Graeme Le Saux

Graeme Le Saux Pierre ( born October 17, 1968 in Harrow, London ) is a former English footballer with French roots. As -tackling, takes up more quickly and aggressively oriented left-back who could also be used in the left side of midfield and as a winger, 1995 won the 36- times English national player with Blackburn Rovers, the Premier League and three years later with Chelsea the European Cup Winners' Cup ( in which he missed due to injury, however ). In the 1998 World Cup in France, he came in all four games to Achtelfinalaus against Argentina used.

Sports career

Club career

Chelsea, Part 1 (1987-1993)

Born in London Borough of Harrow Le Saux spent most of his youth in the Channel Islands in Jersey - the French last name was inherited from him a native of Brittany, great-great grandfather, had ended up in 1875 to Jersey. When resident in Jersey St. Paul's, he gained his first experience in organized football and in December 1987 he moved to Chelsea. The principal reason for this was Chelsea's former coach John Hollins was that Le Saux had discovered during a tournament on the island.

His first professional league La Saux use but only came on the final day of the 1988/89 season under Hollins ' successor Bobby Campbell by Substitutes for Steve Clarke. After this sporty little important game against Portsmouth FC - Chelsea's emergence as second division champions at that time had already been - and seven Erstligaauftritten the following season 1989/90 he worked in the season 1990/91 a regular place in the team. He began mostly in the left side of midfield, but was also used regularly on the opposite side. He attracted special attention in the League Cup quarter-final against Tottenham Hotspur, as he often brought the veteran national player Terry Fenwick with his speed in embarrassment. To this end, he scored against Aston Villa 's 1-0 winning goal and the 3-3 against Luton Town, he scored after interim 0-3 down the first hit to regain lost ground, but was then placed in the same game for a rematch challenge from the square.

At the beginning of the 1992/93 season lacked Le Saux with an ankle injury until mid-October in 1992 and Chelsea since 1991 active head coach Ian Porterfield was subsequently dissatisfied with its offensive qualities. Le Saux, who increasingly form weakly showed up and especially the " face-off at the top" problems and a certain inexperience revealed, has now been replaced more often and than on Boxing Day 1992 happened again against Southampton FC, he showed openly his frustration by threw his jersey on the ground and a duel of words made ​​with Porterfield. After an internal association cutoff of a game Le Saux then returned back into the team while back, but the signs were on leave, and so he joined in March 1993 for £ 700,000 to Blackburn Rovers.

Blackburn Rovers (1993-1997)

Given his reputation as a relatively great talent in English football surprised the small transfer fee in the amount of 700,000 pounds, notwithstanding that to the ( little known ) striker Steve Livingstone moved in the opposite direction from Blackburn to Chelsea. Le Saux took over from the injured Alan Wright immediately the position of left-back and quickly convinced with good positional play, duel strength, speed and precise edges - making it catapulted Also within a year in the English national team. He was an integral part of the team that in 1995 won the English championship. He scored three goals, including the turn of two free-kick against Manchester City and West Ham United, and in the end he was elected to the Premier League Team of the Year ( "PFA Team of the Year ").

After the great success of the subsequent 1995/96 season came for Le Saux to disaster. She began with a ligament injury in September 1995, which put him out of action for a month. Shortly after his return he streitete in the Champions League against Spartak Moscow openly with his teammate David Batty, before he got stuck in mid-October 1995 to the Middlesbrough FC during a rotational movement in the lawn and there were, the right ankle and fibula broke; to torn ligaments in the foot. The season was so terminated prematurely for him and also at the Euro 1996 in their own country, he was unable to attend.

Le Saux celebrated end of October 1996 his comeback and became surprisingly fast back his old form (and its place in the national team). Given the sporting downtrend that verschlug Blackburn Rovers in the lower half of the table, he showed himself, however, increasingly dissatisfied and in consequence he was even temporarily suspended from the team. Although he pointed end of the season once again performs well on the left of defense or midfield, but in August 1997, he took the opportunity to return to Chelsea. The "Blues " used for five million pounds and sat there, according to press reports against prominent competitors - including Arsenal, Juventus and FC Barcelona - by.

Chelsea FC, part 2 (1997-2003)

For Chelsea to Celestine Babayaro had broken his leg four days before Le Sauxs commitment, with the previous sale of Scott Minto at Benfica was in the team of Ruud Gullit is a lack of left offensive wingbacks. Quickly the new addition added in old surroundings and after his first league goal in September 1997 at Crystal Palace ( 3-0) and successful World Cup qualifier with England as a regular player made ​​a elbow injury for a half -month interlude. At the end of the season 1997/98 he was elected for the second time in his career in the Erstligamannschaft of the year and with the domestic League Cup, he won the first trophy with Chelsea. To this end, he contributed significantly to winning the European Cup Winners' Cup, but missed due to recurring calf problem in the final against VfB Stuttgart ( 1-0).

