of the side that won the FA Cup that year, against Millwall at Cardiff, and later went on to collect runners-up medals in the 2005 and 2007 Finals.

2007–08

After nearly three years without scoring a Premier League goal for United, Brown scored on 23 March 2008 against Liverpool, the first in a 3–0 win.[7]

After initially rejecting a new contract offer in December 2007,[8] Brown signed a new five-year contract along with fellow defender Rio Ferdinand and midfielder Michael Carrick in April 2008, which will keep him at Old Trafford until 2013 and ended any transfer speculation.[9]

2008–09

On 4 October 2008, Brown scored only the fourth goal of his Manchester United career when he headed in Wayne Rooney's cross in United's 2–0 win away to Blackburn Rovers. The goal was controversial, however, as Blackburn's players believed that Nemanja Vidić had impeded their goalkeeper, Jason Brown, allowing Brown to head in at the far post.

Brown was ruled out of first team action for around five weeks in November 2008, following an exploratory ankle operation.[10] Brown made his first start in eight months away against Hull on 24 May 2009.

2009–10

He started the following season, featuring throughout August in the league, but between September and October only appeared in United's Carling Cup campaign, before injury to both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic saw Wes return to Premier League action as he partnered Jonny Evans in central defence against Blackburn, and both men produced an assured and professional display. This was Brown's first Premier League start since the 2–1 victory against Arsenal, at the end of August.

International career

Brown has represented England at international level making 23 appearances since making his debut in 1999, he was part of the England squads at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Japan.

Brown made his debut in 1999 against Hungary and booked a place in Sven-Goran Eriksson's squad for 2002 FIFA World Cup, although he spent his time on the bench.[4]

Wes Brown performed consistently well in the 2005–2006 season which led to his recall to the England squad for the friendly game against Uruguay. Although he played no part in this fixture he hoped to make it into the final England squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, but he was not selected.

He was once again recalled to the England squad by coach Steve McClaren, and played in defeat of Andorra in the 2008 European Championships qualifiers on 2 September, partnering John Terry at the heart of the England defence, in place of injured Manchester United team mate Rio Ferdinand. He replaced Terry in a friendly against Brazil on 1 June 2007, however he slipped up with his first touch of the ball, and nearly scored an own goal.

Fabio Capello era

Fabio Capello named him as a starter in both of his first two games in charge of the national team, against Switzerland[11] and France.[12]He also played 56 minutes in England's 2–0 win over the United States on May 28 2008.

Brown scored his sole senior international goal in a friendly against the Czech Republic on 20 August 2008 at Wembley Stadium, heading in a David Beckham corner in first-half injury time.[13]

Brown made three appearances for England in their qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in wins over Croatia (4–1), Kazakhstan (5–1) and Belarus (3–1).

Brown was called up for the England squad to face Slovenia in a friendly match on September 5 2009, but was an unused substitute. He was then called up for a friendly against Brazil to be played Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar, where he played the full 90 minutes.

Brown also played in England’s 3-1 win over Egypt on 3 March 2010. He did not, however, make the England squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa after an injury hit season.

On 8 August 2010, Brown retired from international football just a day after being selected for the upcoming friendly against Hungary.[14]

Personal life

Brown is married to Leanne Wassell, with whom he lives in Alderley Edge, Cheshire, with their two daughters, Halle and Lilia. His father, Bancroft Brown, died in February 2008. His half-sister, Claire Fallows,[15][16] died on 19 July 2008 during pregnancy.[17] Brown's younger brother Reece, who has been at the Manchester United Academy since age 9[18], also plays at centre-back and is an England U19 international.

2010-09-05T07:44:00.002+02:00

Peter James Crouch (born 30 January 1981) is an English international footballer who plays for Tottenham Hotspur. At 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m),[1] he is the tallest man ever to play for the England national team, and was the tallest outfield player in the Premier League until Stefan Maierhofer signed for Wolves in August 2009. Beginning his career as a trainee with Tottenham, Crouch has played for five Premier League clubs — Tottenham Hotspur, Portsmouth, Aston Villa, Southampton and Liverpool — since the beginning of his career in 1998, before returning to Tottenham in 2009.[2] Having represented England at under 21 level, he was called for the first time to the senior side in 2005 by Sven-Göran Eriksson, and played at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Crouch continued to be selected by subsequent England managers Steve McClaren and Fabio Capello. In 2006–07, he was the second top scorer in the UEFA Champions League behind Kaká.

Club career

[edit]Early life

Crouch was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire, but his family moved to Singapore when he was one year old, where they stayed for three years before returning to Great Britain and settling in London. A keen footballer from an early age, he became a ball boy at the age of ten.[3] As a child, he attended some Chelsea games.[4] Later, he told the Liverpool official website that despite this, he and his friends at the time were fans of Queens Park Rangers.[5]

After attending Drayton Manor High School in Hanwell, Crouch signed a professional contract with Tottenham Hotspur on 2 July 1998, after having played for their youth side.[6] However, he did not make any appearances for their first team and was loaned out to other clubs, having brief spells at Dulwich Hamlet in the Isthmian League and, in the summer of 2000, IFK Hässleholm in Sweden.[7]

[edit]QPR and Portsmouth

On 28 July 2000, Tottenham sold Crouch to Queens Park Rangers (QPR) for £60,000.[6] He made an immediate impression with QPR, scoring ten league goals in the 2000–01 season, but it was not enough to prevent the team's relegation to Division 2 (now Football League One).

Relegation meant that QPR had to sell many of their best players to support their diminished finances, and Portsmouth bought Crouch from them for £1.25 million. Crouch scored 18 league goals in 37 starts for Portsmouth — benefiting from the crossing of Robert Prosinečki — and that in a side that for much of the season looked destined for mid-table mediocrity.

[edit]Aston Villa

In March 2002, FA Premier League side Aston Villa made a successful £5 million bid for Crouch. He scored on his home debut for Villa, the equalising goal against Newcastle United, and managed to net twice in seven games. However, Crouch failed to hold down a regular place in the Aston Villa side in the following 2002–03 season.

Looking for first team football, he was loaned to Norwich City from September to December 2003. Although he scored only four times in 15 appearances, he was highly impressive and remains popular with Norwich City supporters. So popular, in fact, he had a song made up about him ("He's tall, he's lean, he's a freaky goal machine").[8] Crouch was sent off for retaliation during Norwich's 3–1 win at Walsall, but nonetheless his spell at Norwich renewed interest in his abilities from other clubs. At the end of the three-month loan he returned to Aston Villa, and scored a brace against Leicester City, a late winner at Middlesbrough and the opener at Bolton. Norwich City recognised his contribution to the 2003–04 season that saw them win the First Division Championship by awarding him a championship medal. He was presented with the medal on the pitch prior to City's match against his new club Southampton at Carrow Road in November 2004. When he came on as substitute for Southampton later that afternoon, he received a very good reception from the home crowd.

Villa sold Crouch in July 2004 to Southampton for a fee of £2.5 million. Crouch signed a four-year deal with Southampton. He scored just six goals in 37 Premiership games for Aston Villa.

[edit]Southampton

Despite initially being back-up to first choice strikers James Beattie and Kevin Phillips, Harry Redknapp's arrival and the sale of Beattie saw Crouch become the main attacking focus of the Southampton team. He scored many key goals in Southampton's relegation battle, including memorable goals against Liverpool in a 2–0 home win, Arsenal in a 1–1 home draw and 2 away to Middlesbrough in a 3–1 victory. He also scored a late winning penalty to knock former club and Saints' arch-rival Portsmouth out of the FA Cup. His form for the Saints eventually resulted in him receiving his first England call up. After scoring 16 goals in 33 appearances during the 2004–05 season, his future was cast into doubt when Southampton were relegated from the English Premiership. On 19 July 2005, Southampton agreed to sell Crouch for £7 million to Liverpool, on a four-year contract.

[edit]Liverpool

Crouch underwent intense media scrutiny due to a goal drought during his first months at Liverpool. For 19 games, spanning four months, he was unable to score. Crouch was praised for other facets of his game, such as his touch on the ball, but his first goal for the club evaded him. The fact that Crouch possessed "good touch for a big man" in fact became something of a media cliché during this time.[9] Early in his Liverpool career the supporters composed a new chant; "He's big, he's red, his feet stick out the bed, Peter Crouch, Peter Crouch."[10]

The drought finally ended on 3 December 2005 when he scored against Wigan Athletic. Although this first goal was originally given as an own goal, it was later awarded to Crouch on appeal; he went on to score a second goal in the same game.[11] Prior to these goals, Crouch had played over 24 hours of football for Liverpool without scoring. In addition to this, he also had to deal with unpleasant taunts from crowds at matches, as he had throughout his footballing career, who often chanted "freak" at him due to his unusual height.[12]

He went on to score several goals that season, including the only goal in the fifth round of the FA Cup (2005–06) against Manchester United, Liverpool's first victory over them in the FA Cup post-World War II.[13] On 13 May, he helped Liverpool to win the 2006 FA Cup final against West Ham, providing a crucial assist for Steven Gerrard to score the second Liverpool goal.[14]

Three months later, in the curtain-raiser to the 2006–07 season, he headed the winning goal for Liverpool in the club's 2–1 victory over Chelsea in the FA Community Shield.[15] In their 2006–07 UEFA Champions League campaign he scored his first goals in European club competition. On 13 January 2007, he scored two goals in an away game against Watford, the first time he had scored twice in an away league game for Liverpool. Crouch sustained a broken nose when playing against Sheffield United in February 2007.[16] Although he played in some subsequent games, on 9 March 2007 it was announced that he would undergo surgery on the injury which would keep him out of football for a month. On 31 March, he returned to action after the operation and scored the first hat-trick of his club career, against Arsenal in a 4–1 Liverpool victory.[17] This was also a so-called "Perfect Hat-Trick", consisting of goals scored from his right foot, left foot and head.[18]

He later participated in the 2007 UEFA Champions League Final, coming on as a substitute for Javier Mascherano.[19] He ended the 2006–07 season as Liverpool's top goalscorer in all competitions, with eighteen goals.[20] At the start of the 2007–08 season he had restricted opportunities to play for Liverpool due to the arrival of other strikers, but scored against Toulouse in a Champions League qualifying win in August, his eighth goal in his past ten appearances in that competition,[21] and then also scoring the first and last goals of an 8–0 win over Beşiktaş in the first round of the Champions League in November.[22] This match is now the highest margin by which a team has won in the Champions League. In April, he scored a vital goal in a 1–1 draw against Arsenal, helping Liverpool maintain fourth spot against rivals Everton.

[edit]Return to Portsmouth

Crouch was holding talks with Sunderland discussing a move to the club but on 7 July 2008, after weeks of speculation, it was announced that Crouch had verbally agreed to join former club and FA Cup holders Portsmouth in a deal estimated to be worth up to £11 million. Crouch passed his medical the following day[23] and, on 11 July, Crouch's transfer was officially unveiled at a Portsmouth news conference.[24] Portsmouth paid £9 million up front, with up to £2m to be added dependent on various targets being reached. He was given the number 9 shirt by manager Harry Redknapp, which he had previously worn during his first spell at the club. On 30 August 2008 Crouch scored his first goal since his return to Portsmouth in his third Premiership appearance, against Everton at Goodison Park.[25] As with his first score for Liverpool there was a degree of uncertainty as to whether he would be credited with the goal as it appeared Jermain Defoe's chip had crossed the goal-line before Crouch scored from the follow-up. On 3 September it was confirmed that the goal would be officially credited to Crouch and not Defoe. Crouch then went on to net his first goal at Portsmouth's Fratton Park home ground in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur on 28 September.[26]

On 2 October 2008 Crouch scored twice in extra time in a UEFA Cup match away to Vitória Guimarães to help Portsmouth reach the group stages of the competition.[27] He went on to score twice against SC Heerenveen in a 3–0 victory at Fratton Park.[28]

[edit]Return to Tottenham Hotspur

On 27 July 2009, Tottenham Hotspur announced the signing of Crouch from Portsmouth for an undisclosed fee rumoured to be in the region of £10 million.[29] Crouch made his debut for Spurs in a pre-season friendly against Olympiakos,[30] and came on as a substitute in Tottenham's season opening win over Liverpool, making his full Premier League debut for the club in the process.[31] He scored his first goal for Spurs in the Carling Cup tie against Doncaster in a 5–1 win on 26 August 2009.[32] He scored again in his next game, opening his league account with Spurs with a goal in a 2–1 home win against Birmingham City.[33] On 23 September, Crouch scored his first hat-trick for Spurs in a 5–1 win over Preston in the Carling Cup.[34][35] In May, his late goal against Manchester City in what was being dubbed as the "£15 million pound game" put Spurs in a position to claim their first-ever UEFA Champions League berth. After having hit the post and missed an Assou-Ekotto cross, Crouch scored a header after Márton Fülöp could only parry the ball into his path.[36]

On 25 August 2010, he scored a hat-trick at White Hart Lane against Young Boys to help Tottenham to reach the Group Stage of the UEFA Champions League.[37]

[edit]International career

[edit]Youth international

Crouch was capped for the England Under-20 team at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship, with team-mates including Stuart Taylor, Ashley Cole, Andrew Johnson and Matthew Etherington. However, the team finished bottom at the group stage, with three losses and having scored no goals. He was later a part of David Platt's England Under-21 team, which went to the finals of the European Under–21 Championship in Switzerland in May 2002, where he scored once.

[edit]Breakthrough into senior team

Crouch training for England prior to a match in 2007.

In May 2005 he was handed his first call-up to the England senior squad by manager Sven-Göran Eriksson for the team's tour of the United States, making his debut against Colombia.[38] He went on to make two appearances during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign for England: starting against Austria in a 1–0 victory and coming on as a substitute against Poland in a 2–1 win. In the latter appearance, Crouch's introduction as a second-half substitute was booed by England's own supporters.[39]

On 1 March 2006 he scored his first goal for England, the equaliser in a 2–1 friendly win over Uruguay.[40] He did this whilst bizarrely wearing two different squad numbers on his shirt — #21 on the front (his designated squad number for the match), and the incorrect #12 on the back.[41]

In May 2006 Crouch was included in the 23-man England squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, and was expected to be a significant figure in the team due to Wayne Rooney's foot injury. On 30 May he played in a pre-World Cup friendly against Hungary, scoring the third goal in England's 3–1 win. He followed his goal with an unusual robotic dancing-style goal celebration — see below. On 3 June he again played for England in a pre-World Cup friendly against Jamaica, scoring a hat-trick. Between his second and third goals he took a penalty kick hoping to gain a hat-trick, but he put the ball over the bar. England went on to win 6–0, Crouch securing his hat-trick in the 89th minute with a fine finish — his fifth goal in three England games.

[edit]World Cup 2006

After his displays in England's friendlies, Crouch partnered Michael Owen in attack for England's opening 2006 FIFA World Cup game against Paraguay on 10 June 2006. England won the game 1–0 and Crouch kept his place in the starting line-up for the following match against Trinidad and Tobago, against whom he scored his first competitive international goal. The goal provoked some controversy as replays showed Crouch to be pulling on Brent Sancho's long hair, holding the defender down, to gain an advantage.[42]

Crouch was rested for England's third group game against Sweden as Rooney returned from injury to join the starting line-up. However, Michael Owen suffered an injury in the opening minute of the game and Crouch replaced him, playing the remainder of the match.

In England's 1–0 second round victory against Ecuador, Crouch remained an unused substitute as Eriksson switched the team to a new formation with Wayne Rooney as a lone striker. However, after Rooney's dismissal for a foul in England's quarter-final against Portugal, Crouch came on as a substitute for Joe Cole.

The year after the tournament, retired English referee Graham Poll claimed that FIFA had specifically warned referees at the event to pay close attention to Crouch, claiming that "he's a real pain and he's getting away with too much."[43]

[edit]Euro 2008 qualifying

Crouch remained a part of the England set-up under Eriksson's successor as manager, Steve McClaren, and started McClaren's first game in charge, a friendly against Greece in August 2006. He scored twice in England's 4–0 victory. Two further goals followed in England's next match, a 5–0 win over Andorra in their opening qualifying match for the 2008 European Championships on 2 September 2006. These goals made Crouch the first player ever to reach ten goals for England within a single calendar year.[44]

He added a further goal to his tally with the winner in England's 1–0 qualifying victory away to Macedonia on 6 September. An operation needed for a nose injury he sustained playing for Liverpool prevented him from playing in England's two qualifying matches in March 2007.[45] He returned to the England squad for their games against Brazil and Estonia in late May and early June 2007, scoring in the qualifying game against the latter.[46]

Crouch was England's top scorer in the qualifying campaign with five goals, but this did not prevent England finishing only third in their group and failing to progress to the finals of the competition.

[edit]Capello era

On 1 April 2009, Crouch made his first start under McClaren's successor as England manager, Fabio Capello. He scored England's first goal in a 2–1 victory over Ukraine in a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification match.[47]

He was re-called to the England squad for the friendly against Slovenia and the World Cup qualifier versus Croatia, following his fine form for Tottenham.[48]

Crouch also got an early first half goal against Belarus in the final 2010 World Cup Qualifying match, which he then followed up with a second goal in the 74th minute.[49] This took Crouch's tally for England up to 18 goals in just 17 starts. Crouch scored a brace after coming on as a substitute against Egypt in a friendly on 3 March 2010 to take his overall international goal tally to 20.[50] He also scored the second goal for England against Mexico at Wembley on 24 May 2010. He was given the number 9 shirt for the 2010 World Cup.

[edit]Personality as a footballer

[edit]Nicknames

Although generally known as "Crouchy", other nicknames he has been given by fans and the media in England have included "RoboCrouch"[51] and "Crouchinho" (a parody of Ronaldinho), despite "Crouchinho" translating from Portuguese as "little Crouch".[52] He has been also referred to as "Mr. Roboto" by Univision's commentators and as "Pantera Rosa" ("Pink Panther") by Fox Sports en Español commentators.[53] Mark Lawrenson announced on Match of the Day that his nickname was "coathanger, apparently".[54]

[edit]Robotic dancing

In the summer of 2006, Crouch adopted a robotic dancing goal celebration. A parody of a dance he had been seen performing on a television programme covering a party held at England team-mate David Beckham's house, he first performed it after his goal for England against Hungary on 30 May. He again performed the dance after both of his first two goals against Jamaica on 3 June. The Daily Mirror newspaper claimed that the dance was inspired by the lyrics to the Arctic Monkeys' hit single "I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor".[55]

On 12 June, Crouch announced he would only perform his robotic dance again if England were to win the World Cup, saying "It's not about robotic dancing. It is about scoring goals and winning matches. It's an important time for everyone now".[56] In September 2006, he was quoted in The Observer newspaper as saying that: "It was funny at the time, but I didn't want to carry on doing it until it became unfunny. I've stopped doing it for the time being, but if I ever score a really big goal you never know."[57]

On 6 August 2007, Crouch insisted that he would never use the Robot dance again unless he scored in the UEFA Champions League Final. On 1 April 2009, however, Crouch partially reprised the celebration after scoring during England's World Cup qualifier against Ukraine after a Comic Relief sketch.[58]

[edit]Personal life

Crouch had dated Abigail Clancy for a period before Crouch announced in 2007 that the two were not a couple. [59] Subsequently, Clancy and Crouch announced their engagement on 15 July 2009.[60]

Norwich City

Football League First Division champions: 2003–04

Liverpool

FA Cup winners: 2006

Community Shield winners: 2006

FIFA Club World Cup runners up: 2005

UEFA Champions League runners up: 2007

2010-09-05T07:42:00.000+02:00

Jermain Colin Defoe (born 7 October 1982) is an English footballer who plays as a striker for English Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur, and the England national football team,

Defoe began his career with Charlton Athletic, joining their youth team at age fourteen, before moving to West Ham United aged sixteen, and rising through the ranks. He made his professional debut for West Ham in 2000, and after a season-long loan spell at Bournemouth during the 2000–01 season, established himself in the West Ham lineup. A move to Tottenham in 2004 soon followed, and Defoe also spent a year at Portsmouth after he was deemed surplus to requirements at White Hart Lane. He has since returned to Tottenham in the January 2009 transfer window. Defoe made his England debut in 2004 and as of September 2010, has made 44 appearances, scoring 15 goals.

