Amr Zaki

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Amr Zaki
Amr Zaki - Wigan.jpg
Personal information
Full name Amr Hassan Zaki
(Arabic:عمرو حسن زكي)
Date of birth 1 April 1983 (1983-04-01) (age 28)
Place of birth Mansoura, Egypt
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Zamalek
Number 9
Youth career
El Mansoura
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2001–2003 El Mansoura 20 (20)
2003–2005 ENPPI 64 (27)
2006 Lokomotiv Moscow 0 (0)
2006– Zamalek 76 (30)
2008–2009 → Wigan Athletic (loan) 29 (10)
2010 → Hull City (loan) 6 (0)
National team‡
2004– Egypt 57 (29)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18 August 2010 (UTC).

† Appearances (Goals).

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 18 August 2010 (UTC)

Amr Zaki (Arabic: عمرو زكي‎; born 1 April 1983 in Mansoura) is an Egyptian footballer who currently plays as a striker for Zamalek and the Egypt national team. He is known for his strong headers and for being a top striker in Africa.

Contents

[edit] Club career

[edit] Early career

Zaki started his career at El Mansoura before moving to ENPPI for the 2003–04 season. At ENPPI, he became the Egyptian Premier League top goalscorer for the 2004–05 season and helped the club win its first trophy, the 2005 Egyptian Cup, as well as being runners-up in the Egyptian Premier League, After impressing in the 2006 African Cup of Nations, Zaki caught the attention of many clubs, such as El Zamalek and Al-Ahly[1] from Egypt, Al-Ain FC from the UAE, and Nantes from France.[2] But Zaki later decided to play for Russian club Lokomotiv Moscow, who signed him for a reported sum of €1.7 million.[3] However, he did not play a single match for Lokomotiv. He supported Liverpool F.C growing up. In 2006, Zaki moved back to the Egyptian Premier League and signed to play for El Zamalek. Owing to his powerful physical displays as a forward, fans nicknamed him the "Bulldozer" and newspapers nicknamed him the "Egyptian Gladiator".[4]

[edit] Wigan Athletic

On 22 July 2008, Wigan Athletic completed a one-year loan deal to bring Zaki to the JJB Stadium for a sum of £1.5 million. After scoring two goals in his two pre-season appearances for Wigan,[5][6][7] Zaki scored on his league debut on 16 August against West Ham United.[8] On 30 August he scored his first brace for Wigan in a 5–0 victory over Premier League new-boys Hull City. On 13 September he scored his fourth goal in as many games in the Premier League as Wigan drew with Sunderland, putting him joint top of the goal scoring charts alongside Jermain Defoe. On 28 September, Zaki scored again in the Premier League from the penalty spot against Manchester City, and this goal took him to the top of the goal scorers list with 5 goals in 6 games. He followed it with two more goals against Liverpool, further solidifying his position as top scorer in the English Premier League. He also scored penalties in 2–1 victories over Portsmouth and Newcastle.[9] At one point he was the third top scorer in the Premier League behind Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka and Manchester City's Robinho who had 15 and 12 respectively to Zaki's 10, however he failed to add to that tally in which Anelka finished top with 19.

Wigan Athletic chairman Dave Whelan likened Zaki to Alan Shearer, saying "when you look at this lad and his build... He has the same confidence when he gets the ball, he knows where the goal is, he doesn't need to look up, he has this instinct. Strikers like that have an instinct as to where the goal is. You can't describe it, you can't give it to anybody.[10] Former Wigan manager Steve Bruce has also been highly impressed with Zaki, and has told the press he believes he is "awesome".[11] Bruce said "he put in a fantastic performance. If he keeps playing like that he is going to have a real future in the Premier League" and "his physique is great, he has awesome power and pace and of course he wants to score goals which is the important thing".

