Gilles Grimandi
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Gilles Grimandi | ||
| Date of birth | 11 November 1970 | ||
| Place of birth | Gap, Hautes-Alpes, France | ||
| Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Arsenal (scout) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1987–1988 | Gap | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 1988–1991 | Gap | ||
| 1991–1997 | Monaco | 67 | (3) |
| 1997–2002 | Arsenal | 113 | (10) |
| 2002–2003 | Colorado Rapids | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 180 | (13) | |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Gilles Grimandi (born 11 November 1970 in Gap, Hautes-Alpes) is a retired French footballer, who currently is a scout for Arsenal.
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[edit] Club career
Grimandi began his professional career with AS Monaco in 1990 and made his first-team debut in 1991 against AS Nancy in the French top division. His career briefly interrupted by French military service, he went on to make 67 appearances and score 3 goals for the club, mostly as a centre back. He helped the club reach both a UEFA Champions League and a UEFA Cup semifinal and won the league title in 1996–97.
The following season, Grimandi left to join his former manager Arsène Wenger at Arsenal, making his debut in Elland Road against Leeds United, and helped achieve The Double in his first season. He made 113 league appearances as a midfielder, centre back, and right wingback, winning a second Double in his final season (2001–02) with the club. Was called the new Gus Caesar, the Arsenal defender immortalised in Fever Pitch as the worst defender in the club's history at the beginning of his career, but improved later on once he played as a midfielder.
Grimandi signed with the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer in 2002, but saw his contract terminated before the start of the season. He retired shortly after.
[edit] Later career
Grimandi has remained active in the sport, taking his first administrative position in 2004 as football director at ASOA Valence in the Championnats National (the French third division), and becoming a France-based scout for Arsenal after Valence filed for bankruptcy prior to the 2005–06 season. He also took part in Dennis Bergkamp's testimonial game at Arsenal's new Emirates Stadium in July 2006, making perhaps the greatest tackle of his career on Edgar Davids as the Dutchman looked to tap into an empty net to open the scoring for Ajax.
Grimandi was linked with a director of football position at Arsenal in July 2007, in charge of acquiring new players.[1] However, no appointment to the role was made. Grimandi is currently Arsenal's chief scout in France.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ Wenger turns to Grimandi as he ushers in new era, The Guardian, 2007-06-25. Retrieved on 2007-07-15
- ^ Grimandi explains Arsenal scouting policy, Sky Sports, 2008-03-07. Retrieved on 2009-03-04.
[edit] External links
- 1970 births
- Living people
- People from Gap, Hautes-Alpes
- French footballers
- AS Monaco FC players
- Arsenal F.C. players
- Colorado Rapids players
- Ligue 1 players
- Premier League players
- French expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in England
- Expatriate soccer players in the United States
- Arsenal F.C. non-playing staff