Early life

Born in Beckton, London, to a St. Lucian mother and Dominican father, Defoe attended St Joachim Primary School in Custom House[3] and St Bonaventure's Catholic Comprehensive School in Forest Gate, London.[4] He joined the Sunday league team Senrab, well known in London for producing players such as Lee Bowyer, John Terry, Ashley Cole and Ledley King,[5] and then joined the FA National School of Excellence at Lilleshall, Shropshire, as a 14-year-old in 1997. While he was there he attended Idsall School.[3]

Club career

West Ham United

Defoe was spotted playing football by Charlton Athletic who enrolled him at the FA National School of Excellence at Lilleshall Hall in 1997.[3] Two years later, he took the controversial decision, aged 16, to turn professional with West Ham United, following which Charlton were subsequently awarded a compensation package rising to £1.4 million depending on Premiership and international appearances.[3] At West Ham, he was a member of the Under-19 team that won the Premier Academy League title in 1999–00, scoring twice against Arsenal in the play-off final,[3] and went on to make his first-team debut in a League Cup game against Walsall in September 2000, scoring the only goal in a 1–0 win.[6]

The following season, he joined Second Division club Bournemouth on a near season-long loan, where he scored in ten consecutive games, equalling John Aldridge's post-war record.[7] He scored 18 goals in 29 league appearances for Bournemouth.[8] West Ham manager Harry Redknapp tipped him for stardom, saying, "He's done great. I sent him out to Bournemouth to get some experience playing league football and he's coped marvellously. To score 10 goals in 10 games is a terrific achievement. He's a bright lad who's full of confidence. Nothing knocks him, he's a typical goal-scorer. If he misses, he'll be there the next time looking for a goal. He's a kid with a big future."[9]

Defoe finished as the West Ham's top scorer in the 2001–02 season despite being used primarily as a substitute by manager Glenn Roeder,[3] scoring 14 goals in 39 league and cup appearances, including the only goal in a 1–0 away win against Manchester United in December 2001, as West Ham finished seventh in the Premiership.[10] He scored a further 11 goals in 42 league and cup appearances in the 2002–03 season but was unable to prevent West Ham from being relegated.[8][11]

Less than 24 hours after the club had been relegated, Defoe made a written request for a transfer, saying "As much as I love West Ham United I feel that now is the right time for me to move on in my career. This is very much a career decision. I am very ambitious and hungry to achieve at the highest levels of the game for both club and country." The timing of his request however drew criticism from both fans and team-mates and was turned down by the club.[12][13] He later apologised to supporters, saying "I mishandled that move and I can only apologise. I'm young and I've learned from it. I still played my hardest for West Ham and gave them 100% and want to thank the fans for their support."[14]

Defoe began the 2003–04 season with West Ham but a refusal to sign a new contract and disciplinary problems, including three sending offs, which saw him play only 22 games out of a possible 34, led to West Ham accepting an offer from Tottenham Hotspur for him in the January transfer window.[15] Defoe had scored 41 goals in 105 league and cup appearances for West Ham.[8]

Tottenham Hotspur

Defoe joined Tottenham in January 2004 for an initial fee of £6 million, rising to £7 million depending on "specific performance criteria", and with Bobby Zamora joining West Ham.[15] Manager David Pleat said, "I can't think of a British striker at his age who has achieved as much in such a short space of time. His goal record for a 21-year-old is quite exceptional. I hope he will have a fine career at Tottenham."[16] Defoe marked his arrival at Tottenham with a goal on his debut in the 4–3 home win over Portsmouth in February 2004[17] and added a further six in the remainder of the 2003–04 season, scoring seven goals in 15 matches.[8] He then scored 13 goals in 36 matches in the Premier League, including a hat-trick in a 5–1 win over Southampton in December 2004,[18] and nine goals in eight games in the FA Cup and League Cup, in the 2004–05 season.[8] He also received the clubs player of the year award for the 2004 calendar year as voted by season ticket holders and Spurs members. Despite speculation linking him with other clubs, Defoe signed a new four-and-a-half year contract with Tottenham in April 2005.[19] The following season was not as profitable for Defoe and Spurs manager Martin Jol used Defoe in rotation with Robbie Keane and Mido providing the competition for a starting position; Defoe started 23 times and came on as substitute 13 times, scoring nine goals.[8]

Defoe made 49 league and cup appearances for Tottenham, scoring 18 goals, during the 2006–07 season as Tottenham competed in the UEFA Cup as well as the domestic competitions. He appeared to bite West Ham player Javier Mascherano on the shoulder during Tottenham's 1–0 win over West Ham in October 2006, sparking a melee between players of both sides.[20] The FA declined to take action against Defoe as the referee, Steve Bennett, had booked Defoe for the incident.[21] He scored his 50th goal for Tottenham in the 2–1 win over Aston Villa on Boxing Day in December 2006, in which he scored both goals,[22] and scored in Tottenham's 2–0 win over Charlton in May 2007, which condemned his former club to relegation to the Championship.[23] Defoe later offered his sympathy for Charlton and expressed his wishes for them to bounce straight back to the Premiership the following season, in a post-match interview. During the summer of 2007, there was speculation about Defoe's future at Tottenham following the arrival of Darren Bent for a fee of £16.5 million. Defoe however insisted that he would stay at Tottenham and fight for his place, saying "I'm really excited about the new season and the prospect of another campaign in Europe. We have made some good signings and are now stronger and better equipped to compete in all competitions."[24]

On 20 September, Defoe came on as a substitute against Famagusta and scored twice, scoring his first goals of the season. He was then axed from the squad in the next league game against Bolton on 23 September. On 25 November 2007 he missed a crucial penalty against former club West Ham United at the Boleyn Ground in the final minute of the game which would have won the game for Spurs. As a result, the game finished 1–1.

Portsmouth

Defoe joined Portsmouth in January 2008 for £6 million.[25] He scored the equalising goal on his debut, a 1–1 draw at home to Chelsea.[26] In March 2008, he was unable to play against Tottenham as the Premier League ruled that he was ineligible to do so as he was initially signed on loan in January 2008.[27] The following week in Portsmouth's game against Wigan he scored two goals, becoming the first ever Portsmouth player to score in his first five home games. Due to appearances in Tottenham's third and fourth round ties Defoe found himself cup-tied for all the subsequent matches of Pompey's successful FA Cup 2007-08 campaign. This was particularly unfortunate as Defoe's transfer also resulted in him missing out on playing in Spurs' 2008 Football League Cup Final victory over Chelsea despite appearing in every match en route to the final. Defoe ended the 2007–08 season with 8 goals in 12 appearances for Portsmouth.

Defoe scored his and Portsmouth's first goal of the 2008–09 season on 30 August 2008 with the opener in a 3–0 win at Everton and on 13 September 2008 scored the club's first home goals of 2008–09 with a brace against Middlesbrough. Defoe also contributed a goal and an assist in Portsmouth's first ever match in major European competition against Vitória Guimarães on 18 September 2008.

Return to Tottenham

2008–09 season

During January 2009, Portsmouth chairman Peter Storrie revealed Jermain Defoe's intentions to leave the club in the near future. This came after joining the club only in the same transfer window of the previous year.[28] It was reported that Defoe's former club Tottenham Hotspur made a formal approach for the striker but no agreement was reached; Spurs manager Harry Redknapp described the clubs as "miles apart in their valuation of the player", suggesting that Portsmouth wanted "in excess of £20m".[29] After negotiations, Portsmouth accepted a bid from Tottenham thought to be around £15.75m (including fees owed to Tottenham for the previous transfers of Younes Kaboul and Pedro Mendes and waiving a £4m sell-on clause that had also been negotiated during his transfer from Spurs to Portsmouth) on 6 January 2009.[30] The player had agreed to a five-year deal at an estimated £60,000 a week. Defoe was confirmed as a Tottenham player by his new club on 9 January 2009.[31] Defoe was presented at White Hart Lane before the start of Spurs' League Cup clash against Burnley, after Spurs fans made it clear they wanted the striker back at White Hart Lane.[32]

He made his return debut on 11 January 2009 in a Premier League game against Wigan, scoring his first goal against former club Portsmouth at White Hart Lane on 18 January 2009.[33] Tottenham went on to draw the match 1–1. He also scored his second goal in the Carling Cup semi-final second leg loss at Burnley, which helped Spurs book a place in the final via the away goals rule. He scored 3 goals in his first 4 games before getting an injury which meant that for the second time under Harry Redknapp's management at Portsmouth and Tottenham, Defoe would not go to Wembley and would miss out on a final. He returned for Spurs against Newcastle on 19 April in which Tottenham won the game 1–0.[34] He scored his first goal since his return from injury in a 2–1 win against Manchester City and helped his team secure 8th place in the league.[35]

2009–10 season

Defoe received the number 18 shirt after the loan spell of former Manchester United player Fraizer Campbell had ended, the same kit number that he wore during his first spell with Tottenham Hotspur.

On 19 August 2009, Defoe scored the 3rd hat-trick of his career in a 5–1 away victory over Hull City in the second game of the 2009/10 season.[36] Following the match, his manager Harry Redknapp stated his high opinion of Defoe, "with Ronaldo gone, he can push to be the (Premier League) top scorer".[37][38][39] After a fine run of form which saw him score 7 goals for club and country, Defoe was named Barclays Player of the Month for August 2009.[40] On 12 September 2009, Defoe scored after 38 seconds with an overhead kick against 2008–09 Premier League champions Manchester United in a match which ended in a 3–1 loss for Tottenham, taking his tally for the 2009–10 season to 5 goals in 5 games.[41] On 23 September 2009, Defoe scored a header during Tottenham's 5–1 win over Preston.[42][43] Defoe scored a goal and was sent off during the match against his former club, Portsmouth.[44]

Defoe scored five goals at White Hart Lane in a 9–1 thrashing of Wigan Athletic on 22 November 2009. This included the second fastest hat-trick in Premier League history, which was scored in seven minutes.[45] In doing so, Defoe became only the third player to score five goals in one Premier League match after Alan Shearer and Andrew Cole.[46][47][48][49] After the game, Harry Redknapp further asserted his belief that Defoe would go on to be the Premier League's top scorer in 2009–10,[50]. Redknapp later said that Rooney is the best all round attacking player but Defoe is the best finisher in the England and should be regular for England.[51] On February 3, Defoe claimed his third hat-trick of the season in an FA Cup fourth round replay against Leeds United at Elland Road with Spurs winning 3–1.[52][53] His rich vein of form continued on February 21, with another goal in the Premier League, against Wigan.[54] His most recent goal was a penalty in their win against Chelsea, which was the second London club they beat in just 4 days, after a famous 2–1 win over Arsenal.

International career

Defoe with England

Defoe's form for Bournemouth in the 2000–01 season saw him selected for the England U21s team to play Mexico U21s in May 2001, and he marked his debut with the second goal as England U21s won 3–0.[55] He went on to gain 23 caps for England U21s,[56] scoring seven goals.[57] Defoe made his debut for the senior England team in a 1–0 defeat to Sweden in March 2004, coming on as an early substitute for the injured Darius Vassell.[58] England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson singled out Defoe's display for praise in an otherwise poor performance by England, saying, "Jermain Defoe did very well – I liked what I saw. He showed that he can do very well even in international football and that he is technically very good. Jermain is quick and he knows where the goal is, so I liked him very much."[59] He was not however selected for the England squad to take part in Euro 2004.[60] He made his first start for England in a World Cup qualifying match against Poland in September 2004, scoring in a 2–1 win.[61] As he did six months earlier, Eriksson paid tribute to Defoe, saying, ""Jermain is a great talent. It couldn't have been much better for him. He did very well. He scored one goal and created other chances as well. He is a great player who will always score goals."[62]

Despite appearing regularly for England in World Cup qualifying games and friendly matches, Defoe was not named in the provisional England squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany and named only on a five-man standby list.[63] He joined the squad for training in Germany but returned to England when Wayne Rooney was cleared to play after having suffered a foot injury in April.[64] He confessed that he was baffled by his omission, saying, "I don't know why I'm not out there. I've been involved in every squad for the last two years and feel I've played a part in helping us to qualify. I have never felt fitter and sharper than I was in training and believe I could have scored goals in the tournament. It's a strange decision and everybody I speak to thinks so as well."[65] Eriksson said after the tournament that he did not think that Defoe would have been a better option than 17 year old Theo Walcott, who had been selected for the England squad, adding, "If I had thought so I would have picked him. I've seen him 15 or 20 times this season and I have to take the best players who I think will be good for us in the future."[66] He made a further explanation a few months later, saying, "Jermain had a very bad season. I don't think he deserved to go to the World Cup. Taking Theo was the right decision."[67]

Steve McClaren, who took over as England manager after the World Cup, selected Defoe for England in his first match, a friendly against Greece in August 2006.[68] Defoe continued to be selected and to appear for England in Euro 2008 qualifying games and friendly matches.[8]

Defoe was initially omitted from Fabio Capello's first squad with the new manager insisting he would only select players who were playing regular club football. One day after scoring on his Portsmouth debut Defoe was recalled to the England squad to replace the injured Gabriel Agbonlahor.[69] Defoe took his international goals tally up to five in the Caribbean on 1 June 2008 when he scored twice against Trinidad and Tobago and in the process staking a claim for a more regular place in the international team.[70]

Defoe scored his first competitive international goal of 2008 with the final goal in England's 5–1 win over Kazakhstan on 11 October 2008 after coming on as a late sub for Wayne Rooney. He also scored two goals in three minutes against Andorra in a 2009 World Cup qualifier.[71]

His 2009–10 season got off to the perfect start as he came from the bench to score both goals in the 2–2 draw against the Netherlands at the Amsterdam Arena on 12 August 2009 and was announced as man of the match.[72]

On 23 June 2010, he scored the only goal in England's third group stage match against Slovenia in the World Cup.[73] This goal gave England the win they needed to progress into the Round of 16.[74]

He then opened up the scoring for England's Euro 2012 qualifying campaign against Bulgaria, volleying home from the 6 yard box after a cross from Ashley Cole, whose initial effort was saved by the Bulgarian goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov. Defoe went on to score his first international hat-trick.[75]

Personal life

Defoe is a Christian.[77]

On 24 April 2009, his 26 year old half-brother, Jade 'Gavin' Defoe, known to many as the grime artist, Esco (of Slew Dem), died of head injuries following an assault in Leytonstone, London.[78]

Defoe has dated Danielle Lloyd and was engaged to model Charlotte Mears

2010-09-05T07:38:00.002+02:00

Darren Ashley Bent (born 6 February 1984) is an English footballer who plays for Sunderland as a striker.

Bent started his career with Ipswich Town in 2001. He made 122 appearances and scored 47 goals in the league for Ipswich, before joining Charlton Athletic for a fee of £2.5 million in 2005. He was their top goalscorer for two consecutive seasons and joined Tottenham Hotspur for a club record fee of £16.5 million in 2007. After two seasons at Tottenham he joined current club Sunderland.

He has represented England at under-15, under-16, under-17, under-19, under-21 and senior levels. He made 14 appearances and scored nine goals for the under-21 side, after making his debut against Italy in 2003 and has made six appearances for the senior England side, after making his debut against Uruguay in 2006.

Personal life

Born in Tooting, South London, Bent is of Jamaican descent and his father Mervyn was a player in the youth systems of Wimbledon and Brentford.[3][4] He moved to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire at the age of 10 and played for the Godmanchester Rovers youth system.[4][5] As a youngster, Bent was a supporter of Arsenal, and used to have a season ticket at Highbury.[6] He was handed a formal warning by police in June 2004 after he was alleged to have shot a 12 year old with a pellet gun.[7]

Club career

Ipswich Town

Bent progressed through Ipswich Town's youth system, having joined the club at the age of 14 in 1998, after considering a possible career in athletics.[8] He signed a professional contract with Ipswich on 2 July 2001.[9] He made his first team debut on 1 November 2001 against Helsingborgs IF in the UEFA Cup and scored his first senior goal in a 4–1 League Cup defeat to Newcastle United on 27 November 2001.[10][11]

He scored his first FA Premier League goal on 24 April 2002 in a 1–0 win over Middlesbrough.[12] He finished the 2001–02 season with seven appearances and two goals in all competitions, and also saw his team Ipswich face relegation.[13] He scored the winner against Slovan Liberec in the UEFA Cup in October 2002 and finished the 2002–03 season with 18 goals.[14][15] The 2003–04 season finished with Bent scoring 16 goals, which was followed by 19 goals in the 2004–05 season, being the team's second highest goalscorer.[16][17]

Charlton Athletic

Bent scoring an 86th minute penalty against Wigan Athletic, which earned Charlton a 1–0 victory

He completed a transfer to Charlton Athletic in June 2005, which was worth an initial fee of £2.5 million, but would have risen to £3 million if he made an agreed number of appearances for Charlton and for England.[18] On the opening day of the 2005–06 FA Premier League season, Bent scored two goals on his Charlton debut against Sunderland,[19] and was named the Premier League player of the month for August.[20] Bent was the highest scoring Englishman in the Premier League in the 2005–06 season, with 18 goals (22 overall) which made him third highest scorer and was given Charlton Athletic's Player of the Season award.[21][22] He signed an extension to his contract at Charlton in July, which contracted him until June 2010.[23] Bent finished the 2006–07 season with 13 goals in the Premier League, again finishing as Charlton's top goalscorer, but was unable to prevent them from being relegated to the Championship after seven successive seasons of Premier League football.[24] Charlton accepted a bid from West Ham United for him in June 2007, but Bent was not interested in a move to Upton Park.[25]

Tottenham Hotspur

Bent playing for Tottenham in a pre-season friendly against Norwich City on 28 July 2008, during which he scored four goals in a 5–1 victory

He completed a move to Tottenham Hotspur for a club record fee of £16.5 million on 29 June 2007, which was to be payable over three years and is inclusive of add-on payments.[26] Ipswich were entitled to 20% of Charlton's profit on Bent under a sell-on clause, which gave the club an initial £2.58 million.[27] He scored his first goal for Tottenham in a friendly match against Stevenage Borough in their first pre-season fixture of the 2007–08 season.[28] Bent scored his first competitive goal for Tottenham in a 4–0 home victory over Derby County in August 2007.[29] This was followed up by scoring in the 6–1 win over Anorthosis Famagusta in the first round of the UEFA Cup on 20 September 2007.[30] Bent scored his 100th career goal on 9 March 2008 in the added time of a 4–0 league win over West Ham United.[31] He also scored the 100th goal to be scored at White Hart Lane during the 2007–08 season on 22 March in a 2–0 win over Portsmouth.[32] Bent went on to score one more goal that season, against Newcastle United,[33] which he finished with 36 appearances and eight goals.[34]