[edit] Controversy

In April 2009, Zaki failed to return to Wigan Athletic from one of Egypt's World Cup qualification matches, leading his former-club manager, Steve Bruce, to label him as the most unprofessional player he had ever worked with.[12] His late returns from international duty led to Bruce publicly branding Zaki "highly unprofessional" and fining him the maximum amount permitted,[13] which he has done on more than one occasion;[14] "Before this latest incident, Zaki had already been fined considerably more than the average person in Britain earns in a year and he will now face another heavy fine". However, Bruce said that repeatedly fining him does not seem to alter his poor behaviour. Bruce subsequently confirmed on 17 May 2009 that the club will not be taking up the option of making his loan deal permanent.[15]

[edit] Return to Zamalek

Zaki returned to Egyptian Premier League side Zamalek for the 2009–10 season. During the summer transfer window, he turned down a move to English Premier League club Portsmouth, who had been strongly linked with the player. This is largely criticized in the English press because his refusal was due to the presence of two Algerians and an Israeli on the team. Zaki said "after Portsmouth signed an Israeli player and also hired an Israeli football director a possible move was ruled out. On top of that, no way could I play at Portsmouth with an Algerian within in their ranks."[16] During his time at El Zamalek he struggled with injuries, sickness, the lack of scoring goals, and a spot on the team.

[edit] Hull City

On 17 January 2010, Zaki passed a medical with Hull City moving to the club on a 5 month loan.[17] On 30 January 2010 he made his debut for Hull coming on as substitute for Jozy Altidore in the 69 minute. Hull went on to draw the match 2–2 with Wolverhampton Wanderers.[18] Amr Zaki quoted "If an offer from a decent club does not come up by the end of my time at Hull, then I will return to Zamalek." On 17 April 2010 it was confirmed by his agent that his loan had been terminated and he returned to Zamalek.[19]

[edit] Return to Zamalek

Zaki returned to Zamalek at the beginning of the 2010/2011 season and gave phenomenal performances becoming the team's top scorer after scoring 3 goals in the league's first 4 matches. In October 2010 Zaki suffered a career threatening injury that kept him away for the better part of 10 months. Zaki returned from his injury and participated with Zamalek in the Egypt Cup, he scored twice during the semi-final against defending champions Haras el Hodood thus leading his team to qualify for the final after a 2-1 victory.

[edit] International career

Zaki plays for the Egyptian National Team. In the 2006 African Cup of Nations Zaki scored the winning goal for Egypt in the semi-final against Senegal late in the second half, with his first touch moments after coming off the bench to replace a visibly irate Mido - whose argument with coach Hassan Shehata held up play and resulted in a six month international ban from the Egyptian Football Association for the player. Egypt later went on to win their fifth continental title.

Zaki repeated his strong performances two years later in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring a goal against Zambia in the group stage and another in the quarter final against Angola. Additionally, he scored another header and then added another goal in the semi-final match against Ivory Coast. Egypt again went on to win the title for a record sixth time. He was chosen in the CAN 2008 All Star Starting XI.[20]

[edit] International goals

Scores and results list Egypt's goal tally first.
# Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 8 October 2004 June 11 Stadium, Tripoli  Libya 1–1 1–2 2006 World Cup qualifier
2. 8 January 2005 Cairo Military Academy Stadium, Cairo  Uganda 1–0 3–0 Friendly
3. 3–0
4. 5 June 2005 Arab Contractors Stadium, Cairo  Sudan 2–0 6–1 2006 World Cup qualifier
5. 4–0
6. 29 July 2005 Stade de Genève, Geneva  Qatar 3–0 5–0 Friendly
7. 5–0
8. 4 September 2005 Arab Contractors Stadium, Cairo  Benin 1–0 4–1 2006 World Cup qualifier
9. 2–0
10. 4–1
11. 27 December 2005 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo  Uganda 1–0 2–0 2005 LG Cup
12. 2–0
13. 29 December 2005 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo  Senegal 3–2 4–2 2005 LG Cup
14. 4–2
15. 14 January 2006 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo  South Africa 1–1 1–2 Friendly
16. 7 February 2006 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo  Senegal 2–1 2–1 2006 Africa Cup of Nations
17. 7 February 2007 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo  Sweden 1–0 2–0 Friendly
18. 5 January 2008 Aswan Stadium, Aswan  Namibia 1–0 3–0 Friendly
19. 3–0
20. 30 January 2008 Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi  Zambia 1–0 1–1 2008 Africa Cup of Nations
21. 4 February 2008 Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi  Angola 2–1 2–1 2008 Africa Cup of Nations
22. 7 February 2008 Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi  Côte d'Ivoire 2–0 4–1 2008 Africa Cup of Nations
23. 3–1
24. 1 June 2008 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo  Congo DR 1–1 2–1 2010 World Cup qualifier
25. 6 June 2008 El Hadj Hassan Gouled, Djibouti  Djibouti 1–0 4–0 2010 World Cup qualifier
26. 29 March 2009 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo  Zambia 1–0 1–1 2010 World Cup qualifier
27. 2 October 2009 Petro Sport Stadium, Cairo  Mauritius 4–0 4–0 Friendly
28. 5 November 2009 Aswan Stadium, Aswan  Tanzania 2–0 5–1 Friendly
29. 14 November 2009 Cairo International Stadium, Cairo  Algeria 1–0 2–0 2010 World Cup qualifier

