Chris Kirkland

Chris Kirkland (2007)

Edmund Christopher Kirkland (born 2 May 1981 in Barwell ) is an English footballer. He plays the position of goalkeeper for the English Football League Championship club Sheffield Wednesday and denied on August 16, 2006, his first and only match for the England football team.

Career

Kirkland began his career with the modern English third division side Coventry City, where he rose to the professional team in 1999. In the 2000 /01 season he moved by good performances in 24 games increasingly in the public eye. End of August 2001, on the last day of the transfer window, changed the sought-after young goalkeeper for the equivalent of 8.94 million euros for the top English club Liverpool FC, where he became the shirt number 22 wore. At first he was behind Jerzy Dudek substitute keeper before he made ​​his debut for Liverpool in the English League Cup in a 1-2 defeat against the then second division side Grimsby Town. On 20 February 2002 Kirkland benefited from an injury Dudek, so he made ​​his international debut in the Champions League match against Galatasaray. In this game, he managed to not concede to collect ( Full 0-0). Just three days later he came to his Premier League debut in, of Liverpool derby against Everton, which ended 1-1. Once again, three days later, on 26 February, it came in Istanbul Ali Sami Yen Stadium for the second leg between Liverpool and Galatasaray in the Kirkland completed his third game in series for Liverpool. By a 1-1 pushed the Reds in the next round.

In November of the 2002/ 03 Kirkland benefited from a form of weakness Dudek, so he and February 2003 in 15 games for Liverpool denied by November 2002, including 4 League Cup matches, two FA Cup matches and one UEFA Cup match. After he was injured and fell for several months. During this time, Dudek had freed from his dip in form and repressed Kirkland again from the position of the root goalkeeper.

A year later, in the season 2003/ 04, graduated from the talented goalkeeper 12 games for the Reds in which he could not completely convince. Then he just came at Liverpool to brief appearances.

In August 2005, Kirkland was loaned to league rivals West Bromwich Albion. He stood there until January 2006, almost continuously in the gate, before it failed by a new injury to the end of the season. As in May 2006 decency to return to Liverpool, he was awarded the Premier League rivals Wigan Athletic. Here he finally took hold and played in the first round 2006/ 07 of 20 games. In January 2007, Wigan drew his option to purchase Kirkland.

Since 2003 Kirkland has been regularly nominated for the squad the England team as third goalkeeper, but he had to wait until August 16, 2006 on his first international match. In the 4-0 victory for the British against Greece Kirkland was substituted at half time for Paul Robinson.

Curiosities

Kirkland was struck in October 2012 in a league game against Leeds stormed the square from a rival fan with a punch. After a rest period he was able to continue the game.