He scored 12 goals for Tottenham during the 2008–09 pre-season.[35] His first league goal of the season came against Chelsea, which gave his side a 1–1 draw.[36] He scored a header in the second half of Tottenham's UEFA Cup first round game against Wisła Kraków, giving the team a 2–1 victory.[37] On 6 November, in a game against Dinamo Zagreb, Bent scored his first competitive hat-trick for Tottenham.[38] He followed this up with two goals in a 2–1 victory against Manchester City at the City of Manchester Stadium.[39]

A miss in front of an open goal in the final minutes during a home game against Portsmouth in January 2009, which cost Tottenham two points, prompted manager Harry Redknapp to claim "You will never get a better chance to win a match than that. My missus could have scored that one".[40] Despite being Tottenham's top goalscorer for the season with 12 goals, he was rumoured to be part of a swap deal involving Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones.[41] However, on 31 January he scored two goals in the period of two minutes against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium after coming on as a second half substitute, in a match that eventually finished as a 3–2 defeat.[42] Following the return of Robbie Keane at Tottenham, Redknapp assured Bent of his future at the club.[43] He finished the season as Tottenham's top goalscorer with 17 goals in all competitions.[44]

Sunderland

Sunderland opened negotiations to sign Bent in July 2009.[45] The deal seemed delayed and through social networking website Twitter he accused chairman Daniel Levy of disrupting his move to Sunderland, although Bent later apologised, saying he acted out of frustration.[46] He travelled to Sunderland to sign for the club after they agreed a fee with Tottenham, and after passing a medical, Bent signed for Sunderland on 5 August for an initial fee of £10 million plus potential additional payments,[47] which could possibly rise to £16.5 million.[48] He scored on his Sunderland debut, which was the only goal in a 1–0 victory against Bolton,[49] and was followed with Sunderland's opening goal against Chelsea in a 3–1 defeat.[50] He scored a brace in the 4–1 win over Hull City to give himself his third and fourth goals in five games.[51]

Bent scored Sunderland's only goal against Burnley at Turf Moor, making the score 1–1, before losing 3–1.[52] He scored again in a 5–2 win against Wolverhampton Wanderers,[53] although after the game Sunderland manager Steve Bruce was left angry at Bent's decision to give Sunderland's second penalty kick to teammate Kenwyne Jones, after the latter "pleaded" with Bent to take the penalty so that he could get on the score sheet.[54] Bent then scored the opening goal in a 2–2 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford.[55] He also scored in a 1–0 victory against Liverpool on 17 October 2009 when his shot hit a beach ball thrown on to the field by a Liverpool fan and past confused goalkeeper Pepe Reina into the net.[56] Bent also scored in Sunderland's victory 1–0 over Arsenal on 21 November 2009 when his initial header rebounded back to him off Fraizer Campbell.[57] Bent scored his first hat-trick for Sunderland in a 4–0 victory over Bolton on 9 March 2010.[58] He scored two goals, one a penalty, but missed two other penalties as they were saved by Heurelho Gomes in a 3–1 victory against former club Tottenham on 3 April.[59] He finished the season with 25 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions.[60]

International career

Bent has represented England at under-15, under-16, under-17 and under-19, under-21 and senior.[9][61] He made his under-16 debut against Denmark on 1 August 2000, making six appearances for the team, with his last appearance coming against South Korea on 12 January 2001.[62] His debut for the under-19 team came against Germany on 14 February 2002 and his third and final appearance was against Lithuania on 21 April.[62] His first appearance for the under-21 team came against Italy on 11 February 2003, which England lost 1–0.[63][64] He made 14 appearances and scored nine goals for the under-21 team.[62] He received his first call up to the senior England team for the friendly against Denmark on 17 August 2005,[65] but did not play in the game.[66] His England debut eventually came on 1 March 2006, when he started against Uruguay at Anfield in a pre-2006 FIFA World Cup friendly match.[67] He was not included in England's World Cup squad when it was announced in May 2006.[68]

Despite having played for the senior side, Bent was recalled to the under-21 squad for their October 2006 qualification play-offs against Germany.[69] Later that month, he was recalled to the senior squad due to an injury to Andrew Johnson shortly after the squad's announcement.[70] He was called to the England squad for a Euro 2008 qualifier against Croatia in November 2007.[71] He came on as an 80th minute substitute as England lost 3–2 and failed to qualify for the tournament.[72] He was called up to the team for a 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Ukraine in March 2009 following an injury to striker Carlton Cole.[73] He made his second start for England in a 1–0 defeat to Brazil in a friendly on 14 November.[74]

Bent was named in England's preliminary 30-man squad for the 2010 World Cup on 11 May 2010,[75] although he was eventually omitted from the final 23-man squad on 1 June.[76]

Honours

Tottenham Hotspur

Football League Cup (1): 2007–08

2010-09-05T07:36:00.002+02:00

Carlton Michael Cole Okirie (born 12 November 1983) is an English international footballer who plays for West Ham United as a striker in the Premier League.

Cole began his career at Chelsea in 2001, spending spells out on loan at Wolverhampton Wanderers, Charlton Athletic and Aston Villa before being transferred to West Ham United in 2006. He made 19 England U21 appearances (scoring six goals), and made his full international debut for the England national football team on 11 February 2009 in a friendly match against Spain.Club career

Chelsea

2001-02

Cole was born in Croydon, London and began his career as a trainee with Chelsea in 2001 making his debut in April 2002 as a substitute for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in a 3–0 victory against Everton.[4] He made his first senior start three weeks later, scoring a goal as Chelsea beat Middlesbrough at the Riverside.[5] He made one more appearance for Chelsea in the 2001–02 season, in a 3–1 home defeat against Aston Villa in May 2002.[6]

2002-03

Cole started the 2002–03 season in the Chelsea first team squad, scoring a goal and making another in the opening game of the season in a 3–2 win over Charlton after coming on as a substitute for Zola.[7] He suffered a hairline fracture in his leg in August but returned to action in a League Cup tie against Gillingham in November, scoring two goals.[8] Claudio Ranieri, the then manager of Chelsea, described Cole as being the best young player that he had ever coached, saying, "I've never coached a young player like Carlton. He's fantastic even though he hasn't really started his career yet. He has a very long contract, and, in my opinion, a very big future at Chelsea."[9] However, with Eiður Guðjohnsen, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Gianfranco Zola available for selection, Cole's first team opportunities were limited and he was loaned to Wolverhampton Wanderers in November 2002 for one month,[10] later extended to two months.[11]

Having made seven appearances for Wolves, scoring one goal against Norwich City,[6][12] his loan spell was cut short as Chelsea, needing cover, recalled him early in January 2003.[13] Cole made a further twelve league and cup appearances for Chelsea in the 2002–03 season, in addition to the four that he made before going on loan to Wolves.[6] He scored six goals in all for Chelsea that season,[6] including a spectacular, long-range left-footed strike against Sunderland,[14] and the winner against Bolton Wanderers in April 2003 as Chelsea pressed for a place in the UEFA Champions League.[15]

2003-05

Cole signed a new six-year contract with Chelsea in the summer of 2003,[16] but with Mutu, Gudjohnsen, Hasselbaink and Forssell also battling for a place in the starting lineup for Chelsea, he joined Charlton Athletic on a season-long loan in August 2003,[17] where he scored five goals in 22 league and cup appearances,[6] helping Charlton to finish the 2003–04 season in seventh place in the Premier League. Despite Charlton being keen to retain Cole's services for the 2004–05 season,[18] Cole joined Aston Villa on another season-long loan.[19] This move sparked off a dispute as Charlton were expecting Cole to return to the club as part of the deal that took Scott Parker from Charlton to Chelsea.[20] The dispute was later resolved when the two clubs reached a settlement.[21] Cole scored three goals in 30 league and cup appearances for Aston Villa,[6] including a goal on his debut in a 2–0 win over Southampton in August 2004,[22] in a season which was interrupted by a knee injury picked up in an England under-21 match against the Netherlands under-21 in February 2005.[23]

2005-06

He returned to Chelsea in the summer of 2005 where he appeared in pre-season friendlies.[24] However, first team opportunities were limited by the presence of Didier Drogba and Hernán Crespo,[25] and Cole made only 12 league and cup appearances for Chelsea in the 2005–06 season, scoring one goal in an FA Cup win over Huddersfield Town.[6] He joined West Ham United in July 2006,[26] having made a total of 31 league and cup appearances for Chelsea, scoring eight goals.[6]

West Ham United

2006-07

Cole joined West Ham United in July 2006 for an undisclosed fee, signing a four-year contract.[26] He scored seconds into his competitive debut for West Ham United after coming on as a substitute in injury time to seal a 3–1 home win against Charlton Athletic in August 2006.[27] However, in a season of turmoil at West Ham in which the club only secured their place in the Premier League on the final day of the season, Cole was unable to establish himself in the first team, making 23 league and cup appearances, 15 of which were as substitute, and scoring three goals.[6]

2007-08

Into 2007/08 and Cole began to repay the faith shown in him by the Hammers, scoring six goals and making an important contribution in the absence of the injured Ashton. Cole also ended the Barclays Premier League season with nine assists, illustrating his influential role in the side.

2008-09

It was the 2008/09 season, however, that saw Cole finally come of age. He scored twelve goals in all competitions, as well as picking up a further four assists. He started the 2008–09 season in good form, scoring four goals in his first eight games. On 26 October, Cole received his first red card of his West Ham career against Arsenal, with a foul on Alexandre Song at Upton Park.[28] Cole's form earned him a new five-year contract, which he signed in November 2008, before England head coach Fabio Capello handed him a senior international debut in the friendly defeat in Spain in 2009.

2009-10

He continued the good form in 2009–10 season, made 30 Premier League appearances, starting 26 of them. He scored ten Premier League goals, including one penalty in the 5-3 home win over Burnley on 28 November. After netting six goals in his first ten Premier League matches, he missed the period between 28 November and 26 February with a knee injury. He also made two League Cup appearances, starting the home second-round win over Millwall. He was booked four times over the course of the season.[29]

2010-11

This article or section may be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective. (July 2010)

Carlton Cole signing autographs Upton Park

Cole started the 2010-11 pre-season brightly after scoring two goals from two matches - a 2-1 win over Peterborough United on 14 July 2010 and a 2-0 win against Borussia Monchengladbach on 17 July 2010.[30] He started the season as the club's new number 9 in a change from the number 12 shirt previously worn since his arrival in July 2006.[31] On 28 July 2010, Cole was on target again with a second-half goal - his third in four games - as West Ham United made it four wins from four pre-season friendly matches with a 2-0 victory at MK Dons.[32] On 31 July 2010, he made it 4 goals in 5 games after scoring in a 1-0 win against Ipswich Town.[33]

International career

Cole is of Nigerian and Sierra Leonean descent through his parents, but rejected the chance to play for either of the national sides of these countries.[34][35] He was a regular member of the England under-21 side, scoring six goals in 19 appearances,[36] including two goals in the 3–1 win over Ukraine under-21 team in August 2004.[37] Peter Taylor, then England under-21 manager, claimed that Cole had "...the potential to break into the full England squad...".[38] In August 2008, Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu called Cole into camp ahead of Nigeria's World Cup Qualifier against South Africa.[39] However, it was later reported that Cole was ineligible to play for Nigeria as he was then too old to switch from one country to another.[2][40] Cole received his first senior England call up and cap on 11 February 2009 for a friendly against Spain. He entered the action as a 75th minute substitution in the place of Aston Villa forward Gabriel Agbonlahor. England lost the match 2–0.[41] Cole was again named in the England squad for the games against Slovakia and Ukraine in the Spring of 2009.[42]

2010-09-05T07:34:00.002+02:00

Shaun Cameron Wright-Phillips (born 25 October 1981) is an English footballer who plays for English Premier League club Manchester City and the England national team. He is the son of former England international, Ian Wright and the half-brother of fellow professional football player Bradley Wright-Phillips. He grew up in Brockley, South London, and attended the state school Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College in New Cross Gate.

Club career

Manchester City

Born in Greenwich, London,[1] Wright-Phillips was released by Nottingham Forest at the age of 17 and Manchester City took him to Maine Road. He made his debut as a substitute in the second leg of a League Cup against Burnley, replacing Terry Cooke.[2] His League debut came two months later at Port Vale. Playing a striker, his substitute appearance helped his team turn a 1–0 deficit into a 2–1 win. His shot resulted in the first Manchester City goal, which Wright-Phillips attempted to claim, though the strike was later credited as an own goal instead.[3] He then started the next two matches, in place of Paul Dickov, who was absent through injury. Once Dickov recovered, Wright-Phillips returned to the reserves, making only one further first team appearance that season. City finished second in the First Division, resulting in promotion to the Premier League for 2000/01. Wright-Phillips featured more regularly than the previous season but was still not fully established in the first team, making 12 starts and seven substitute appearances playing in a variety of attacking positions. Manchester City's stay in the Premier League was brief; at the end of the season they were relegated. The demotion brought about a change of manager, Kevin Keegan replacing Joe Royle.

Under Keegan Wright-Phillips firmly established himself in the first team, not as a forward, but as a wing-back.[4] Keegan was known for playing attacking football, and decided to use the attacking Wright-Phillips in a traditionally defensive position due to his mobility and dribbling ability.[4]

From 2000–2003 he won Manchester City's Young Player of the Year award four times in succession,[5] surpassing Steve Kinsey's record of three times.[6]

On 17 November 2004, he became one of the main targets of racist chants from the crowd at an international friendly between England and Spain in Madrid. However, he brushed that aside with his performance in his next Manchester City game at Portsmouth, saying to reporters after the game, "I just let the football do the talking." [7]

He also has a similar response regarding his father, saying in an interview with manchesteronline.co.uk: "The press brought up my adopted father's name. They relate to his name and that is fine by me – it comes with the name, but I will be my own man. I have made my own path and started to take my own steps."[8]

Chelsea

On 17 July 2005, Wright-Phillips completed a £21 Million[9] move to Premier League champions Chelsea, returning to his native London. He joined the club on a five-year contract after agreeing to personal terms and passing a medical. He had previously said he would not leave Manchester City. His appearances were initially limited, starting only fifteen times for Chelsea in the 2005/06 season and struggling to find scoring form.

His first goal for the club came in a 2–0 Champions League win over Levski Sofia on 5 December 2006, almost 17 months after his transfer. An unhappy first season with Chelsea culminated in him missing out on the opportunity to travel to Germany with the England squad for the 2006 World Cup.

Despite making few first-team appearances, Wright-Philips maintained that he was happy at Chelsea and wanted to stay and fight for a first team place. He received a boost from his then manager José Mourinho, when the latter declined to make an approach for Spain and Real Betis (as of the 2006/07 season with Valencia CF) winger Joaquín, stating that he had enough options in terms of wingers.

As the 2006/07 season progressed, Wright-Phillips picked up form and scored his first league goal against West Ham United, he followed up with his second in the same match. Subsequently, he started in several games towards the end of the season including the FA Cup final which Chelsea won, however Wright-Phillips was substituted during the second half.

In the beginning of the 2007–08 season, Wright-Phillips maintained his starting place on the right wing. He also maintained his place after Jose Mourinho left Chelsea and under new coach Avram Grant. Wright-Philips was selected to play in the League Cup final, which Chelsea lost to Tottenham Hotspur. He only made another six appearances that season and failed to make the match day squad for the 2008 UEFA Champions League Final. Having made 65 starting appearances for the club, with a further 60 as a substitute, Wright-Phillips had been unable to secure a regular place in the side under Grant and Mourinho. After also falling out of favour with new manager Luiz Felipe Scolari, he was allowed to leave the club.

Return to Manchester City

On 28 August 2008, he re-joined his former club Manchester City on a four year contract for an undisclosed fee, believed to be in the region of £8.5million.[10][11] He was allocated the number 8 shirt for the 2008–09 season. On his second debut, Wright-Phillips scored two goals against Sunderland in the 3–0 away win in the Premier League.[12] Wright-Phillips' third goal for Manchester City came in a 6–0 victory over Portsmouth on 21 September. After his dismal spell at Stamford Bridge, Shaun equalled his entire goalscoring record at Chelsea just over a month after returning home. His right footed drive in the second half against Omonia Nicosia on 2 October 2008, helped steer City through to the group stages of the UEFA cup for the first time. On 29 October 2008 Wright-Phillips swore at former Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate during Manchester City's 2–0 defeat against Boro. Gareth Southgate appeared to be complaining about Shaun Wright-Phillips going down too easily after a challenge from a Boro player. The English FA warned Wright-Phillips about his future conduct. The 2009/2010 season started very well for Wright-Phillips, setting up a goal for Emanuel Adebayor in the 3rd minute, in a 2–0 win against Blackburn.Three weeks later against Arsenal, he set up a goal for Emanuel Adebayor before scoring one for himself.He followed that up with a goal in a Carling Cup tie with Crystal Palace. He went on to score in 3 successive home games against Burnley, Hull City and then Arsenal in the Carling Cup.[13] He found himself in and out of the team under Roberto Mancini, with new signing Adam Johnson's form forcing Wright-Phillips to be a substitute in most matches. Wright-Phillips was a substitute in Manchester City's game at his former club Chelsea. He came off the bench to replace Adam Johnson in the 60th minute and then set up Craig Bellamy's second goal in a 4-2 win at Stamford Bridge. Despite his impact in the game, he didn't secure a place in the team. He started for Manchester City on the final game of the Premier League season against West Ham United, where he scored the equalising goal in the 1-1 draw at Upton Park.

International career

Wright-Phillips made his England debut as a substitute against Ukraine on 18 August 2004 and scored an impressive goal late in the second half. A real bundle of energy, he was frequently called upon throughout England's World Cup qualifying campaign. However, after a decline in form, especially a poor performance away to Northern Ireland, and a lack of games following his move to Chelsea he missed out on a place in the 2006 World Cup squad.

Wright-Phillips played on the right wing during England's two Euro 2008 qualifiers against Macedonia and Croatia. After a good start to the 2007–08 campaign, Wright-Phillips received an England recall to play against Germany in a friendly match at the new Wembley Stadium. Wright-Phillips was brought on as a substitute in the second half during the match in which England lost 1–2 to Germany and he was named the England sponsor's Man of the Match after an impressive performance.

Selected to start against Israel on 8 September, he scored the first goal in the 3–0 victory and won the England sponsor's Man of the Match award with his performance.

He was once again selected to start for England against Estonia and scored his third goal for England and the opener in a third consecutive 3–0 win at Wembley.

He was selected in England's critical Euro 2008 qualifying game against Croatia, substituted at half time in favour of David Beckham with England trailing 2–0, with England eventually losing 3–2 and therefore missing out on Euro 2008.

On 19 November 2008, Wright-Phillips was selected to start in England's friendly against Germany in Berlin.

On 14 October 2009, with England having already qualified for World Cup 2010, Wright-Phillips was selected in the starting XI against Belarus at Wembley. Unusually, he was joined in the side (which was missing Wayne Rooney through injury) by Tottenham Hotspur's Aaron Lennon, meaning England played with two recognised wingers. Mid-way through the second half, Wright-Phillips drove in a shot from the edge of the penalty area which beat the dive of the Belarus goalkeeper. He appeared as a second-half substitute against Egypt on 3 March 2010, scoring England's second goal and assisting Peter Crouch for the third as they came from behind to win 3–1.[14]

On the 1st June 2010 Shaun Wright-Phillips was selected for England's final 23 man squad that was to play in the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. This came as a shock to many journalists who had thought that the dropped Theo Walcott would be in the squad instead.