[edit] Honours

[edit] Club

ENPPI
Al-Zamalek

[edit] International

[edit] Individual

[edit] References

  1. ^ Pleat, David (14 February 2006). "Scouting Report: Amr Zaki, Egypt". The Guardian (London). http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2006/feb/14/sport.comment2. Retrieved 17 October 2008. 
  2. ^ Amr Zaki - Bio page
  3. ^ Amr Zaki reveals to EP: "Signed For Lokomotiv Moscow!"
  4. ^ Wigan sign 'world's best striker'
  5. ^ "Zaki sinks Hibs". Sky Sports. 5 August 2008. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11792_3938277,00.html. Retrieved 18 August 2008. 
  6. ^ Hirst, Paul. "Melchiot hails Bruce strength". http://www.sportinglife.com/football/premiership/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=soccer/08/08/13/SOCCER_Wigan_Melchiot.html. Retrieved 18 August 2008. 
  7. ^ Baskerville (13 August 2008). "Pre Season Pros and Cons". Vital Wigan Athletic. http://www.wigan.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=120068. Retrieved 18 August 2008. 
  8. ^ McIntyre, David (16 August 2008). "West Ham 2–1 Wigan". BBC Sport. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7551169.stm. Retrieved 17 August 2008. 
  9. ^ "Wigan 2–1 Man City". BBC Sport. 29 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/7626945.stm. Retrieved 2 October 2008. 
  10. ^ "Zaki as good as Shearer, claims Wigan chief". ESPN Soccernet. 18 September 2008. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=573301&sec=england&cc=4716. 
  11. ^ "Bruce hails Wigan's awesome Zaki". BBC Sport. 29 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/7642511.stm. Retrieved 2 October 2008. 
  12. ^ STEVE BRUCE STATEMENT Wigan Athletic, 2 April 2009
  13. ^ "Furious Bruce rounds on Zaki". AFP. 2 April 2009. http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g_A9T5ooUMeat9hMaWhdvdAUJYDA. Retrieved 2 April 2009. 
  14. ^ "Bruce To Fine Absent Zaki - Again". Yahoo! Sports. 2 April 2009. http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/02042009/4/bruce-fine-absent-zaki.html. Retrieved 3 April 2009. [dead link]
  15. ^ Shaw, Phil (17 May 2009). "Stoke City 2 Wigan Athletic 0: Tony Pulis widens net as he plans for future". London: The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/leagues/premierleague/5339274/Stoke-City-2-Wigan-Athletic-0-Tony-Pulis-widens-net-as-he-plans-for-future.html. Retrieved 18 May 2009. [dead link]
  16. ^ "Zaki snubs Portsmouth over Israelis". The Jewish Chronicle. 23 November 2009. http://www.thejc.com/sport/sport-news/22231/zaki-snubs-portsmouth-over-israelis. Retrieved 26 January 2010. 
  17. ^ "Hull sign striker Amr Zaki on loan from Zamalek". BBC Sport. BBC. 18 January 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hull_city/8462781.stm. Retrieved 19 January 2010. 
  18. ^ Brett, Oliver (30 January 2010). "Hull 2 - 2 Wolverhampton". BBC Sport. BBC. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/8482870.stm. Retrieved 30 January 2010. 
  19. ^ "Hull cut short Zaki loan". ESPNsoccernet. ESPN Internet Ventures. 17 April 2010. http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story?id=772423&sec=transfers&cc=5739&cc=5901. Retrieved 17 April 2010. 
  20. ^ Amr Zaki

[edit] External links

Zamalek SC – current squad
Egypt squad – 2006 Africa Cup of Nations Winners (5th title)
Egypt
Egypt squad – 2008 Africa Cup of Nations Winners (6th Title)
Egypt
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