Stephen Warnock
Stephen Warnock in the jersey of Liverpool (2005)
Stephen Warnock ( born December 12, 1981 in Ormskirk ) is an English footballer. The defensive player today mostly used on the left- winger learned to play football at Liverpool. The final sporting breakthrough came in 2007 at Blackburn Rovers before it drove him to Aston Villa in August 2009. Since Winter 2013 Warnock stands at Leeds United.
Sports career
Liverpool FC (1998-2007)
Warnock comes from the Liverpool youth academy and was initially active in central midfield. From there he moved only in the later years when the " Reds " on the left side, where he, as it held the extreme position in defense and midfield.
Although Warnock was with vocations in English youth national teams as one of the most promising talents in the club, he waited at the " Reds " first in vain for his first professional use and gained his first experience in the then second-class Bradford City, where he his club for two months short of his 21. birthday had borrowed. In the " Bantams " he made his debut on 14 September 2002 against Walsall FC (1-0 ) allowed just one month later against Sheffield Wednesday (1-2) follow his first goal and returned a total of twelve performances back to Merseyside. However, in the remaining games of the season 2002/ 03 he remained unconsidered in Liverpool and was for the purpose of obtaining further match practice again in a Leihklub opportunity. He played the entire round in 2003/04 Coventry City - as well in the Second Division - and was with 44 inserts ( of which 42 are in the starting line ) at the end of the "best player " reward immediately achievers, what the followers prompting there Warnock.
The long-awaited debut for Liverpool followed shortly thereafter for Warnock on 10 August 2004 against Grazer AK in the third round of the Champions League qualifiers and four days later he made his debut in the Premier League by short-term use for around ten minutes against Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez gave him more opportunities and henceforth by his performance, he temporarily displaced the more experienced Australian international Harry Kewell on the bench. Nevertheless, he remained at the Champions League victory in Istanbul against AC Milan disregarded in the squad, although he had come to the opener in Graz go in another five ( but is always less important ) European games for the course.
From the 2005/06 season Warnock was increasingly needed as a left -back, and now there he played in "rotation" with the Norwegian John Arne Riise. During this time in a 5-1 win against Fulham on 15 March 2006, he scored his only goal for Liverpool. Further developments were made , however, and so Warnock joined in January 2007 Premier League rivals Blackburn Rovers.
Blackburn Rovers ( 2007-09 )
Already in the summer of 2006 has been speculation about a possible swap deal with Blackburn's captain Lucas Neill and the following winter, corresponding rumors, until finally Neill accepted an offer from West Ham United held. Yet Warnock joined the Rovers; on the exact amount of the transfer fee retained the parties to disclose.
Four days after a 4-0 victory in the FA Cup against Luton Town Warnock ran against Chelsea (0:3) for the first time for Blackburn in the Premier League, and only three days later, he conceded with a yellow- red card against Sheffield United ( 2-1 ) the first dismissal of his pro career. Within a short time, Warnock worked out by his strength in the tackle and flank runs at the Rovers supporters a good reputation, was the English A-National player and signed a new four-year contract, which should bind him to the end of the 2011/12 season. It remained, however, in only one year. In a turbulent season 2008/ 09 he left his now incumbent left-back frequently, as manager Paul Ince first sought its creative moments in the central midfield. The experiment failed and since his agent Martin Olsson on the left side of defense did not convince, Warnock took over its originally intended role again. After Ince's dismissal of his successor Sam Allardyce Warnock moved back into midfield to improve the strength in the tackle in this part of the team.
Aston Villa ( since 2009)
One day after the confirmation of held talks with Aston Villa transfer the club's management in Birmingham was on 27 August 2009, the commitment of Stephen Warnock and the signing of a four -year contract known. Quickly, the newcomer in the team of Martin O'Neill added a, contested in the 2009/10 season at first 30 league games and reached the final of the League Cup. There he was defeated by the "Villans " defending champion Manchester United with 1:2 and had to take criticism after the game, since a large part of the dangerous moments of the enemy about 'his' left side defense - especially in a duel with Luis Antonio Valencia - ran.
After half a year loan at Bolton Wanderers, he was finally transferred in January 2013 to Leeds United.
England national team
Although he had played little games from the start at Liverpool, Warnock was appointed on August 29, 2005, the first in the England team for the first phase of qualifying for the World Cup 2006, being at that time a lack of defenders left was in the team. For the squad for the World Cup itself, he remained but then disregarded and only in May 2008, he returned under the new national team coach Fabio Capello on the occasion of two friendly matches against USA and Trinidad & Tobago to the attention of " Three Lions " back. On 1 June 2008, he came here against your opponent latter in the 84th minute for Wayne Bridge for the first 'A' game.
After good impressions at Aston Villa he was nominated again Capello for a friendly match against Egypt, and after the resignation of Wayne Bridge and the injury problems of Ashley Cole as well in May 2010 in the provisional 30 -man squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. After he did not get to the tournament itself, he celebrated on 17 November 2010 against France his comeback.