Honours

Chelsea

Premier League: 2005–06

FA Cup: 2006–07

FA Community Shield: 2005

2010-09-05T07:32:00.002+02:00

Ashley Simon Young[1] (born 9 July 1985) is an English footballer. He plays as a winger or second striker for Aston Villa. His brother, Lewis, is also a professional footballer.

Born and raised in Hertfordshire, Young started his career at Watford, making his first senior appearances in 2003 under the management of Ray Lewington. He became a first-team regular in 2004–05, and was one of Watford's key players in their promotion winning 2005–06 season. Young continued to play well for Watford in the Premier League, and in January 2007 he transferred to Aston Villa for a fee of £9.6m. Since then, he has established himself in the first team at Villa Park, and has earned 8 caps for the England national football team.

Club career

Watford

Born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire,[2] Despite having been turned away by Watford's Academy after an unsuccessful spell, Young endeavoured to improve himself as a player and was eventually offered a professional deal by the club. The 18-year-old was handed his first team début under Ray Lewington in September 2003, scoring as a substitute against Millwall.[3] He achieved five substitute appearances that season, scoring three goals, and made his first start for the club in the League Cup. Young came to prominence in the 2004–05 season, playing a part in 34 of Watford's league matches as they struggled to survive in the Championship. Although he failed to find the net, he supplied several assists. His performance during this season earned him the club's Young Player of the Season award.

Under Aidy Boothroyd in the 2005–06 season, Young was given a new lease of life as a striker. Young started 41 League matches, finding the net 15 times,including a playoff semi-final goal against Crystal Palace, as Watford qualified for the playoffs and eventually beat Leeds United 3–0 to gain promotion to the Premier League.

Young began Watford's 2006/2007 Premier League season well, scoring 3 times, including a last minute, long-range strike against Fulham. In the January 2007 transfer window, three clubs made £5 million offers for the Under-21 International. Watford rejected these approaches, as well as (as of 12 January 2007) an offer of £7 million, again from an unnamed club[4]

An improved offer of nearly £10 million from West Ham United was accepted. However, Young rejected the move, opting to wait for offers from clubs for whom relegation was not an issue.[5]

Aston Villa

Young at an open training session at Villa Park

On 18 January 2007, Aston Villa had an £8 million offer (rising to £9.75 million with add-ons), accepted—the club's record transfer fee. This allowed manager Martin O'Neill and the Aston Villa board to discuss personal terms with the player. Two days later O'Neill confirmed the player had agreed to join the club. Young underwent a medical on 21 January and the signing was confirmed on 23 January 2007.[6] On 31 January, he scored in his debut for Villa at St James' Park against Newcastle United, but Villa went on to lose 3–1.[7] Ashley Young started the 2007–08 season well, receiving several Man of the Match awards. The good start was highlighted by his callup to the England Squad.

On 20 April 2008, Young scored 2 goals and assisted two goals for Aston Villa against Birmingham City at Villa Park and Villa went on to win the game 5–1. He also scored the winner against Danish side Odense Boldklub in Villa's home leg of the Intertoto Cup 3rd round.

In the 2007–08 Premier League season, Young finished second to Cesc Fàbregas in assists with 17.[8] Young was included in the Premier League Team of the Year, and apart from Portsmouth's David James, he was the only other player who did not come from any of the 'Big Four' (Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United) to make it into the best XI of the season. He is known for his pace, set pieces and ability to pass and shoot.He is also well known for cutting back onto his right foot and 'whipping' the ball into the penalty area.

On 10 October 2008 Young won the Player of the Month award. This was due to his performances in the 2008–2009 Premier League campaign. Having also won the award in April 2008, Young joins the list of players who have won the award more than once including Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Steven Gerrard. On 7 December 2008 in the 3–2 win over Everton, Young scored two goals, one being an injury time winner after Everton's Joleon Lescott had equalised seconds earlier putting his tally for the season up to five. Manager O'Neill later described the player as being 'world-class' in the post-match press conference. Ashley Young signed a new four-year contract until 2012 on the 4 November 2008.[9]. On 10 January 2009 Young was again awarded Player of the Month for December along with manager Martin O'Neill, who won the Manager of the Month award. He became the first ever player to win three FA Premiership Player of the Month awards in the same year.[10] During a match against Sunderland on 18 January 2009, Young was sent off for a two-footed foul on Sunderland's Dean Whitehead.[11].

Young appeared for Villa at the 2009 Peace Cup in Andalusia. He scored a header that was to be the third and final goal in a Group C match against Atlante as Villa triumphed 3–1. This was also the goal that sent Villa through to the knockout stages due to their superior goal difference in comparison to fellow group members Atlante and Málaga.[12] After helping Villa defeat Portuguese side Porto in the semi-final, Ashley Young scored a penalty in the final as Villa overcame Italian club Juventus. Villa won 4–3 on penalties, after the game had finished 0–0 in normal time.[13] Young's performances in Spain earned him praise in the media, with Goal.com naming him their top player of the tournament.[14] On 24 August 2009 Young scored a penalty as Aston Villa won 3–1 against Liverpool at Anfield. He did, however, go on to miss a penalty on 27 August 2009 in a home tie in the UEFA Europa League against Rapid Wien. Young won two penalties in the first half of the game (one that he missed, the other that was converted by James Milner) despite Aston Villa being eliminated from the tournament on away goals rule.

International career

As a result of his form for Watford during the 2005–06 season, in February 2006 Young earned a call-up to Peter Taylor's England U21 League squad to face an Italian Serie B squad alongside team-mate Chris Eagles. Young started alongside Eagles in the 1–0 win, playing the first half. His continued form into the 2006–07 season earned him a first England U21 call-up to face Switzerland U21s in September 2006. Young played the last 15 minutes of the match as England scored a late goal to win 3–2, topping their group, and reaching a playoff for a place in the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. At the finals Young played three times. He took part in the epic semi-final shootout against hosts Netherlands, scoring twice in the shootout as England lost 13–12. On 31 August 2007, Steve McClaren called Young up to the full England squad for the first time to face Russia and Israel in the Euro 2008 qualifiers. He was again called up for the Euro 2008 qualifiers to face Estonia and Russia. On 16 November 2007 Young finally made his international debut and came on as a half-time substitute for England in a friendly against Austria. He has since appeared in the England Friendly against Germany in November 2008, coming on as a second half substitute. He was also part of the starting XI in Capello's England squad in the friendly against Holland at the Amsterdam Arena on 12 August 2009. Young did not make the cut in Capello's 30-man squad for the World Cup in South Africa[15].

Personal

Young was born in Stevenage, Hertfordshire[16] to a Jamaican-born father and English mother. He has one older brother[17] and two football-playing younger brothers, Lewis, who made his debut for Watford in 2008,[18] and Kyle, who in April 2009 was training at the Arsenal Academy.[19] Young attended the John Henry Newman School in Stevenage, and played school football alongside Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton, who was in the same year.[17]

Young's father supports Tottenham Hotspur, while Young himself, like his older brother, favoured Arsenal. Due to the similarities in appearance, he's often compared to TV series The Wire's Marlo Stanfield. His hero and "role model on and off the pitch" was Ian Wright.[17]

Honours

Watford

Football League Championship play-offs: Winner 2005–2006

Aston Villa

Peace Cup: Winner 2009

League Cup: Runner up 2009–2010

Individual

Watford Young Player of the Season: 2004–2005

Championship PFA Team of the Year: 2005–2006

Player of the Month Award: (April) 2008

Player of the Month Award: (September) 2008

Player of the Month Award: (December) 2008

PFA Young Player of the Year: 2009

PFA Team of the Year: 2007–2008, 2008–2009

Peace Cup: Golden ball 2009

2010-09-05T07:29:00.002+02:00

James Philip Milner[2] (born 4 January 1986) is an English footballer who plays as a winger or central midfielder for Premier League side Manchester City and the England national team. He previously played for Leeds United, Swindon Town, Newcastle United and Aston Villa. He is mainly a winger but is versatile and can deputise at both full-back positions when needed. In the 2009–10 season he was utilised in a more central position by Aston Villa.[3]

Milner's talent in football, cricket, and long-distance running was recognised when he was a child. He represented his school in these sports and played football for amateur teams from Rawdon and Horsforth. He supported Leeds United from a young age and was a season ticket holder at the club. In 1996 he joined the Leeds United youth academy and worked his way up. He made his debut for the first team in 2002, aged only 16, and gained prominence as the youngest player to score in the Premier League.

While at Leeds United, he spent time on loan at Swindon Town to gain experience as a first-team player. Following his move to Newcastle United, he was loaned to Aston Villa for a season. He had since established himself as a regular starter in the Newcastle, and later the Villa and Manchester City first teams. He made more than 100 appearances for Newcastle, as well as making a record number of appearances for the England under-21 team. He made his debut for the full team against the Netherlands in August 2009 and also played at the 2010 World cup.

Early life

Milner was born in Wortley, and raised in Horsforth, Leeds, he played most of his childhood football for Westbrook Lane Primary School in Horsforth. He was later educated at Horsforth School. Graeme Coulson, a coach from Rawdon, recognised Milner's talent and persuaded him to play for Rawdon in several tournaments, including a tournament at Rawdon Meadows, where Milner scored four goals in their victory in the final.[4]

I noted his name and it was one not to be forgotten. He was an outstanding talent scoring lots of goals but he was also very strong.

–Graeme Coulson[4]

Milner was described as a "first class" student at his school; he left with 11 General Certificates of Secondary Education (GCSEs) and an award for his performance in physical education.[4][5] Milner also showed talent in cricket, sprinting and long-distance running. He played for the Yorkshire Schools cricket team, was the cross-country champion at his school for three consecutive years and was the district champion over 100 metres for two years in a row.[4] He then completed his studies at Boston Spa School; at which the sports college was a partner to the football club.[citation needed]

Milner took as much interest in watching football as he did playing it. He supported his hometown club Leeds United from a young age. His earliest memory of the team was watching them win the FA Youth Cup in 1993. He and his parents, Peter and Lesley, were season ticket holders and Milner later became a ball boy for the club.[6]

When Milner was 10 years old, he joined the Leeds United Academy after being spotted by a scout while playing for Westbrook Juniors in Horsforth.[4] At the academy, Milner played against contemporaries from other clubs in the north, including future Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. His role model was Leeds-born Alan Smith, who was then a Leeds United striker. Milner believed playing with Smith put him through a learning curve, as Smith had done what Milner aspired to do; that is, to come through the academy and play for the first team.[6] Having made good progress at the Academy, Milner was taken on as a trainee after leaving school.[4] However, his father insisted that he attend college once a week to continue his education.[7] Milner remarked later that he did not want to get excited and think that he "had already made it". He also said he could hardly believe he was playing alongside first-team Leeds players such as David Batty and Olivier Dacourt.[5] He continued to improve his skills in the youth team, and played for the Republic of Ireland at under-14 level and England at under-15 and −17 levels.[4][8] He helped the England under-17 team win the 2002 Nationwide summer tournament against Italy, Czech Republic and Brazil, scoring a goal against the latter.[9]

Club career

Leeds United

Milner's debut for Leeds United came on 10 November 2002, in a game against West Ham United, when he came on as a substitute for Jason Wilcox for the last six minutes. The appearance made him the second youngest player ever to play in the Premier League, at the age of 16 years and 309 days.[10] On Boxing Day of that year, he became the youngest player to score in the Premier League, with a goal in a 2–1 win against Sunderland.[11] His record has since been broken by James Vaughan of Everton.

In a match against Chelsea a month later, Milner scored again, with a deft first touch of the ball and manoeuvre, in order to avoid a tackle from Chelsea defender Marcel Desailly, that won widespread praise from commentators. The manoeuvre created a yard of space for him to deliver a curling shot from 18 yards (16 m).[12] Reporters were impressed by his overall performance in the game, especially by his desire, confidence, and ability with both feet. Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri remarked after the game that Milner had performed like a much more experienced player.[13] The performance prompted comparisons to England internationals Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney, who had also come to footballing prominence as teenagers.[14] The BBC asked in a poll on their website if he was a better prospect than Rooney. After more appearances for Leeds, Milner signed a five-year contract with them on 10 February 2003.[15] At the start of the 2003–04 season, Milner was sent on a month-long loan to Division Two side Swindon Town to gain experience as a first-team player. Before the stint, he saw it as a valuable experience as a player.[6] He spent a month with Swindon, playing in six games and scoring two goals against Peterborough[16] and Luton.[17]

However, Leeds United's fortunes were on the decline; the team became the subject of numerous negative stories in the media, and several first-team players were sold. Milner said he believed that this experience made him emotionally stronger and taught him how to deal with team problems.[6] Leeds's eventual relegation to the Championship led to speculation over Milner's future at the club. Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Everton all expressed an interest in signing him.[10] Ultimately, Villa and Everton did not make offers and Milner rejected an offer from Tottenham as they were based too far from his family home, where he still lived.[18][19] Leeds insisted that he would not be sold and the chairman of the club at the time even referred to him as "the future of Leeds".[6] Nonetheless, financial problems eventually forced Leeds to sell Milner to Newcastle United for an initial price of £3,600,000.[20] Although Milner was not happy to be leaving the club he had supported as a child, he wished to do what was "in the club's best interest"[6] and in July 2004, he agreed a five-year deal with Newcastle.[10]

Newcastle United

Milner playing for Newcastle United.

Milner made his first appearance for Newcastle United during their pre-season tour of Asia, scoring his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Kitchee, in Hong Kong.[21] During this tour, he took the opportunity to observe how Newcastle striker Alan Shearer dealt with attention from fans and the media. He said that his association with people like Shearer gave him a better idea of how to deal with the media.[5]

Milner's first Premier League game for Newcastle came against Middlesbrough on 18 August 2004, in which he played on the extreme right of the field as a winger, despite having featured regularly on the left for Leeds. When asked about this after the game, Milner said he had no preference where on the pitch he played.[22] A month later he made his debut in European competition, when Newcastle played in the UEFA Cup against Bnei Sakhnin from Israel, after coming on as a substitute for Shola Ameobi.[23] In the same month, he scored his first competitive goal for the club, also as a substitute, in a 3–1 win against West Bromwich Albion.[24] It looked probable he would soon start a game.

However, the situation changed for Milner after Newcastle manager Bobby Robson, whom Milner considered his mentor, was sacked and replaced by Graeme Souness. Under Souness, he started 13 league games, but did not play his first full Premier League game for Newcastle until April 2005. By the end of the season, he had made 41 appearances in all competitions and scored once. Souness did not make Milner a regular in the Newcastle side and controversially remarked that the club would not win "with a team of James Milners". Milner's response to this statement was reported as "mature".[25] He did however confirm that he was frustrated at not being used as a starter for most of the season.[26]

At the start of the 2005–06 season, Milner scored in Newcastle's 3–1 away win against FK ZTS Dubnica in the Intertoto Cup, and also set up Shearer for the team's third goal.[27] His good run of form in this competition continued when he scored in the next round against Deportivo de Coruña. Despite these goals, a clause in Newcastle's purchase of Nolberto Solano from Aston Villa resulted in Milner being loaned to Villa for the rest of the season.Villa manager David O'Leary, who had managed Milner at Leeds, was happy to acquire Milner in this deal, saying that he believed Villa got the better of the deal and that he hoped to improve him as a player.[28][29]

Loan to Aston Villa

Milner made his Villa debut on 12 September 2005 in a Premiership match against West Ham. Five days later, he scored his first goal for the club in a 1–1 draw against Tottenham Hotspur. In a League Cup game less than a week later, he helped his side recover from being 3–1 down at half-time to win 8–3 against Wycombe Wanderers, scoring two goals in the second half comeback.[30] Throughout the season Milner was positive about his team. He remained confident that Villa would recover from a poor start to the season and praised the quality of the squad.[31]

Milner was generally seen as a positive signing in a season that was disappointing for Villa.[32] Milner himself also received the loan move positively, saying that he would like to join Villa permanently because of the probability of becoming a regular starter, but admitted that the possibility of this happening was beyond his control.[33] Manager David O'Leary confirmed during the season that he would like Milner to join the club permanently, but doubted he would be given the opportunity to sign him.[34] He even pulled out of signing Robert Huth so that he would have the funds to sign Milner permanently if the opportunity arose.[35] Shortly before the end of his loan period, negotiations between Villa and Newcastle began.

The newly-appointed Newcastle manager Glenn Roeder appeared to appreciate Milner's ability more than Souness and expressed a desire that he remain a Newcastle player.[36] This, as well as the departure of O'Leary and the shortage of transfer funds at Villa, meant that a deal to sign Milner permanently seemed unlikely.[37] In June, it became even less likely when Villa rejected an offer of Milner as part of a trade for Gareth Barry.[38] However, the deal was resurrected when Villa were taken over by American billionaire Randy Lerner, and Martin O'Neill was appointed as new Villa manager. Villa made an improved offer on 30 August, which was accepted by Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd. Media sources quoted the transfer fee as being £4,000,000. A move to Villa appeared to have been agreed, but at the last moment Newcastle recalled Milner and the talks broke down.[39][40]

Return to Newcastle United

Milner takes a free kick during the 2006–07 season

Newcastle's players and manager Glenn Roeder reacted positively to Milner's return at the start of the 2006–07 season.[41] Roeder praised Milner for the way he had handled the failed Villa transfer, although Roeder's own handling of the negotiations was criticised. Roeder confirmed that he would play Milner in "plenty of games" during the season. This proved to be the case, as Milner was a starter in the Newcastle side for the entire season.[39]

Newcastle made a poor start in the Premier League, but in European competition, Milner played a key role in helping Newcastle advance through the group stage of the UEFA Cup. Shortly after, rumours began to spread that he would be sold during the transfer window in January, although both Milner and Roeder dismissed these rumours.[42]

Milner, warming up before a pre-season friendly match

On 1 January 2007 Milner scored his first goal of the season in a 2–2 draw with Manchester United. The goal came from a "stunning" shot from 25 yards (23 m) away.[43] He scored two more goals during the next three weeks, against Birmingham City and then against West Ham United. Both of these were scored from at least 20 yards (20 m) away. Later in the season, Roeder praised the progress Milner had made and said that he believed him to be the hardest-training player at the club. Also during the season, Milner displayed his ability to play comfortably in a range of different positions by scoring and setting up goals with both feet from both sides.[44] As a result, Milner signed a new contract at Newcastle in January, which secured his future at the club until 2011.[45][46] He signed another four-year contract in May 2007, when Sam Allardyce took over as manager of Newcastle.[47] Milner said later in the year that he was happy about his future at the club and its new manager saying the that training sessions were "the best since I have been here".[48] Allardyce said during the season that Milner was so keen to play, that he was concerned he would "burn out mentally [and] physically". As a result, Milner played mainly as a substitute in the early part of the season.[49]

In late October, he scored Newcastle's 500th home Premier League goal in a 3–1 win over Tottenham Hotspur.[50] A second Premier League goal of the season came fortuitously in the Tyne-Wear derby from a shot intended as a cross.[51] Allardyce praised Milner highly during the season, saying he was "a hugely experienced Premier League player".[52]

After missing the final nine games of the season due to a foot injury,[53] it was rumoured in May 2008 that he would be part of a transfer between Newcastle and Liverpool.[54] Despite starting the season for Newcastle and scoring in a League Cup win over Coventry City, it was revealed after the game that Milner had handed in a written transfer request the week before.[55] Milner signed for Aston Villa on 29 August 2008 for a fee of twelve million pounds,[56] and signed a four-year contract with the club.[57]