The season 1998/99 was for Le Laux marked by ups and downs. Had been made shortly after a heavy tackle on him in the game against Arsenal, for the Lee Dixon from the place he got himself in the match against the former club from Blackburn red card that drew a suspension for three matches after themselves. Added to this was a personal feud with Robbie Fowler of Liverpool, who provoked him in March 1999 with obscene gestures and an alleged homosexuality Le Sauxs - although married and a family man - alluding. From a sporting point he made on the left side with Babayaro an effective duo and he prepared the 1-0 winning goal by Gustavo Poyet against Leeds United, which won the Champions League qualification, by flank. Due to a severe ankle injury was Le Saux in the season 1999/2000, only ten times in the starting lineup and although he could be represented by Babayaro and Jon Harley, were his qualities in the meanwhile, coached by Gianluca Vialli team missing. Nevertheless, the Blues had to win without him being able the FA Cup after a 1-0 final win against Aston Villa.

After these personal disappointments, including the second missed the European Championship finals tournament, he returned under new coach Claudio Ranieri Chelsea as a replacement captain in the team back. When 3:3 against the reigning champions Manchester United at Old Trafford, he prepared all the hits and shortly before the end he saved his team on the goal line own the draw. Attended shortly after a red card against Sunderland and Achilles tendon problems, thereby classifying in Chelsea anyway long injury list and the turn was decisive for the comparatively weak sixth final table space for the next few setbacks. After his return he was again on his place in the team. Although this case kept Babayaro left-back busy, but in the left midfield Le Saux was able to oust the Dutch Boudewijn Zenden. During the absence of Marcel Desailly, he led the Blues to the captain before Le Saux / 02 injury plagued even the end of the 2001 season, he was then treated in Germany. In his final season in 2002/ 03 for Chelsea Le Saux acted in various positions and in addition to the traditional left-back and central field operations, he also appeared on the right side or just behind the strikers on. As Chelsea then was taken over by Roman Abramovich, Le Saux played in the new concept any more, and in July 2003 he was replaced by Wayne Bridge from Southampton FC role, with Chelsea also still paid seven million pounds.

Southampton FC (2003-2005)

Le Saux succeeded in Southampton at once to conquer the trunk space on the left side of defense, before a series of injuries again threw him back and he completed a total of only half of the Premier League games of the season 2003/ 04. The use of numbers he was able to increase again from 19 to 25 league games in his career last season 2004 /05. He acted especially after the coaching change to Harry Redknapp in December 2004, often in midfield and made it mostly a duo with Frenchman Olivier Bernard, to avoid relegation of the club in the second division but without. Then Le Saux was in May 2005, announced his retirement.

England national team

The arrival of Terry Venables as the new England manager coincided with the start of the international career of Graeme Le Saux. Thanks to that, as it were defensive and offensive strengths on the left side of defense as a freshman, he replaced the formerly seasoned regulars Stuart Pearce, who from now on only came to the course by substitutions. Le Saux was in the first eight countries playing the " era Venables " in the starting lineup - including his debut was on 9 March 1994 against Denmark (1-0 ). It benefited him that England had to deny a competitive match on the road to Euro 1996 in their own country due to the automatic qualification and thus had the opportunity to Venables experiments. Only when domestic Umbro Cup in early June 1995, it can play back Venables Pearce on the side of three debutants in the back four, but for the last two of the three tournament games Le Saux went back into the team. He scored against Brazil (1:3) the initial opening goal, said his only goal remained throughout the career. The serious injury in fall 1995 but then saw that he initially missed the entire preparation for the European Championships and a few weeks before the finals even announced his resignation. Thus he cleared the way for Pearce, the position of the English left-back "home tournament" took its place.

Under Venables ' successor Glenn Hoddle -again Le Saux early 1997 returned to the England team. Similarly as a " Wingback " in five midfielders in front of a three man defense, or the classic left-back with four defenders he played a major role in the successful qualification for the 1998 World Cup in France, of which 0-0 in Rome counted in particularly against Italy. This he secured his place in the finals and even he denied until the defeat of England in the second round against Argentina after losing a penalty shoot all four games. Above all, his mistake in the second group game against Romania stopped short of the end in mind when he at 1-1 a supposedly easy duel against Dan Petrescu lost and so this allowed the winning goal.

In the following qualifying round of Euro 2000 in the Netherlands and Belgium Hoddle familiar initially continued on Le Saux before he experimented after the defeat against Sweden (1:2) with Andy Hinchcliffe and Phil Neville. Shortly after replacing Kevin Keegan Hoddle and Le Saux returned to the team, but also before the new coach Neville convened and attended to with Sunderland's Michael Gray for more competition. Keegan's preference for the classic back four was Le Saux receive little, the better playing off his strengths as a wingback. When they were joined by another injury problems that parole opportunities became less frequent and also the Euro 2000, he missed due to his injuries. In the 0-1 home defeat against Germany, he completed his 36th and last international match before the new coach Sven -Goran Eriksson initially found a new strain in left-back Chris Powell, and shortly thereafter, especially in the young Ashley Cole.

Activities after football career

After his resignation Le Saux worked as a football expert for the BBC, looking something in the program Match of the Day 2 and BBC Radio 5 Live with. When he lost his commentary position for the English game at the 2006 World Cup to Mark Lawrenson, he finished on 31 March 2006 his work for the BBC.

Title / Awards

  • European Cup Winners' Cup ( 1): 1998
  • European Supercup ( 1): 1998
  • English Championship ( 1): 1995
  • English League Cup ( 1): 1998
  • Charity Shield (1 ): 2000
  • PFA Team of the Year (2): 1994/95, 1997/98
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