Jonathan Woodgate
Jonathan Woodgate at Tottenham Hotspur (2009)
Jonathan Simon Woodgate ( born January 22, 1980 in Middlesbrough ) is an English footballer who plays in the Premier League is currently active for Stoke City. In his playing, he is characterized by an above-average heading ability and a relatively good for a center-back technique. During his career, Woodgate, however, frequently been plagued by serious injuries.
Club career
Leeds United
The career of the defender started in the youth department of FC Middlesbrough before then at the age of 16 years after disagreements between club and family moved with regard to its future design to Leeds United. There he performed well, winning in 1997 the FA Youth Cup and made his debut in November of the following year for the population of David O'Leary first team. Initially acted the now promoted to captain of the England U-18 selection Woodgate defensive midfielder ( a role that was otherwise mostly David Batty reserved ), but then evolved into a central part of the Leeds back line and especially after the signing of Rio Ferdinand in November 2000, this new " central defensive pair" in the professional world has been seen as the basis for future national defense.
The football skills despite the often spirited acting Woodgate, however, had been robbed in his sporting perspective itself. In January 2000, he was instrumental along with his teammate Lee Bowyer in a brawl in front of the nightclub " Majestyks " involved in Leeds, when an Asian student had suffered serious injuries. After the first trial was concluded in April 2001 nor to a premature end, Woodgate was convicted in a second process, which lasted until December 2001, and its uses reduced in the team, to 100 community service hours - in the case of Lee Bowyer the prosecution ended with a acquittal.
Newcastle United
In January 2003, Woodgate was transferred for a fee of nine million pounds to Newcastle United. There he developed while quickly becoming a crowd favorite, but then injured his hard early in the season 2003/ 04. The highlight of this season should finally be his performance in the UEFA Cup semi-final first leg, when he decided the direct duel against Didier Drogba for themselves.
Real Madrid
In the summer of 2004, Real Madrid Woodgate committed for 13.4 million pounds. This personnel decision of the major Spanish clubs was included in the professional world with some surprise, especially since Woodgate had previously struggled with injury problems. So he could in his first season at Real Madrid and injury deny a single competitive match for the people of Madrid and had to fight in the season 2005/ 06 over and over again with injuries. Moreover, his debut was in the Spanish League on 22 September 2005 against Athletic Bilbao ill-fated and after an own Woodgate was referred with a second yellow card of the field.
After his first goal for Real 's 4-1 victory against Rosenborg in the Champions League on 19 October 2005, the outlook Woodgate improved continuously and until February 2006, he developed more and more into a regular player on the side of changing partners like Sergio Ramos, Iván Helguera, Francisco Pavon and Álvaro Mejía and was increasingly becoming a key player. However, further setbacks in terms of physical fitness were the cause then that it was awarded to the home club Middlesbrough FC Real Madrid for the season 2006 /07. Competitor was next to the club from his hometown of Newcastle United; the club's management of Liverpool FC, however, denied an alleged interest in signing of Woodgate.
The English central defender should then not return to Madrid, where it subsequently by readers' choice in the Spanish sports daily " Marca " even certified him to have been the "biggest failure Shopping in the 21st Century" - with 37.11 % of votes won " " Woodgate by a large margin.
Middlesbrough FC
On September 9, 2006 Woodgate completed at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal his first game for Middlesbrough FC and convinced with a good performance. In just his second game him the role of the team captain was transferred because George Boateng was locked as captain. In a very regular season of Middlesbrough FC, although they brought no danger of relegation, but did get the top half of the table out of reach, Woodgate finally was one of the performers.
On 26 April 2007 the club announced that Woodgate should change for a fee of seven million pounds once and for Middlesbrough FC and could be tied up to the year 2011 with a four-year contract.
Tottenham Hotspur
On 29 January 2008 it was announced that Woodgate changes with immediate effect League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
Stoke City
On 11 July 2011 Jonathan Woodgate joining Stoke City.
Career in the national
During his time at Leeds United Woodgate was appointed for the first time in the English national team - only after that then he made his debut for the U -21 England. His first game under then- coach Kevin Keegan, he played on 9 June 1999 against Bulgaria, and was thus the first player born in the 1980s and came to a full international match in the England team. The promising career was, however, due to the injury problems, but mainly because of the controversy surrounding his violent outburst, a lasting setback.
The English Football Association " Football Association " disabled Woodgate in the episode for more international appearances, so this moment was no other choice game more after its debut, and thus missed a possible participation in the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.
Only after the final round of the tournament came Woodgate September-October again in 2002 to three international matches, where again 1 ½ - year hiatus followed until another match against Sweden on 31 March 2004. The persistent injury problems then disabled his international career and the possible residual chance of a nomination for the 2006 World Cup in Germany was a further operation in the way.
On 7 February 2007, he was in the game against Spain after almost three years of his comeback in the national team.