Return to Aston Villa

Milner in training at Villa Park

Milner made his debut for Villa on 31 August 2008 as a second-half substitute against Liverpool.[58] His first goals in his second spell at Villa came in a third round FA Cup tie against Gillingham at Priestfield Stadium on 4 January 2009 on his 23rd birthday, where he scored both goals in a 2–1 win for Villa.[59]

Milner's first Premier League goal in his second spell at Villa came on 17 January 2009 in a match against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light. Milner headed in a cross from Villa midfielder Ashley Young to level the scores at 1–1, Villa went on to win the match 2–1.[60] On 7 February 2009, Milner was named to the England full team squad for the first time, after a run at club level that had impressed England manager Fabio Capello.[61] Milner continued to impress and scored his second league goal of the season against Blackburn Rovers with a rifled shot from a difficult angle after a corner had not been closed down. He later scored a free-kick from outside the penalty area at home against Everton as Villa came back from a 3–1 deficit to draw level at 3–3.[62] He stated that his time at Villa is the "most settled" period of his career so far, having played under thirteen managers and caretakers despite being only 23.[63][64] On 19 May 2010, Manchester City made a £20 million offer for Milner which was rejected.[65] On 22 July 2010, Villa manager Martin O'Neill said that Milner had shown a desire to leave Villa for City, but would only be sold at Villa's valuation.[66] On 14 August despite being on the verge of a move to Manchester City, Milner played in Villa's first game of the season against West Ham United, scoring Villa's third goal. Milner was given a standing ovation when he was substituted near the end of the game.[67]

Manchester City

On 17 August 2010 it was reported that Aston Villa had agreed a deal with Manchester City to sell Milner subject to a medical. The deal was reported to be worth around £26 million,[68] including a player exchange of Stephen Ireland, valued at £8 million.[69] Milner made his debut for City on 23 August 2010 in a 3-0 win against Liverpool, where he set up the first goal for former Villa teammate Gareth Barry .[70]

International career

Under-21s

Milner (in white, playing for England Under-21 side) delivers a cross

After representing England at the U-15 and U-17 levels, Milner was promoted to the U-20 level and called up for the 2003 World Youth Championship. Soon after this, Under-21 manager Peter Taylor called him up to the England Under-21 side and Milner made his debut against Sweden on 30 March 2004.[71]

Milner scored his first goal for the England Under-21 side during the 2004–05 season in a qualification game for the 2007 European Under-21 Championship, against Wales. During the game, in which he played in the centre of midfield, he also set up a scoring chance for Darren Bent as the Young Lions won 2–0.[72] Despite domestic club troubles, he continued to make progress at international level, scoring the winning goal for the England Under-21 side in a 3–2 win over Switzerland. The win secured England a place in the playoff stage of the 2007 Under-21 European Championship qualifiers.[73]

In June, Milner competed for England at the 2007 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship. He played in all four of England's matches and was booked in the semi-final against the Netherlands, which meant he would have missed the final. The game was decided by a penalty shootout, in which Milner scored twice and England lost 13–12.[74] Milner's performance in the tournament led to rumours that he would make his full England debut in a friendly against Germany, but he was not included in the squad for the match.[75] He was however included in the Under-21 squad for a friendly against Romania, which ended in a 1–1 draw.[76] A month later, Milner set an England Under-21 record by making his 30th appearance for the side in a 3–0 win against Montenegro. During this game, he set up the first goal from a corner. Historically, players with several England Under-21 appearances have not progressed to become regulars in the senior side, which has led some to doubt whether Milner would be able to successfully make the transition.[77] In October, he scored his third goal for the Under-21 side in a 3–0 win over Republic of Ireland.[78] He scored again in the return game four months later that England also won 3–0.[79]

Milner continued to be a regular and was the only player, along with Joe Hart and captain Steven Taylor, to have played in all the qualifiers for the European Championships. In the summer of 2009, he was in the final 23-man U21 squad for the UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship in Sweden. He helped set up the winning goal for Micah Richards against Finland, and manager Stuart Pearce said after the match, "The modern-day full-back can get up and down the pitch and I knew [Milner] would be comfortable".[80] In England's second match against Spain, Milner had a penalty well saved by Sergio Asenjo, and scored England's second goal in a 2–0 win.[81] England faced the hosts Sweden in the semi-finals. In the first minute of the match, Milner delivered a corner the was headed in by Martin Cranie to give England the lead. Another corner from Milner would set up England's third goal, an own goal by Mattias Bjärsmyr. After the match ended in a 3–3 draw, it went to a penalty shootout. Milner was the only England player to miss in the shootout after he slipped just before kicking the ball, causing it to sail over the crossbar. England won the shootout 5–4 to advance to the final for the first time in 25 years.[82] England lost the final to Germany 4–0 and Milner said after the match that the team was "hurting" and that the way in which the team lost was "not good enough".[83] The final was his last game for the under 21 side.

Senior team

In August 2009, Milner made his debut for the full England team, when he came on as a substitute in a friendly match against the Netherlands for the final 23 minutes. After outrunning defender John Heitinga, he provided a low cross into the six yard box, from which striker Jermain Defoe scored from close range to make the score 2–2. He would also provide another high cross for Defoe later in the match, which he headed over the bar. The match ended in a 2–2 draw.[84] He played twice more for England the following month against Slovenia in another friendly and made his competitive debut four days later in a World Cup qualifer against Croatia, where he played the final nine minutes. England won the latter match 5–1 to secure qualification for the 2010 World Cup. On 2 June 2010 Milner was named in the final 23 man squad for the World Cup finals in South Africa. He was selected in the starting eleven for England's first match of the tournament against the USA, however he was substituted after 30 minutes.[85] In England's third match against Slovenia, he setup the only goal of the match with a cross for Jermain Defoe.[86]

Style of play

Milner is regarded as being a tenacious footballer.[7][31][87] As a result, his main role on the team is as a wide midfielder who creates scoring opportunities, as well as taking the ball past defenders. He could be deemed a traditional English winger. While Milner does not score many goals, he does have a good record at providing assists.[88] Nolberto Solano, a former teammate, said that because of his ability, Milner would "become an important team player".[89] After his move to Newcastle he began playing more as a winger.[22] He has been described as "comfortable on either wing".[88] He has also been used occasionally as a central midfielder and as an emergency right-back, generally during an injury crisis.

Milner has the ability to pass accurately and shoot from a great distance from goal.[88] As a result, he usually goes forward for set pieces and is often a candidate to take corners and free kicks.[90] Critical opinion is divided as to Milner's crossing ability. While some commentators have been critical of his ability in this area, other journalists have said that Milner can produce accurate crosses.[88][91][92]

All my life I've wanted to do what I'm doing now. Now I'm here, and enjoying every minute of it. You've got to make a few sacrifices, but I don't mind that.

–James Milner[7]

Milner, in his time at the club, was described on the Newcastle United official website as "a good reader of the game".[93] One quality that is praised by commentators is Milner's awareness of players around him. This awareness allows him to pass the ball from a range of positions to teammates making forward runs, as well as giving him the confidence to take on defenders.[90] His awareness and willingness to pass have been called mature for a player of his age.[14]

Milner has expressed a willingness to play as much as possible[94] and feels that Wayne Rooney's move to Manchester United and success as a player has taken a lot of pressure off his own career, commenting, "I have been able to concentrate on football and ignore everything else".[25] During his career, Milner has been booked 15 times, but has never been sent off.[95]

Despite being a winger by trade, Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill stated in November 2009 that he thought Milner's versatility could lead to him becoming an accomplished central midfielder at some point in his career. Milner played in a number of different positions for Aston Villa, including both wings, in central midfield and even as a right back.[citation needed] In Winter 2009, following the return to action of midfielder Stewart Downing, Milner moved in to the centre of Villa's midfield to make room for Downing on the left wing. Milner, along with Downing, Petrov and Young were all praised by team mate Emile Heskey for their ability in the new-look midfield.[citation needed]

Honours

Club

Aston Villa

League Cup Runner-Up: 2009–10

International

England

UEFA European Under-21 Championship Runner-Up: 2009

Individual

PFA Young Player of the Year (1): 2009-10[96]

PFA Premier League Team of the Year (1): 2009–10[97]

2010-09-05T07:27:00.000+02:00

Gareth Barry (born 23 February 1981) is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City as a midfielder.

Barry moved to Aston Villa from Brighton & Hove Albion as a youngster, and spent 12 years at the club. He captained Aston Villa, and, as at the end of his career with the club, lay seventh in their all-time list of appearances. In June 2009, he joined Manchester City.

Barry is also an England international, having won his first full cap in 2000 and captained the side in 2010 in a friendly against Egypt.

Club career

Aston Villa

Barry was born in Hastings, East Sussex. He attended William Parker Sports College in the town at the same time as Sussex cricketer Michael Yardy. An ex-England under-18 captain, Barry joined Aston Villa from Brighton and Hove Albion as a trainee in 1997 along with Michael Standing. The move was controversial as the Brighton board demanded £2.5 million for the two players; the Football Association's transfer tribunal panel came up with a deal which would have seen Brighton make £2.4 million in the event of Barry and Standing making international appearances for England, as well as sell-on clauses.[citation needed] He played his first match for Villa on 2 May 1998 against Sheffield Wednesday. Initially, he played as a central defender, on the left-hand side of a back three alongside Gareth Southgate and Ugo Ehiogu. Barry became a highly versatile player and captain first as a centre-back, then a left-back. He then moved to left-midfield, before establishing himself in the centre of midfield.

In April 2005, Barry intervened in a controversial incident in a match against Newcastle United when two Newcastle United players, Lee Bowyer and Kieron Dyer, brawled with one another during the game.[2]

In November 2007, it was reported that Aston Villa were set to award Barry a testimonial, at the age of just 26, to recognize his 10 years at the club. On 5 April 2008, Barry helped to break a run of bad form, scoring in a 4–0 victory over Bolton Wanderers. He scored two goals (his first two from open play that season) and he was also credited with two assists.[3]

As of April 2008, Barry, approaching 400 total appearances for Aston Villa, was the longest serving player in the team.[4] During the league game against Bolton Wanderers on 28 October 2007, Barry became the youngest player to appear in 300 Premier League games (aged 26 years 247 days), replacing former record-holder Frank Lampard.[5]

In May 2008, Liverpool made a series of bids to buy Barry, all of which were rejected by Aston Villa.[6][7][8] Barry publicly criticised his manager, Martin O'Neill, accusing him of making no attempt to keep him at the club, and further stating a desire to join Liverpool in order to compete in the Champions League.[9] O'Neill denied this claim[10] and Barry was officially disciplined for giving an unauthorised interview. A further bid from Liverpool of around £15 million was rejected as it was still short of Villa's £18 million asking price. Steve Finnan had then been offered in a part-exchange in the deal but the fee Villa would have wanted in this case was understood by the BBC to be £17 million with Steve Finnan.[11]

Barry was then stripped of the Villa captaincy, fined 2 weeks wages and banned from training with the Villa squad.

Barry remained an Aston Villa player, starting in a UEFA Cup tie against FH Hafnarfjordur, in which he scored in a 4–1 win. The goal against Hafnarfjordur was Barry's first European goal since he scored a penalty in the Intertoto Cup against Celta Vigo in 2000. On 18 September 2008, Barry made his 400th appearance in a Villa shirt in the UEFA Cup away to Litex Lovech: Barry scored a penalty as Villa won the match 3–1. He scored again for Villa as they beat Ajax 2–1 in their first UEFA Cup group match on 23 October 2008. Due to the transfer saga, O'Neill had taken the captaincy away from Barry and handed it to centre-back Martin Laursen for the 2008–09 season. Following Laursen's injury, the captaincy was restored to Barry in January 2009. In total, Gareth Barry made 441 appearances for Aston Villa, scoring 52 goals in the process.

Manchester City

On 2 June 2009, Barry signed a five-year contract with Manchester City for a fee of £12 million[12][13] and will wear the number 18 shirt.[14] Many Aston Villa fans publicly criticised Barry for this move considering his alleged desire to play in the UEFA Champions League.[15] However, Barry responded to this positively and wrote a letter to the Birmingham Mail in which he thanked the Villa fans for their support while he was there, claiming that his move to City was for a "new challenge."[16] He scored his first goal for the club, under high expectations, in a 2–1 pre-season victory over Celtic. Barry scored his first Premier League goal for City against Manchester United on 20 September, levelling the scores at 1–1, but City went on to lose the match 4–3. One week later he scored a header in a Carling Cup tie with Fulham to make the scores 1–1; City went on to win in extra time. On 16 February he scored a late equaliser in a draw against Stoke City.[17]

International career

Barry playing for England

Barry made his England under-21 debut against the Czech Republic in 1998. He made 27 starts for the Under-21 side, a record since surpassed by fellow Aston Villa players, former on-loan goalkeeper Scott Carson and colleague James Milner.

First picked for the senior England side by Kevin Keegan, along with David Beckham, he is the only other England international to date to have played under every England manager since first selected by Keegan. After an injury to Jason Wilcox, he was able to travel to UEFA Euro 2000,[18] but did not feature in any of the side's games. Barry made his England debut as a substitute in a pre-Euro 2000 friendly against Ukraine on 31 May 2000. His first start for England was in the 1–1 draw against France on 2 September 2000.

He made further England appearances in matches against South Africa, Serbia and Montenegro and Slovakia in 2003.

Barry was recalled to the England squad following a four-year international exile on 2 February 2007. Barry was resigned to never winning another cap under previous boss Sven-Göran Eriksson but Steve McClaren brought him back for the first time since March 2003.[19] Barry was brought on at the beginning of the second half of the friendly match against Spain on 7 February 2007 as replacement for Steven Gerrard and played left midfield for the majority of the game, moving to left-back when Stewart Downing was brought on. England lost 1–0 thanks to a second half Andres Iniesta goal. On 25 May 2007, Barry played for England B in a 3–1 victory over Albania, getting an assist for England's first goal scored by Alan Smith. Barry renewed his England international career by coming on as a substitute, replacing Michael Carrick in a friendly against Germany, at Wembley. As confirmed by John Motson during the BBC Commentary for this game, Barry has now played under 5 different England Managers (including England U21 & England B-Team).[citation needed]

As a replacement for the injured Owen Hargreaves, Barry started in central midfield for England against Israel on 8 September 2007; with two assists and impressive overall play. He kept his place with Owen Hargreaves declared unfit for the match against Russia on 12 September 2007, and produced another stunning display, proving to be more than competent at international level. BBC pundits Ian Wright and Alan Shearer commented that Barry was immense in the centre of midfield alongside Gerrard, forming a wonderful partnership together, and further commented that he should have been given man of the match overall for the two performances against Israel and Russia.[20]

He was also given the official man of the match for England's Euro 2008 home qualifier against Estonia. He was selected to start against Switzerland on 6 February 2008, the first game of the Capello era. He was again selected to start in England's friendly away to France on 26 March 2008. Barry scored his first international goal against Trinidad and Tobago on 1 June 2008, this completed a personal treble for Barry as he also captained England in the second half of his 20th cap.[21]

Barry appeared in every one of England's ten games during the 2008–09 season up until the game against Andorra on 10 June 2009, for which he was suspended, having picked up yellow cards in the games against Ukraine and Kazakhstan. In the game against Kazakhstan on 6 June, he scored his second international goal on his 13th cap, heading a cross from Steven Gerrard back across the goalkeeper and into the corner.

Whilst playing for England in a friendly against Egypt at Wembley, Barry was handed the England captaincy in a game that they won 3-1, with Barry's Manchester City teammate Shaun Wright-Phillips on the scoresheet. However an ankle injury picked up while playing for Manchester City made him uncertain for the 2010 World Cup; yet he was included in the England squad for the tournament, missing the first game but playing in the remaining three games for England.

Honours

Aston Villa

FA Cup

Runner up: 2000

Intertoto Cup

Winners: 2001

Player of the Season

Winner: 2006–07

Personal life

Barry married his childhood sweetheart Louise in the summer of 2007.[23] They have two children: a son, Oscar, and a daughter, Freya.[24]

Barry is best friends with Michael Standing, a player that signed for Aston Villa on the same day as him from Brighton & Hove Albion in 1997. The pair have known each other since they were both ten years old. In 2009, Barry appointed Standing as his new agent after terminating his partnership with previous agent Alex Black.[25]

2010-09-05T07:23:00.003+02:00

Adam Johnson (born 14 July 1987) is an English footballer who plays for Manchester City as a winger. A product of the Middlesbrough youth academy, he came to prominence after making his first team debut as an eighteen-year-old in a UEFA Cup tie. His favoured position is on the left wing but he is capable of playing on the right.

Club career

Middlesbrough

Though born in Sunderland, Johnson was taken in by Middlesbrough's youth academy as a youngster after being spotted by club scouts at an East Durham school-age match.[2][3] He was one of the many players in the first team to graduate from Middlesbrough's acclaimed Academy to the first team in recent years. He and his Boro teammates David Wheater, Tony McMahon and Andrew Taylor were part of the squad that won the 2003–04 FA Youth Cup.

The youngster made his senior debut aged seventeen on 17 March 2005 in the UEFA Cup in the 1–0 defeat away to Sporting Lisbon. Almost six months later he made his Premier League debut, and first senior start, deputising for an injured Stewart Downing in a 2–1 home win against Arsenal. For much of the first half of the 2005–06 season he was on the bench as an unused substitute, mainly in the UEFA Cup matches. He made his second start in the competition against Litex Lovech on 15 December and set up Massimo Maccarone's first goal in a 2–0 win.[4] For the rest of the season, he managed to make appearances, albeit as Downing's deputy or an unused substitute.[2]

Johnson's first goal for Middlesbrough came in a midweek Premier League game against Bolton Wanderers on the 3 May 2006. He was playing due to Middlesbrough's involvement in the UEFA Cup final which was to be played a week later as Steve McClaren rested most of the first team squad. On 30 June, he signed a new four-year contract extension.[5]

Leeds United and Watford

On 16 October 2006 he joined Leeds United on a month-long loan after being signed by Leeds' caretaker manager John Carver, but with Leeds struggling in the Championship it was hard for Johnson to impress despite getting the man-of-the-match award on his debut. After playing four games during his month-long loan spell, Johnson returned to Middlesbrough as Leeds chose not to extend his loan.[6]

Later on in the season he came on as a substitute in the FA Cup replay with Bristol City and played a vital role in seeing Middlesbrough through to the next round by setting up one goal and scoring the winning penalty in the shootout.

In September 2007 Johnson joined Championship side Watford on a three-month loan.[7] He played 12 games for the club, scoring 5 times, before being recalled to Middlesbrough earlier than stipulated in the deal following some brilliant performances. Coincidentally, Watford's form dipped after his departure.[8]

Back to Middlesbrough

In the final game of the season, he scored a 18-yard strike from a loose ball just minutes after coming on as a substitute in Boro's 8–1 thrashing of Manchester City.[9] In the 2008–09 season, he managed to make 32 appearances, half of those as substitutes as Downing was first choice.[8][10] He managed to start most of the fixtures near the end of the season when Downing was ruled out with a long-term injury.

