[LFCMike]

JAMIE CARRAGHER
Liverpool FC



Squad Number: 23
Position: Defender
Place of Birth: Bootle, England
Date Of Birth: 28/ 01/ 1978
Height: 6'1
Weight: 12st 10lbs

Jamie Carragher has risen through the Anfield ranks to become one of Liverpool's most reliable and consistent performers. Despite previously being used as both a central defender and holding midfielder, he has made the left-back slot his own without being a natural left footer.

The Bootle-born defender was a member of Liverpool's successful FA Youth Cup winning side of 1996 and quickly forced his way into reserve team and first team reckoning, breaking fully into the squad during 1998/99 in a central defensive position. In his younger years he was also skipper of England's Under-21 side and holds the record for the number of appearances at that level. It was during his breakthrough season for the Liverpool senior side that he also made his debut for the senior England team.

Although he won't like to admit it, Carragher's versatility is a key asset and will always give 100%, wherever he is deployed.

In 2001/02, he again performed consistently, but found himself in an unusual position, at the centre of controversy after the combustible FA Cup game against Arsenal. Following a lunge from Dennis Bergkamp, which resulted in a red card for the Dutchman, a coin was thrown at Carragher from the crowd. In the heat of the moment, the defender reacted by throwing the coin back. The referee saw the incident and sent him off.

He was expected to be included in the England squad for the 2002 World Cup but injury kept him out, as he needed an operation on his troublesome knee, which was also expected to keep him out of the first two months of the 2002/03 season.

However, he recovered in time to have an excellent campaign which saw him make Liverpool's right back position his own, and despite Liverpool going through a barren patch midway through the campaign, he remained in fine form.

In summer 2003, the signing of Fulham right-back Steve Finnan gave Carragher some healthy competition in the position he had excelled in. Upon Finnan's arrival, Carragher signalled his intentions for the battle for the right-back slot: "If Steve gets ahead of me in the team then I'll just have to find out where he lives and I'll send the boys round."

However, this battle for the right-back spot never came into fruition. A horrendous tackle by Blackburn's Lucas Neill in the Reds' fifth game of the season at Ewood Park left Carragher out of the game for six months with a broken leg, and sparked a war of words between Houllier and Souness after Neill and his manager failed to apologise for the horror tackle.

But, in the second half of the season, he made a terrific comeback making 24 further appearances.

It was no surprise then that he earned a call-up to the England squad for Euro 2004 and almost featured in the opening game against France, although John Terry's vacant position ended up going to Tottenham's Ledley King.

The 2004/05 season saw his ascent continue in what turned out to be his most successful campaign for both club and country. He was a regular fixture in the Liverpool defence, making 56 appearances all in all. His strength and agility at the back proved instrumental in Liverpool's Champions League success.

[yellowandblue]

IKER CASILLAS



Date Of Birth: May, 20th 1981.
Place: Madrid - Spain
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 75 Kg
Team: Real Madrid - Spain

* Is, in fact, Iker Casillas Fernández
* his career started in the 7 and 8-year-old Club’s team in season 90/91. His dreams came true in season 98/99 when he was called for the first team. He played in 3rd Division team that season and a year later he started to play in the Real Madrid’s second team
* was one of the key players for the Under-21 National Team’s achievement of the World Championship in 2000.
* was the youngest champion goalkeeper in the UEFA Champions League. In that victorious night, he said that he had much fun, singing and dancing all time!
* guarantees that never will forget the Madrid people Welcome, when he won the Champions League
* believes that goalkeepers pass of Heros to villains easily
* said that in his debut with Spain National Team was calm as always.
* believes that all his conquests are products of effort and determination
* always admired the work of Gigi Buffon and believes that the italian goalkeeper is an example!
* swears by his mother that he doesn't care about money
* guarantees that is the same Iker of always: who talks with his friends and also with all the people, which only believes in the daily work.
* Won the Bravo Trophy of best european sub 20 in 2000
* said that the most beautiful thing is to play in Real Madrid, team where he began and also because Real trusted in his potential
* the perfect goalkeeper for him would a mixture of Zubizarreta, retired spanish, Toni and Baia.
* despite his youth , he is too much calm
* said that before his authorazation to drive, he used to go to the trainnings by bus or subway. 'Til the end of the season 99-2000 he was the only one Real Madrid player who still used public transports.
* said once about Real Madrid : "I want to play here the rest of my career"

This post has been edited by yellowandblue: 19 October 2005 - 04:30 PM