Johnson became an important part of Boro's Championship side for the 2009–10 season following Downing's transfer to Aston Villa, scoring three of Boro's five goals in the first three games.[11][12] He led the Boro scoring charts, with eight goals, for the entire first half of the season despite being a winger, which led to new manager Gordon Strachan expressing his concern about overrelying on Johnson for goals. In the 18 August match at Scunthorpe United, he missed a penalty awarded for a foul on Rhys Williams and scored another after being tripped by the Scunthorpe goalkeeper in the penalty box when both went for the rebound.[13]

After a bright start to the season, the highly-rated youngster became a subject of transfer rumours with several Premier League clubs reported to be interested[14] and was linked to his hometown club Sunderland for much of the summer. The Boro management insisted that he would not be sold.[15][16] However he chose not to extend his contract, which was to end after the 2009–10 season. On 13 December, he was substituted for Marvin Emnes after picking up a hamstring injury in the 1–0 home loss to Cardiff City[17] but returned to score a penalty against Scunthorpe in a 3–0 win, thus taking his goal tally into double figures. He scored a brace for the third time in the season when he turned in a man of the match performance against Doncaster Rovers on 26 January to end Boro's winless away streak stretching back to October.[18]

In recognition of his consistent performances, Johnson was voted for the North East Football Writers' Young Player of the Year award,[19] joining a string of Boro players to do so.

Manchester City

When the winter transfer window opened, Johnson was again the subject of transfer speculation and Middlesbrough reportedly received a bid from Manchester City.[20] On 1 February 2010, City signed him for an undisclosed fee on a four-and-a-half-year contract.[21][22] He made his first appearance for the club on 6 February, coming on as substitute for Stephen Ireland against Hull City. Three days later he made his first start against Bolton Wanderers on the right side of a three-man attack alongside Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor, finishing as the man of the match.[23] Johnson scored his first goal against his hometown club Sunderland, the club his family supports. He calmly curled in a sublime 18 yard effort one and a half minutes into injury time to secure a last-gasp 1–1 draw.[24] On 3 April, he turned in a man of the match performance in the 6–1 away hammering of Burnley, which led England manager Fabio Capello to publicly praise the 22-year-old.[25]

International career

A former under-19 international, Johnson was called-up for the under-21 team at the 2009 UEFA U21 Championships in Sweden. He scored once in qualification[26] and again in the first leg of the qualification play-offs against Wales U21s as the Young Lions narrowly won 5–4 on aggregate to qualify for the tournament. During the tournament he started in two of the three group stage matches. He won the man-of-the-match award in the final group stage match against Germany that ended in a 1–1 draw[27] and converted his penalty in the semi-final shoot-out win against Sweden.

In late February 2010, Johnson was named in the senior squad for the first time in Fabio Capello's 30-man shortlist for the upcoming March friendly against Egypt in May but did not make the final 23.[28]

In May, Capello named Johnson in his preliminary 30-man World Cup squad. Johnson made his full England debut on 24 May in a 3-1 friendly victory against Mexico at Wembley Stadium, coming on as a late substitute for James Milner.[29]. On 1 June 2010, Capello announced his final 23-man team and Johnson failed to make the cut.[30]

He scored his first international goal on 3 September 2010 against Bulgaria in a Euro 2012 qualifier, which England won by 4-0.[31]

2010-09-05T07:21:00.001+02:00

Theo James Walcott (born 16 March 1989) is an English footballer who plays for Arsenal and the England national team. Although his main position is a striker, he has played more regularly as a winger.

Club career

Early career

Walcott was born in Stanmore, England, but grew up near Newbury, where he played for A.F.C. Newbury and went to The Downs School secondary school. Walcott scored more than 100 goals[3] in his one and only season for Newbury, before leaving there for Swindon Town. He only spent six months there before leaving for Southampton after he rejected a chance to join Chelsea.[4] Nike agreed to a sponsorship deal with Walcott when he was fourteen years old.[5]

Southampton

In the 2004–05 season, he starred in the Southampton youth side that reached the final of the FA Youth Cup against Ipswich Town. In addition, he became the youngest person to play in the Southampton reserve team at 15 years and 175 days, when he came off the bench against Watford in September 2004.[6] However, he did not play in the Premier League, as Southampton were relegated to the Championship at the end of the 2004–05 season.[5]

Before the start of the 2005–06 season, Walcott linked up with the first team's tour of Scotland, just two weeks after leaving school. The striker then went on to become the youngest-ever player to play for the Southampton first team at 16 years and 143 days, after coming on as a substitute in Southampton's 0–0 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Football League Championship.

Walcott made his full first team debut away to Leeds United on 18 October 2005, scoring his first senior goal in the same game. He scored again away at Millwall four days later, and yet again in his full home debut against Stoke City the following Saturday. His rapid rise to fame also led him to be named amongst the top three finalists for the prestigious BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award on 11 December 2005.

Arsenal

Walcott in 2007

Walcott transferred to Arsenal on 20 January 2006, for a fee of £5 million, rising to £12 million depending on appearances for club and country.[7][8] The original fee was payable by instalments – £5 million down, £5 million based on club appearances and £2 million based on England appearances – but was revised to a total of £9.1 million by a compromise settlement agreed on 31 March 2008.[9] He signed an initial pre-contract agreement to sign a professional contract on his 17th birthday on 16 March 2006, and was given the number 32 shirt in the process.[10]

Following his surprise and controversial selection in the England squad for the World Cup 2006,[11][12][13][14] he made his Premier League debut on 19 August 2006, the first day of the 2006–07 season, coming on as a substitute against Aston Villa[15] and setting up a goal for Gilberto Silva.[16]

A UEFA Champions League debut came in the second leg of Arsenal's third qualifying round match against Dinamo Zagreb,[17] where Walcott became the youngest ever Arsenal player to appear in European competition, a record previously held by Cesc Fàbregas, and since beaten by Jack Wilshere.[18] Within minutes of coming on he received his first yellow card in Arsenal colours for taking a shot several seconds after the referee had already blown for offside. During stoppage time his cross beat the Dinamo defence and Mathieu Flamini scored, giving Walcott a record of two assists in two substitute appearances. His first start came in a home league game against Watford on 14 October 2006.[19] Walcott's exploits with Arsenal and with the England team earned him the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year award at the end of 2006.[20]

Walcott warming up with Arsenal

Walcott's first goal for Arsenal came in the 2007 League Cup Final against Chelsea at the Millennium Stadium, Cardiff, on 25 February 2007, but his eleventh minute strike was overshadowed by events later on in the match as Didier Drogba scored twice to give Chelsea a 2–1 victory and three players were dismissed following a mass brawl.[21]

Walcott's first home goals were scored in a Champions League match against Slavia Prague, which Arsenal won 7–0, as well as setting up a goal for Fàbregas.[22] Walcott scored his first two Premier league goals in a 2–2 draw against Birmingham City at St. Andrews on 23 February 2008.[23] He finished the 2007–08 season with seven goals from all competitions. In the Champions League quarterfinal against Liverpool on 8 April, Walcott made a run from inside his own half down the length of the pitch, beating the Liverpool back four to set up Emmanuel Adebayor's last minute equalizer.[24]

Following comparisons to former team-mate Thierry Henry,[22] Walcott was assigned Henry's former number 14 for the 2008–09 season.[25] During the season, Walcott established himself as a first team regular, starting many games on the right midfield or winger. In September 2008, Arsène Wenger confirmed that Tottenham, Chelsea and Liverpool were all interested in signing Walcott as a 16 year old.[26] On Saturday 18 October 2008, Walcott scored his first Premier League goal of the season against Everton, scoring the third and final goal in the match, which Arsenal won 3–1 despite going behind to a Leon Osman goal. Three days later, Walcott scored Arsenal's second goal in a 5–2 win away to Fenerbahçe, rounding the keeper before tucking the ball away from a tight angle.

On 18 November 2008, Walcott dislocated his right shoulder while training with England for a friendly against Germany.[27] He made a full recovery by April 2009, scoring against Wigan to equalise before starting the second leg tie against Villarreal, where he scored in the 10th minute after receiving a pass from captain Fàbregas and flicking the ball over the goalkeeper.[28] Arsenal won 4–1 on aggregate.

In the next match, an FA Cup Semi-Final against Chelsea, Walcott put Arsenal ahead in the first half, although they eventually lost 2–1. Three days later, Walcott came off to the bench to run half the length of the field before squaring for Andrei Arshavin to put Arsenal 4–3 up against Liverpool in the 91st minute, although the match finished 4–4.[29] In May 2009 he signed a new long term contract with Arsenal.[30]

Walcott's 2009-2010 season was marred by injuries. He suffered from shoulder, back, knee and hamstring problems which restricted him to only 15 starts for Arsenal.[31] He did not complete 90 minutes until 9 December 2009.[32] On 6 March 2010, Walcott scored his second goal of the season against Burnley in a 3–1 victory to give Arsenal a decisive lead, with a left-footed effort from the edge of the box, after cutting inside from the right flank.[32]

Walcott scored the first of two goals for Arsenal in the first leg of the Champions League on 31 March 2010 against FC Barcelona, with team-mate Cesc Fabregas scoring the second from the penalty spot. After the match he said, "if you look back at the game they had a lot of possession and a 2–2 draw was probably a fair result."[33] Walcott's appearance was the turning point in Arsenal's draw with Barcelona during the first leg of the Champions League. Due to this Arsène Wenger, after much debate, started Walcott for the second leg. His appearance did not reward him with any goals but did however contribute to the set up for Nicklas Bendtner to put Arsenal up.

On 21 August 2010, Walcott scored the first hat-trick of his club career after he netted three against newly promoted Blackpool in a 6–0 home win, coming in just the second game of the new season.[34]

International career

Walcott was a surprise inclusion in Sven-Göran Eriksson's preliminary England squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, announced on 8 May 2006. Even with first-choice strikers Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen both recovering from injury, Walcott was selected over established Premier League strikers such as Darren Bent (the highest-scoring English forward in the Premier League in the 2005–06 season), Andy Johnson (the top English goalscorer in the Premier League in the 2004–05 season), Dean Ashton (like Bent, already an established player at England Under-21 level) and England squad regular Jermain Defoe. However, he did not play at that world cup.[35]

Walcott came on as a second half substitute on 25 May 2006 for the England B team against Belarus. On 30 May 2006, he became the youngest ever England player in a full international by appearing in England's friendly against Hungary at Old Trafford, aged 17 years and 75 days. England won the match 3–1.

Despite being one of only two fully fit strikers in the England squad, he did not play during the tournament. Eriksson defended his decision,[36] claiming that the experience has served him well for future tournaments.

Following the end of the World Cup tournament, Eriksson left his position as England manager. New appointment Steve McClaren, put Walcott into the England Under-21s, claiming he was "toughening up" on his squad selections.[37]

On 15 August 2006, Walcott became the youngest player ever to score for the England national Under-21 football team when he scored the opener after three minutes in England's 2–2 draw with Moldova at Ipswich Town's ground Portman Road. The game against Moldova was his first cap for the England Under-21s.

Walcott scored two goals against Germany to seal qualification for England to the Under-21 European Championships, in the playoff second leg in October 2006, with his second drawing comparisons with Thierry Henry.[38]

On 6 September 2008, Walcott made his first competitive start in a World Cup qualifier against Andorra, and in the following match against Croatia on 10 September he opened his senior international goals tally and became the youngest player in history to score a hat-trick for England.[39]

Over the summer of 2009, Walcott participated in England Under-21 team's European Cup campaign despite protestations from his club manager, Arsene Wenger. Wenger complained that Walcott's participation in the tournament as well as matches with the senior squad would lead to burn out and injury.[40]

Walcott returned to the international fold on 3 March 2010 in a friendly against Egypt. It was his first international start for nine months.[41] He faded after a bright start [42] and was replaced by Shaun Wright-Phillips after 57 minutes as England recovered from a goal down to beat Egypt 3-1 at Wembley. His performance came under heavy criticisms from Chris Waddle who said of Walcott, "I've never seen him develop. He just doesn't understand the game for me - where to be running, when to run inside a full back, when to just play a one-two. It's all off the cuff. I just don't think he's got a football brain and he's going to have problems. Let's be honest, good defenders would catch him offside every time."[41]

Walcott started England's friendly victories against Mexico and Japan in May 2010. However, on 1 June 2010, it was announced that Walcott had been left out of England's 23-man World Cup squad by Fabio Capello.[43] On 4 July, a few days after England's exit from the World Cup, Lionel Messi said that he was shocked by Walcott's exclusion as he believed that Walcott could have made the difference against Germany and Algeria.[44]

Family and personal life

Walcott was born to a British Jamaican father and an English mother.[45] His family made a cameo appearance in the 2007 film Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Walcott himself was due to appear as well, but his commitments to Arsenal forced him to drop out.[46]

Walcott and his father are both Liverpool fans. Walcott has never hidden the fact that he's a massive Liverpool supporter and even when Chelsea asked him to be a ball boy, he used the opportunity to meet his Liverpool idols:

"I was playing in a tournament for Swindon when Southampton and Chelsea showed an interest. Chelsea invited me to be a ball-boy for a game against Liverpool and it was fantastic to meet my heroes Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler. I was a Liverpool fan simply because my dad followed them. Unfortunately I wasn't born when the team had their golden era, but I enjoyed watching the likes of Michael Owen, Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman when I was growing up. When Liverpool won the Champions League last year,[47] I went mad. I was shouting so loud I think I woke up the entire village where I live!"[48]

Walcott has been involved with the UK charities Build a School[49] and Best Beginnings.[50]

On 6 April 2008, Walcott was a torchbearer for the Olympic Flame for Beijing 2008 as it was paraded around London. He was the second last torchbearer just before Dame Kelly Holmes.

He is in a long-term relationship with Melanie Slade. The couple got together after meeting in 2006 at the WestQuay shopping centre in Southampton.[51]

His cousin Jacob Walcott is a trainee at Reading[52] and a member of the England national under-17 football team appearing in the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship.[53]

Honours

Club

Southampton

Runner-up:

FA Youth Cup 2005

Arsenal

Runner-up:

Football League Cup 2007

International

England U-21

Runner-up:

UEFA U-21 Championship 2009

Individual

BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year Award: 2006

2010-09-05T07:19:00.002+02:00

Ashley Cole (born 20 December 1980) is an English professional footballer who plays for Chelsea and the England national team. He plays as a left-back and has been named one of the best in the world.[2]

Cole began his career with Arsenal in 1999, going on to make 228 appearances, scoring 9 goals for the club, and winning two Premier League titles, three FA Cups and a runners-up medal from the 2006 UEFA Champions League Final. In August 2006, after a protracted transfer saga, he completed the move to rival club Chelsea in exchange for £5m plus defender William Gallas. Cole is a regular in the Chelsea first-team winning a second Champions League runners-up medal in 2008, three more FA Cups and his third Premier League title in 2010. On 15 May 2010, he became the first player to win six FA Cup winner's medals.

Cole married singer Cheryl Tweedy in July 2006. They separated in February 2010; divorcing in September 2010.[3]

Club career

Arsenal

Cole started his career by joining his local club, Arsenal, whom he had supported as a child. On 25 February 2000,[citation needed] he signed his first professional contract. At the age of 18, on 30 November 1999, he made his first team debut in the Worthington Cup against Middlesbrough. His Premier League debut came on 14 May 2000 against Newcastle United. Before he fully broke into the Arsenal side, he spent part of the 1999–2000 season on loan at Crystal Palace, where he played 14 league matches and scored one goal, a long-range half-volley against Blackburn Rovers. Cole caught a lucky break after an injury to Sylvinho, Arsenal's established left-back, in the autumn of the 2000–01 season gave Cole the opportunity to establish himself in the first team. He remained first-choice in the position even after Sylvinho's recovery.

With Arsenal, he won the FA Premier League twice (in 2002 and 2004), and the FA Cup three times (in 2002, 2003 and 2005, scoring in the penalty shootout in the final of the latter). Although injured for much of the 2005–06 season, he recovered in time to play in Arsenal's UEFA Champions League Final defeat to Barcelona at the end of the season. In total he made 228 first-team appearances for Arsenal, scoring 9 goals.

Cole had a very good season in 2004–05. He was a regular at left-back for both England and Arsenal despite Gaël Clichy's claim for a place in the first team squad. Cole scored his first goal of the season in the seventh game in a tough trip to Manchester City in which he scored the opening and only goal to give Arsenal an important win. He scored his second goal in a 3–1 away win to Aston Villa, scoring Arsenal's third in only the 28th minute. Cole, however, was also involved in a transfer saga with Chelsea. He was found guilty of making contact with league rivals Chelsea over a possible move, without informing Arsenal. He was fined £100,000 by the Premier League on 2 June 2005 for a tapping-up meeting at a hotel in January 2005. Cole, his agent Jonathan Barnett, the Chelsea manager José Mourinho and chief executive Peter Kenyon were present at the meeting. An appeal in August 2005 did not reject the guilty verdict, but his fine was reduced to £75,000. Chelsea were also fined £300,000 and Mourinho was fined £200,000, reduced on appeal in August 2005 to £75,000. Barnett's licence was suspended for 18 months and he was also fined £100,000.[4]

On 18 July 2005, Cole signed a one-year extension to his contract with Arsenal, but just a year later departed from the club in acrimonious circumstances. On 15 July 2006, Cole launched a verbal attack on Arsenal; in his autobiography, quoted in The Sun, he claimed that the Arsenal board had treated him as a "scapegoat" and that they had "fed him to the sharks" over the tapping-up affair while Arsenal, from their part, insisted that they were legally obliged to punish Cole for his illegal contact with Chelsea.[5] Cole was deliberately left out of Arsenal's 2006–07 team photograph,[6] fuelling press speculation that he would leave.

On 28 July 2006, Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein confirmed that Arsenal and Chelsea had been in "civil talks" about the player.[7] Chelsea insisted they would not raise their £16million bid for Cole, but Arsenal held out for at a higher valuation of £25 million.[8] Negotiations continued throughout August and looked to be heading for deadlock, but eventually Cole signed for Chelsea on 31 August for a fee of £5 million, with William Gallas being transferred from Chelsea to Arsenal as part of the same deal. The deal was closed after the transfer window had officially ended, and was not confirmed until an hour and a half after the deadline had passed.[9]

Chelsea

Cole before the match against Aston Villa.

Cole was given the number three shirt at Chelsea, and made his first appearance for the club as a substitute for Wayne Bridge in their 2–1 win over Charlton Athletic on 9 September. He issued a public statement concerning his transfer saying he "forgave" Arsenal for how he felt he was treated during his time there.[citation needed] Some Arsenal fans waved fake £20 notes with the player's face on them when Chelsea next met Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on 12 December.[10]

On 31 January 2007, Cole suffered a serious knee injury in the 3–0 victory over Blackburn Rovers in a Premier League game at Stamford Bridge, although after a scan it was revealed to be not as bad as first thought, with Chelsea optimistic that he would return before the end of the 2006–07 season.[11] Cole did indeed make a return at the end of the season, playing in the last twelve minutes of the 2007 FA Cup Final at the new Wembley Stadium against Manchester United. Chelsea emerged victorious 1–0 after extra-time with a goal scored by Didier Drogba, to win the 2007 FA Cup.[12]

Cole was reportedly one of the players upset when José Mourinho was relieved of his position as Chelsea manager. He was dropped in favour of Wayne Bridge for the 2008 League Cup final, which Chelsea lost 2–1 to Tottenham Hotspur. However, Cole scored his first Chelsea goal in Chelsea's very next game, on 1 March 2008, the fourth goal in a 4–0 away victory against West Ham United. On 19 March 2008, Cole was involved in a controversial incident in a Premier League game against Tottenham at White Hart Lane where he performed a high tackle on Tottenham's Alan Hutton. Referee Mike Riley gave Cole a yellow card, a decision which was judged as too lenient by some analysts.[13] Cole allegedly also "turned his back on the referee" and the episode renewed debate in the media over the game's rules on dissent towards officials.

In Chelsea's final league match of the 2008–09 season against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light, Cole scored his second Chelsea goal in the Blues' 3–2 win.[14] The following season, after starting Chelsea's first six games in the league, Cole scored his third, fourth and fifth Chelsea goals at home to Burnley, Tottenham and Sunderland respectively.[15] On 2 September 2009, he signed a new four-year deal which will contract him to Chelsea until 2013.[16]

On 10 February 2010, he suffered a fractured left ankle in the 2–1 defeat against Everton that kept him out of action for three months.[17] He eventually made his return against Stoke City F.C., a game which Chelsea won 7–0.[18]. Cole scored a goal against Wigan on the last day of the Premier League in an 8-0 win.

International career

Ashley Cole playing for England

Cole has played for England at youth and senior levels. He was capped for the England U-20 team at the 1999 FIFA World Youth Championship alongside Stuart Taylor, Peter Crouch, Andrew Johnson and Matthew Etherington. However, the team finished bottom of their group, suffering three defeats without scoring any goals. He also made four appearances for England under-21s, scoring once.

Cole made his senior England début against Albania, on 28 March 2001. He played for England at the 2002 World Cup and Euro 2004, and was named as one of four England players in the all-star squad for the latter tournament. Cole was also an ever-present for England in the 2006 World Cup; in their second round match against Ecuador he made a crucial block, deflecting Carlos Tenorio's shot onto the crossbar. The match ended with England winning 1–0, but England were knocked out on penalties by Portugal in the quarter-finals. By the end of 2008, Cole had achieved 68 caps for England, all of which were starting appearances.[19]

He made his 79th appearance for England on 12 June 2010 in the 1-1 draw against USA in the 2010 World Cup Group stage match. He beat the record of 79 caps by a black English international (John Barnes, who appeared for England from 1983 to 1995).[20] when he played against Algeria later that month.

Honours

Club

Arsenal

Premier League: 2001–02, 2003–04

FA Cup: 2002, 2003, 2005

Community Shield: 2002, 2004

Chelsea

Premier League: 2009–10

FA Cup: 2007, 2009, 2010

League Cup: 2007

Community Shield: 2009

International

England

FA Summer Tournament: 2004

Individual

PFA Team of the Year: 2002, 2004, 2005

UEFA Team of the Year: 2004

Chelsea Players' Player of the Year: 2008-09

Chelsea Goal of the Year: 2009-10

Personal life

Cole's father, Ron Callender, is from Barbados. He left the family after seven years of marriage[22] and later moved to Melbourne.[23] Ashley and his younger brother Matthew were brought up by their white mother Sue Cole.[24] Cole is a distant cousin of American singer Mariah Carey.[25]

He met Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Tweedy in September 2004; they married on 15 July 2006 in Wrotham Park, Hertfordshire.[26] In January 2008, the couple almost separated after allegations were made that Cole had had affairs with three other women. He, however, disputes the allegations and the couple stayed together.[27][28][29] It was announced on 23 February 2010 that the couple will separate following further allegations of adultery.[30] Three months later, it was announced that Cheryl was filing for divorce.They officaly divorced on 3rd September.[31]

In 2006, Cole sued the News of the World and The Sun newspapers for libel after they printed allegations that he was involved in a "homosexual orgy".[32] Both the News of the World and The Sun later retracted the allegations. That same year, Cole released an autobiography titled, My Defence, which sold 4,000 copies in the first six weeks of release.[33] Cole's former teammate, Jens Lehmann, criticised Cole for writing an autobiography when he was 25.[34]

Cole has had a couple of minor brushes with the police. On 4 March 2009 he was held after swearing in front of a police officer outside a South Kensington nightclub. He was taken to a police station and issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice before being released.[35] On 4 January 2010, Cole was convicted of a speeding offence committed on 17 November 2009. He was recorded exceeding the speed limit by doing 104 mph in a 50 mph zone on the A3 road in Kingston upon Thames, a residential stretch. His defence at Kingston Magistrates Court, opposing the charge in his absence, argued unsuccessfully that the police speed gun was faulty. Cole also claimed that his actions were excuseable because he was trying to evade the paparazzi.[36] On 29 January he was fined £1000 and disqualified from driving for four months.[37]

On 19 February 2010, burglars attempted to break into Cole's mansion in Godalming while he was at home. Police were called at about 4:30 a.m. but by the time they arrived the intruders had fled.[38]

2010-09-05T07:17:00.002+02:00

Glen McLeod Cooper Johnson (born 23 August 1984) is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool and the England national team as a right back or right wing-back. He is an attacking full-back who is comfortable on either flank and has on more than one occasion played as a right midfielder.

Club career

West Ham United

Born in Greenwich, London, Johnson was a product of the West Ham United system, becoming a 15 year-old first year scholar in 2000.[2] He signed a three-year professional contract for the Hammers on 1 August 2001 at the age of 16, and was given the number 23 shirt.[3][4][5] In the 2001–02 season, he made regular Reserves appearances for West Ham, but was unable to break into the first team.[6] He eventually signed an initial four-week loan deal with local rivals Millwall on 17 October 2002, making his Championship debut in an away loss against Norwich City on 19 October.[7][8] His loan was twice extended by a month, before he was recalled early to Upton Park after having spent seven weeks at The Den, his final appearance in a Millwall shirt coming in another away defeat to Crystal Palace on 7 November.[3][8][9] His Premiership and West Ham debut came on 22 January 2003 in another away defeat to a London club, this time against Charlton Athletic, when he came on for midfielder Édouard Cissé.[3][10][11] He made a total of 15 League appearances — and a solitary FA Cup appearance — in the 2002–03 season, becoming a more significant member of the West Ham side as the year went on.[3] He even signed a new four-year deal to remain in east London on 18 March 2003, appearing keen to help keep the club in the top flight.[4] However, his last outing in a Hammers shirt was to come on the final day of the season, 11 May 2003, in an away draw with Birmingham City — the must-win match which saw his club relegated to the First Division.[3][12]

Chelsea

Two months after West Ham United's relegation, Johnson joined London rivals Chelsea, signing on 15 July for a fee of £6 million.[13] The first purchase of the Abramovich era, he made his debut on 13 August in an away win against Žilina in the 2003–04 Champions League — and his first Chelsea goal came in the corresponding home leg two weeks later.[3][14] His league debut came on 17 August in a Anfield win against Liverpool, but he had to wait until 9 November for his first League goal, netting the opener of a 5–0 romp over Newcastle United.[3][15][16] He eventually made 63 appearances in all competitions over the 2003–04 and 2004–05 seasons.[3] In Chelsea's FA Cup fifth round clash against Newcastle United in the latter season, Blues' goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini was sent off late in the match for a tackle outside the box. Johnson went in goal (as Chelsea had used all three substitutions and couldn't call on Petr Čech from the bench) and saved the free-kick. He held on to keep a clean sheet. However a goal had already been scored by Newcastle and they held on to win 1–0 and knock Chelsea out of the cup. He picked up a winner's medal when he came on as a second half substitute for Chelsea in the 2005 Football League Cup Final, a game which Chelsea went on to win after extra time. He also made 17 appearances, enough for a medal, as Chelsea won the 2004–05 Premier League, but he was to miss out on a medal for their success in the next season after managing only 4 appearances in the league because of thigh injury..

As the 2005–06 season unfolded, Johnson was still only a squad player at Chelsea with Paulo Ferreira being the regular at right-back. Johnson made one appearance in the Premier League for Chelsea that season, starting the 4–0 win against West Bromwich Albion in place of Ferreira. Versatile squad player Geremi also provided extra competition for Johnson at right-back under José Mourinho. As a result, Johnson joined Portsmouth in a season long loan in June 2006. On his return to Chelsea, Johnson started the 2007 Community Shield and the opening Premier League game of the season at home to Birmingham City.

Portsmouth

Johnson playing for Portsmouth

On 31 August 2007, transfer deadline day, Johnson signed for Portsmouth on a four-year contract, for a fee believed to be £4 million.[17] He was handed a start in the first match after his transfer, a 3–1 defeat at Arsenal and became the club's regular right-back.

On 20 October, Johnson scored his first goal in over three years, against Wigan Athletic in a 2–0 win.[18] after dribbling from the halfway line.

He played in and won the 2008 FA Cup Final. Shortly after Johnson's cup success, he and many other Portsmouth players had their winner's medals stolen. On 22 November 2008, Johnson scored a 30-yard screamer with his left foot against Hull City, a goal which won Match of the Day's Goal of the Month award for November, and later won the Goal of the Season award.[19]

Johnson seemed to have ended speculation that he would move to Liverpool for a rumoured amount of £9 million by signing a four-and-a-half-year contract with Portsmouth on 9 January 2009, although speculation once again suggested that Johnson could make a big money move to Liverpool in the near future;[20] this was reaffirmed in late April 2009[21]

On 22 April 2009, at the age of 24, Johnson was the youngest member of Times Online's Top 50 Portsmouth players list.[22]

Johnson was included in the PFA team of the year for the 2008–09 season despite Portsmouth finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League, 7 points above the relegation zone.[23]

Liverpool

A Portsmouth representative confirmed on 13 June 2009 that a "sizeable bid" had been received for Johnson, with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City being mooted as possible suitors.[24][25]

On 16 June 2009, Portsmouth agreed a bid believed to be £18 million from Liverpool. However, two days later Portsmouth confirmed they had also accepted a bid from Chelsea and it was up to the player as to who he wanted to join. Liverpool were believed to have tabled the £10m bid on the basis that they were still owed £7m by Portsmouth from the purchase of Peter Crouch in the summer of 2008, with Liverpool willing to reduce the fee owed on signing Johnson.[26]

On 22 June 2009, Liverpool announced the transfer[27] and on 26 June 2009, Johnson signed a four-year contract.[28] He was officially unveiled on 9 July 2009. On 15 July 2009, he made his Liverpool debut in the pre-season match against St. Gallen which ended as a 0–0 draw and his home debut in a friendly against Atlético Madrid. Johnson made his Premier League debut on 16 August 2009 in a 2–1 defeat by Tottenham Hotspur. [29]

On his home league debut for Liverpool on 19 August 2009, Johnson put in a man-of-the-match performance against Stoke City scoring his first goal for the club while also getting an assist in a game where he caused countless problems for the opposition defence.[30] On 29 August, Johnson scored his second goal for Liverpool in a 3–2 win against Bolton Wanderers.[31]

On 30 December 2009, Johnson sustained a tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during a league fixture against Aston Villa, which Benitez said would keep him out of action for at least a month.[32] On his return from injury in March, Johnson returned to form, scoring his third goal for the club against Sunderland at Anfield. Johnson went on to make 8 more appearances for the rest of the season, including helping Liverpool reach the semi finals of the UEFA Europa League. Johnson played 35 times and scored 3 goals in his debut season with the reds.

International career

Johnson playing for England.

During his time with the England U21s, Johnson was handed his full England début on 18 November 2003 against Denmark, coming on as a substitute for the injured Gary Neville after 16 minutes.

Following a poor performance in England's friendly in Denmark in August 2005 he lost his position as Gary Neville's understudy in the squad to Luke Young, who played in both the subsequent World Cup qualifiers. Johnson did not make any further England appearances under Sven Goran Eriksson or his successor Steve McClaren but was named in Fabio Capello's first squad in January 2008. He played in the 2–0 victory over Andorra, and made four assists in the subsequent 6–0 victory against the same team for which he was named Nationwide Man of the Match.

During England's 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, he cemented his place as the squad's first choice right-back. Johnson scored his first goal for England in a friendly match against Mexico on 24 May 2010 at Wembley Stadium, which ended 3-1 to England.[33]

Community work

In 2007, Johnson set up the Glen Johnson Soccer School alongside Sam Taylor, a former player of West Ham United. The soccer school is based in Dartford, Kent, and its primary focus is training and development within local schools and one of his students is currently at West Ham United.[35]

Controversy

Johnson reportedly had several rifts with José Mourinho, most notably when he forgot his passport for the second leg of the Champions League match against Barcelona.[36] In an interview with Sky Sports' Soccer Saturday Programme, he claimed this story to be mis-reported. He claimed that Chelsea lost his own passport, rather than him mislaying it.

In January 2007, Glen Johnson received an £80 on-the-spot fine when he was caught with friend and fellow footballer Ben May allegedly attempting to steal a toilet seat and other bathroom fittings from a B&Q Warehouse store in Dartford, Kent.[37] In the same Sky Sports interview, he claimed that he and his friend were not trying to steal the toilet seat, but rather they had been undercharged by a mere four pounds and security deemed this to be theft. Instead of taking the matter to court, he claimed that it would be easier to just accept the small fine rather than fight out the matter.

Honours

Chelsea

FA Premier League: 1

2004–05

League Cup: 1

2005

Portsmouth

FA Cup: 1

2008

Barclays Asia Trophy: 1

2007

Individual honours

Match of the Day Goal of the Season-(Portsmouth v Hull City)

PFA Premier League Team of the Year- 2008–09

Portsmouth Fc Goal Of The Season Vs Hull City- 2008–09

Portsmouth Fc Player Of The Season- 2008–2009

Portsmouth News Player Of The Season- 2008–09

Nuts Magazine Goal Of The Season 2008–09

2010-09-05T07:14:00.001+02:00

Charles Joseph John "Joe" Hart[2] (born 19 April 1987) is an English football goalkeeper who plays for English Premier League club Manchester City and the England national football team and was a regular for the England Under-21's team.

Having made his competitive international debut in September 2010, Hart is seen as the next England number 1 goalkeeper by many fans[3] and media alike.[4][5] He was nominated for the PFA Young Player of the Year in 2010 but lost out to eventual new team-mate at Manchester City, James Milner and is regarded as one of the best young goalkeepers in the world[6] whilst being praised by World Cup winning goalkeepers Gianluigi Buffon.[7]

Club career

Shrewsbury Town

Hart was born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, and attended Oxon Primary School, followed by Meole Brace School Science College in Shrewsbury, where he was Head Boy in his final year.[8] Whilst he was still a Year 11 pupil at the school, he travelled with the first team squad of his hometown club, Shrewsbury Town, to Exeter City on 1 February 2003. He was a non-playing substitute on that occasion and fulfilled that role again versus Rochdale at Gay Meadow on 1 March 2003, still some six weeks short of his 16th birthday. This match yielded Shrewsbury's final victory in a season that culminated in relegation to the Conference. During the one season that Shrewsbury spent in the Conference, Hart made his senior debut on 20 April 2004, a day after his 17th birthday. He played the full 90 minutes in the match against Gravesend & Northfleet. Four days later, he conceded three at Morecambe.

Hart did not play again until April of the following year, as Scott Howie dominated goalkeeping duties. With Shrewsbury back in the Football League (the newly-renamed League Two) and struggling, Hart played six matches and conceded four goals.

From the start of the 2005–06 season, Hart made the step up into the first team, and became the club's first choice goalkeeper, claiming the number 1 shirt. He played a full 46 match league season, conceding 55 goals. Despite conceding more than one goal per game, Hart won plaudits for his personal performances, winning his first England U-19 cap in October 2005, as a substitute against Poland.

Hart also found admirers in the Premiership, with several top-flight scouts attending matches. On 30 November 2005, the Shropshire Star newspaper reported that Everton goalkeeping coach Chris Woods had been present at Town's previous league match, a 4–3 loss at Rochdale. Shrewsbury boss Gary Peters said "Everton have been to watch him, but you could say the same about Arsenal, Chelsea and every other team in the Premiership". Speculation about his future continued for the duration of the season, and with the presence of their goalkeeping coach Tim Flowers at several matches, Manchester City became the most likely of his suitors.

On 7 February 2006, Hart was announced as the top League Two player in the PFA Fans' Player of the Month Awards for January 2006.[9] Football fans voted him as the best player in the division via the PFA's website. At the PFA Awards ceremony on 23 March 2006, it was announced that Hart had been voted as League Two's best goalkeeper for 2005–06 by his fellow professionals, earning him a place in the PFA League Two Team of the Year.[10]

Hart in November 2008

Manchester City

With Hart in Belgium preparing to make his fifth appearance for the England U19 squad, in the Elite qualifying round for the 2006 UEFA U-19 Championship,[11] it was announced that his move to Manchester City had been completed.[12] England lost the match to Serbia and Montenegro and failed to qualify.

On 22 May 2006, City paid an initial £600,000 for Hart, for a maximum of £1,500,000 based on the number of matches he plays.

Hart made his debut for City on 14 October 2006 after injuries ruled out Andreas Isaksson and Nicky Weaver for the Premier League match against Sheffield United. He kept a clean sheet in the match, which finished goalless.

Loaned to Tranmere Rovers and then Blackpool

Hart spent the whole month of January 2007 on loan to League One club Tranmere Rovers. He made 6 appearances and conceded 8 goals. He was then named in his then-club manager Stuart Pearce's first squad in his part-time role as England U21 coach, alongside another goalkeeper uncapped at U21 level, Ben Alnwick. He was not chosen to start the match on 6 February 2007 against Spain, but did come on as a substitute late in the game.

In April 2007, Hart joined Blackpool on loan as cover for the injured trio of Rhys Evans, Paul Rachubka and Lewis Edge. He kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 win for Blackpool at Huddersfield Town on 9 April 2007, in his first game for the Seasiders.[13] Blackpool won all five games in which Hart appeared, including a 6–3 win at Swansea City in his final game,[14] and he helped them claim a place in the end-of-season play-offs, via which they won promotion.

Return to Manchester City

On his return from a successful loan spell at Blackpool, former Manchester City manager, Sven-Göran Eriksson, named Hart as Manchester City's number 1 ahead of Andreas Isaksson. After his performance against Newcastle United, Eriksson touted him as "one of the biggest talents in this country as a goalkeeper", and that he had the potential to become an England international in the future.[15] Only months later, he made his England debut against Trinidad & Tobago on 1 June 2008. In October, he was inducted to Shropshire Schools & Colleges Football Association’s Hall of Fame along with good friend and former teammate David Edwards in recognition of their achievements.[16] Later that month, he signed a new five-year contract.[17]

After Isaksson's departure to PSV Eindhoven, Hart took the vacant number 1 jersey when the official squad numbers for the 2008–09 season were announced. However, his position as first-choice keeper was taken by Shay Given upon the Irishman's arrival at the club in January 2009.

Birmingham City

Hart in May 2010

Having played no games for City since Given's arrival, rumours began to emerge of a loan move away from Manchester.[18] City secured the transfer of Stuart Taylor from Aston Villa on 23 June 2009,[19] paving the way for Hart to leave. Manager Mark Hughes had been undecided about allowing the player to go out on loan as he was unwilling to sanction a permanent transfer.[citation needed] The following day it was announced that Hart would spend the 2009–10 Premier League season on loan to newly-promoted Birmingham City.[20] He made his debut in Birmingham's opening match of the season, a 1–0 defeat away to Manchester United.[21] In the early part of the season, Hart made errors which cost his side goals, and Maik Taylor's clean sheet against Manchester City, a match for which Hart was ineligible, left manager Alex McLeish with a selection dilemma.[22] McLeish chose Hart, who kept his place in the starting eleven as Birmingham went on a club-record 12-match unbeaten run in the top division[23] and set a Premier League record by fielding the same starting eleven for nine consecutive games.[24] His performances improved:[25] against Chelsea in December, he "showed not only sharp judgment and reflexes, making three outstanding saves ... but a lack of fear also", despite needing staples in a gashed head sustained when diving at the feet of Salomon Kalou.[26] Hart was voted Birmingham City's Player of the Year for 2009–10,[27] and nominated for the 2010 PFA Young Player of the Year award alongside Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fàbregas and James Milner.[28] Though Milner won that award, Hart earned a place in the PFA Team of the Year.[29]

Return to Manchester City

After a successful spell at Birmingham City which earned him a place in the England squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, Hart was chosen ahead of Shay Given to start the opening game of the 2010–11 season against Tottenham Hotspur. He produced a man-of-the-match performance, saving numerous challenging shots including a deflected effort from Benoît Assou-Ekotto, which helped City to draw the game 0-0[30]. Hart also kept a clean sheet in Manchester City's 3-0 victory over Liverpool, where he was still first choice goalkeeper and made even more good saves, enhancing his reputation even further. Hart conceded his first goal of the season from a late penalty by Darren Bent to seal a 1-0 win for Sunderland.

International career

Under-21

Hart was selected by Stuart Pearce in the preliminary England Under-21 30-man squad for Euro 2007, and later made the final 23. In the team's final friendly before the finals, Hart was selected for his first Under-21 start, and played the full 90 minutes in a 5–0 win over Slovakia at Carrow Road. However, Hart took no part in the finals, with Scott Carson playing in all of England's four fixtures.

Hart was recalled to the U21s and was first choice at the Euro 2009 finals. He started in the first two group stage matches and was rested for the last match as England had already sealed its passage to the knock-out stage. In the semifinal against Sweden, he conceded three goals in the second half as the match ended 3–3 after extra time but he made up for it by saving a penalty and scoring another as England won 5–4 on penalties. However he was suspended for the final[31] after being controversially yellow-carded for leaving his line to talk to Mikael Lustig as the Swede stepped up to take the penalty.[32]

Senior team

Having been a regular in the England U21 squad, Hart was called up by Fabio Capello to the full England squad for the friendly matches against USA and Trinidad & Tobago. An unused substitute against USA, he made his debut against Trinidad & Tobago, on 1 June 2008 at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Port of Spain. He came on at half time for David James with England 2–0 up, eventually running out 3–0 winners.[33] However, Hart's senior England debut did not earn Shrewsbury Town the expected bonus of £500,000 from Manchester City, as negotiated at part of his transfer in 2006, because it was not a competitive match.[34]

Hart received a second call-up by Fabio Capello to face Czech Republic on 20 August 2008, but was not brought on. Hart was called up to the next England squad due to a drop-out from Blackburn Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson.[35] On 8 November 2009, he was called up for a friendly against Brazil.[36]

Capello named Hart in his provisional 30-man squad for the 2010 World Cup.[37] Hart played the second half of both of England's warm-up games, replacing Robert Green against Mexico and James against Japan, and kept a clean sheet in each case.[38][39] All three goalkeepers, Hart, Green and James, were included in the final 23-man selection.[40]

Hart did not feature in the World Cup but started England's next match, a friendly against Hungary, to earn his fourth cap. He conceded his first England goal in dubious circumstances when the ball appeared not to have crossed the line from a deflection from Phil Jagielka, and made a vital late save from Zoltan Gera as England won 2-1.[41] Hart is currently considered England's number one keeper after Robert Green's blunder at the World Cup, David James' drop in form after moving to Npower Championship side Bristol City and Paul Robinson's international retirement.[42] Hart was given his first competitive cap in a Euro 2012 Qualifier, a 4-0 win v Bulgaria at Wembley, making three crucial saves, one of which he palmed away and set up a counter attack for an England goal. It is now believed by many that he will be Englands number 1 for a long time to come.

2010-09-05T07:03:00.002+02:00

Pablo César Aimar Giordano (born 3 November 1979 in Río Cuarto, Córdoba) is an Argentine professional footballer who currently plays for Sport Lisboa e Benfica in the Portuguese first division.

An attacking midfielder with a vast array of skills,[1] he also holds a Spanish passport.[2]

Club career

Aimar began his ascent to stardom with Club Atlético River Plate, whose first team he joined for the 1997–98 season, after rejecting a place at medical school, and with whom he quickly established himself as one of the best young players in Argentina.

Valencia CF of Spain signed Aimar in January 2001, at a price of €24 million. The purchase proved justified, as Aimar helped lead the team to a first-place finish in 2001–02 (with 33 matches and four goals), as well as to a runners-up finish in the previous seasons's UEFA Champions League, being defeated by FC Bayern Munich. Aimar also won the 2004 UEFA Cup, appearing in eight (scoreless) matches during the campaign; this included the final against Olympique de Marseille, where he replaced Francisco Rufete with 30 minutes to go.

On 12 April 2006, Aimar was hospitalized after being diagnosed with acute viral meningitis,[3] but made a quick recovery and returned to play for his team. During his career with the Che, he was also often troubled with injuries.[4][5][6]

During the summer of 2006, Aimar joined fellow first divisioner Real Zaragoza for €12 million.[7] The Aragonese side relegated at the end of 2007–08, with the playmaker appearing in 22 scoreless matches, while also often hindered with injuries;[8] during that campaign, he teamed up with former Valencia teammate Roberto Ayala.

On 17 July 2008, after a period of intense negotiations, Aimar signed a four-year contract with Portuguese side S.L. Benfica for a fee of €6.5 million.[9] After a difficult first half of the season, he managed to defeat his constant injuries and finished it in good shape.

In 2009–10, Aimar was in better physical conditions, and displayed a good offensive chemistry with countryman Javier Saviola, newly signed, as Benfica had the best offensive record of the competition.

International career

Aimar first represented Argentina at youth levels. Along with future senior team stars Esteban Cambiasso and Juan Román Riquelme, he won the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship, and went on to gain over 50 full caps since his debut in 1999.[10] He played in the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups.

In the 2002 World Cup, for which he was picked ahead of Riquelme, he appeared against England, subbing in for Juan Sebastián Verón in the 0–1 loss, which led coach Marcelo Bielsa to start him against Sweden, at the latter's expense.

Aimar scored the last goal of the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, during Argentina's 4–1 loss in the final to champions Brazil, also appearing with the national side in the 2007 Copa América (losing in the final to the same team, this time 0–3).

After several months in the sidelines, Aimar received another international callup in October 2009, for decisive 2010 World Cup qualifiers against Peru and Uruguay. In the match against the former, he repaid the faith placed in him by coach Diego Maradona, assisting Gonzalo Higuaín for Argentina's opener, with a sublime through ball, in an eventual 2–1 win.

2010-09-05T07:01:00.002+02:00

Gabriel Omar Batistuta (born 1 February 1969), nicknamed Batigol, is a former professional footballer. The prolific Argentine striker played most of his club football at Fiorentina in Italy, and he is the ninth top scorer of all time in the Italian Serie A league, with 184 goals in 318 matches. On the international level, he is Argentina's all-time leading goal scorer, with 56 goals in 78 national team matches, and he represented his country at three World Cups. In 2004, he was named in the FIFA 100 list of the "125 Greatest Living Footballers".

When his club Fiorentina was relegated to Serie B in 1993, Batistuta stayed with the club and helped it return to the top-flight league a year later. A popular sporting figure in Florence, the Fiorentina fans erected a life-size bronze statue of him in 1996, in recognition of his performances for Fiorentina.[1] He never won the Italian league with Fiorentina, but when he moved to Roma in 2000, he finally won the Serie A championship to crown his career in Italy. He played his last professional season in Qatar with Al-Arabi before he retired in 2005.

Biography

Batistuta was born on 1 February 1969, to slaughterhouse worker Omar Batistuta and school secretary Gloria Batistuta, in the town of Avellaneda, province of Santa Fe, Argentina, but grew up in the near city of Reconquista. He has three younger sisters, named Elisa, Alejandra, and Gabriela.

At the age of 16, he met Irina Fernández, his future wife, at her quinceañera, a rite of passage on her 15th birthday. She is reported to have ignored him but five years later, on 28 December 1990, they were married at Saint Roque Church. The couple moved to Florence, Italy, in 1991, and a year later their first son, Thiago, was born. Thanks to good performances in the Italian championship and with the Argentine national team, Batistuta gained fame and respect. He filmed several commercials and was invited onto numerous TV shows, but in spite of this, Batistuta always remained a low-profile family man.

In 1996, during Fiorentina's 2-1 victory at Milan, he celebrated scoring the match's decisive goal by saying Te amo, Irina ('I love you, Irina', to his wife) for the cameras. The mix of sex appeal and faithfulness cemented Batistuta's heart-throb reputation among Argentine and Italian women. In 1997, Batistuta's second son, Lucas, was born, and a third son, Joaquín, followed in 1999. He now has a fourth son Shamel. In 2000, Batistuta and his family moved to Rome, where he played for Roma. Two years after Shamel was born, Batistuta was loaned to Inter. In 2002, after more than 10 years in Italy, the family moved to Qatar where Batistuta had accepted a lucrative celebrity playing contract with a local team, Al-Arabi.

Batistuta ended his career at Al-Arabi, retiring in March 2005, after a series of injuries that prevented him from playing. Soon afterwards he moved to Perth, Australia. In April 2006, the city's established A-league franchise, Perth Glory was put up for sale however Batistuta was not interested in the purchase seeing no real potential in the club.[2]

Club career

Early career

As a child, Batistuta preferred other sports to football. Because of his height he played basketball, but after Argentina's victory in the 1978 FIFA World Cup, in which he was particularly impressed by the skills of Mario Kempes, he devoted himself to football. After playing with friends on the streets and in the small Grupo Alegria club, he joined the local Platense junior team. While with Platense he was selected for the Reconquista team that won the provincial championship by beating Newell's Old Boys from Rosario. His 2 goals drew the attention of the opposition team, and he signed for them in 1988.

Newell's Old Boys

Batistuta signed professional forms with Newell's Old Boys, whose coach was Marcelo Bielsa, who would later become Batistuta's coach with the Argentine national team. Things did not come easily for Batistuta during his first year with the club. He was away from home, his family, and his girlfriend Irina, sleeping in a room at the stadium, and had a weight problem that slowed him down. At the end of that year he was loaned to a smaller team, Deportivo Italiano, of Buenos Aires, with whom he participated in the Carnevale Cup in Italy, ending as top scorer with 3 goals.

River Plate

In mid-1989, Batistuta made the leap to one of Argentina's biggest clubs, River Plate, where he scored 17 goals. However, all did not run smoothly. He had numerous run-ins with coach Daniel Passarella (with whom he had later confrontations on the national squad) and he was dropped from the squad in the middle of the season.

Boca Juniors

In 1990, Batistuta signed for River's arch-rivals, Boca Juniors. Having gone so long without playing, he initially found it hard to find his best form. However, at the beginning of 1991 Oscar Tabárez became Boca's coach, and he gave Batistuta the support and confidence to become the league's top scorer that season as Boca won the championship.

Fiorentina

While playing for Argentina in the 1991 Copa América, the vice-president of Fiorentina was impressed by Batistuta's skills and signed him for the Italian club. He had a fine start in Serie A, scoring 13 goals in his debut season. However, the following season (Serie A 1992-93) Fiorentina lost in the relegation battle and were demoted to the Serie B division, despite Batistuta's 16 season goals. The club returned to Serie A after one season in Serie B, with the contribution of 16 goals from Batistuta and the management of Claudio Ranieri.

At Fiorentina, Batistuta found his best form. He was the top scorer of the 1994-95 season with 26 goals, and he broke Ezio Pascutti's 30-year-old record by scoring in all of the first 11 matches of the season. In the 1995-96 season Fiorentina won the Italian Cup and Super Coppa.

After failure to win the Italian championship with Fiorentina, Batistuta started considering a transfer to a bigger team. In an effort to keep Batistuta, Fiorentina hired Giovanni Trapattoni as coach and promised to do everything to win the Scudetto. After an excellent start to the season, Batistuta suffered an injury that kept him out of action for more than a month. Losing momentum, Fiorentina lost the lead and finished the season in third place, which gave them the chance to participate in the Champions League in the following season.

Scudetto with Roma

Batistuta stayed at Fiorentina for the 1999-00 season, tempted by the chance of winning both the Scudetto and the Champions League. After a promising start in both competitions, the team only reached seventh in the league and were eliminated in the second round group phase of the European tournament. The following season, he was transferred to Roma in a deal worth 70 billion Italian lire[3] and signed a 3-year contract, which earned 14.8 billion Italian lire per year before tax.[4]

Although a knee injury restricted his number of appearances, he scored 20 goals for Roma in his first season. He finally realized his dream of winning a major trophy as Roma clinched the Scudetto for the first time since 1983. The following season with Roma, he changed his shirt number from 18 to 20 in reference to the number of goals he had scored during the Scudetto winning campaign. He also wore his age on the back of his Roma jersey in 2002, number 33.

Late career

Batistuta failed to find form with Roma and was loaned out to Internazionale; however, he failed to make an impression scoring only 2 goals in 12 matches and departed for Qatari team Al-Arabi on a free transfer. In Qatar, he broke the record for most goals scored that was held by Qatari Legend Mansour Mouftah by scoring 24 goals. He scored more goals for the club than the number of games he played. He was awarded for being the top scorer in all Arab leagues in 2004 with a Golden Boot.[citation needed]

International career

In 1991, Batistuta was selected to play for Argentina in the Copa América held in Chile, where he finished the tournament as top scorer with six goals as Argentina romped to victory.

In 1993, Batistuta played in his second Copa América, this time held in Ecuador, which Argentina again won. The 1994 World Cup, held in USA, was a disappointment: after a promising start Argentina were beaten by Romania in the last 16. The morale of the team was seriously affected by Diego Maradona's doping suspension. Despite the disappointing Argentine exit, Batistuta scored four goals in as many games, including a hat-trick in their opening game against Greece.

During the qualification matches for the 1998 World Cup (with former River Plate manager Daniel Passarella) Batistuta was left out of the majority of the games after falling out with the coach over team rules. The two eventually put the dispute aside and Batistuta was recalled for the tournament. In the game against Jamaica, he recorded the second hat trick of his World Cup career, becoming the 4th player to achieve this (the others were Sándor Kocsis, Just Fontaine, and Gerd Müller) and the first to score a hat trick in 2 World Cups. Unfortunately, Argentina were knocked out of the World Cup the Netherlands courtesy of a last-minute Dennis Bergkamp winner after the two sides had held out for a 1-1 draw for almost the entire match.

After a good series of performances by Argentina in the qualification matches for the 2002 World Cup, hopes were high that the South Americans - now managed by Marcelo Bielsa - could win the trophy, and Batistuta announced that he planned to quit the national team at the end of the tournament, which Argentina aimed to win. But Argentina's "group of death" saw the team fall at the first hurdle, only managing a victory against Nigeria. They later fell to England 1-0 and managed a mere 1-1 tie against Sweden. This meant that the team was knocked out in the opening round for the first time since 1962.

Personal

Batistuta retired in 2005 and moved to Perth, Australia, but has since moved back to Argentina. Despite having completed his coaching badges in Argentina, he currently has no involvement with football (instead he prefers to play polo and golf). He expressed an interest in coaching Australia's national team and Argentina's team.[5] During the 2006 FIFA World Cup he worked as a commentator for Televisa Deportes. Batistuta currently runs his own construction company in Argentina.

Honours

Club

Boca Juniors

Primera División: 1990-91 (Clausura)

Fiorentina

Serie B: 1993-94

Coppa Italia: 1995-96

Supercoppa Italiana: 1996

Roma

Serie A: 2000-01

Supercoppa Italiana: 2001

National team

Argentina

Copa América: 1991, 1993

FIFA Confederations Cup: 1992

Individual

Copa América Top Scorer: 1991

Serie A Top Scorer: 1995

Qatari League Topscorer: 2004

Arab Leagues Golden Shoe: 2004

Argentine Player of the Year: 1998

Fiorentina all-time Top Scorer

Argentina all-time Top Scorer

FIFA 100

2010-09-05T06:59:00.002+02:00

Juan Pablo Sorín (born May 5, 1976) is a former Argentine footballer. He was born in Buenos Aires. He is a much-travelled player, having spent time in Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Italy, France and Germany. He was captain of the Argentine team in the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

He is a versatile left wing-back who can play anywhere on the left wing. He has an eccentric style of play and, despite being played in defensive roles, is often found up front attacking, using his technical and heading skill to great effect.

Sorin's extremely long-hair made him stand out on the pitch, as well as his aggressive heading ability.

Career

Juampi, as he is known in Argentina, began his career playing in the lower-reaches of the Argentine league for Argentinos Juniors, a Buenos Aires football club. He broke into the first team in 1994 and in 1995–96 after he captained the Argentina Under-20 Side who won the 1995 FIFA World Youth Championship played in Qatar he was bought by Juventus of Italy but he did not fit in an already established first team so soon returned to Argentina.

Sorín played for River Plate in the second half of 1996, and revived his career, winning three Apertura championships (1996, 1997 and 1999), one Clausura championship (1997), one Copa Libertadores de América in 1996 and a Supercopa Sudamericana in 1997.

Cruzeiro & Europe Loans

He was transferred to Cruzeiro of Brazil in 2000. He played for two and a half seasons, winning the 2000 Copa do Brasil and becoming one of the most cherished players by the fans up to this day.

After the 2002 Copa do Brasil, in July 2002 he signed for S.S. Lazio.

After an injury filled a half season at Lazio in Italy, Sorin was acquired by FC Barcelona, occupied the non-EU quota along with Juan Román Riquelme and Roberto Bonano. He made his Spanish League debut on February 9, 2003. The match was between Barcelona and Athletic de Bilbao and ended 2-2.

After a successful half a season he left the Nou Camp in the summer of 2003 and moved to France to play for Paris Saint-Germain, where he won the Coupe de France.

Sorín returned to Cruzeiro in 2004, played at 2004 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.

Villarreal

In November 2004 Sorin transferred to Villarreal of Spain on free transfer.[1] Sorín enjoyed a good deal of success with Villarreal, helping them reach the semi-finals of the Champions League where they were beaten by Arsenal of England.

Hamburg

Sorín was reportedly the subject of interest from English Premiership sides Portsmouth, Bolton Wanderers and Newcastle United during the summer of 2006, but ended up signing for Hamburger SV.[2] After two years with the German club and only 24 appearances because of injury, Sorín left when his contract expired on July 15, 2008.[3]

Return to Cruzeiro

Sorín returned again to Cruzeiro on August 29, 2008. He signed a contract until the end of season, with the option to renew for two more years..[4]

After another injury-riddled year with Cruzeiro, he announced his retirement on July 28, 2009.[5]

He played his only match at national league since his return on 14 June 2009.

International career

Sorín was part of the Argentine squad in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan.[6] The team played three matches against Nigeria, England and Sweden. However the team failed badly, failing to reach the second round of the tournament.

The Argentine squad was then rebuilt by José Pekerman and Sorín was made captain of his country for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Sorín played an important role in the World Cup for Argentina as an effective attacking full back. Argentina qualified for the second round after taking care of Côte d'Ivoire (2-1) and crushing Serbia & Montenegro 6-0. After defeating Mexico in extra time, Argentina went on to the quarter-finals where they lost to hosts Germany on a penalty-shoot out.

Personal life

Sorín has written a book called Grandes Chicos ("Big Kids" or "Big Little People") to raise funds for the building of a school and a children's hospital in Argentina.[7] He is of Jewish ethnicity.[8] He currently lives in Brazil.