Marco Boogers is a Dutch former professional footballer.
[edit] West Ham United
After a decade playing in his native Holland, Boogers joined West Ham for £1million from Sparta Rotterdam in July 1995[3] even though West Ham manager, Harry Redknapp had never seen him play. [4]Coming on as a substitute against Manchester United at Old Trafford in only his second appearance for the club, he was almost immediately sent off for a challenge on Gary Neville.[5] The press called it a horror tackle and suggested that Boogers was hired to injure a Manchester United player on purpose. Boogers himself claimed the wet grass made him slide too far and noted that Neville was able to finish the match. Nevertheless he got suspended for four matches. In November he returned as a substitute against Aston Villa, a 4-1 loss. He played his last match a month later, on 2 December 1995, against Blackburn Rovers; a 4-2 defeat.[6] By then he had been suffering from worsening pain in his knee. After an MRI scan he underwent an emergency surgery. As his recovery would take three months he got permission from Redknapp to attend the birth of his son, on 28 December 1995, in the Netherlands. While Boogers worked on his recovery Redknapp signed another forward, Iain Dowie, rendering Boogers surplus to requirements.[7] In 2007 he was voted number 19 in The Times poll of the "50 Worst footballers (to grace the Premier League)."[8]
[edit] Caravan myth
During his absence due to his recovery the Sun newspaper was claiming he was depressed and had been found on a mobile home site in the Netherlands. In fact the caravan story may be an urban myth, as Bill Prosser, who worked as West Ham United's PA and travel arranger at the time, told The Guardian's The Fiver. "Marco was depressed after being sent off in his second appearance for West Ham at Old Trafford and disappeared for a few days. West Ham's Clubcall reporter phoned me and said he was trying to find Boogers for an interview but could not reach him. He asked if I had booked any flights for him. I told him I hadn't, but added: 'If he has gone back to Holland, he's probably gone by car again'. The reporter misheard me and stated on Clubcall that I had said 'If he's gone back to Holland, he's probably gone to his caravan'. As you know, journalists often listen to Clubcall. Which explains why, the following day, the back page headline in The Sun was: 'Barmy Boogers Living In A Caravan'. The legend endures and Marco Boogers never played for West Ham again. I feel a bit responsible for his misfortune.".[9]
[edit] Return to the Netherlands
In February 1996 he was loaned out to FC Groningen for the remainder of the season. A few days before he was scheduled to play his first match the knee problems returned and worsened, sending him back in recovery until match 1997. Even though he was still under contract at West Ham United, he knew he would not play there again. Boogers last visited the club in February 1996 and never returned since then. Redknapp berated Boogers in an interview as a poor player and claimed he never saw Boogers play and that he contracted him on a whim based on a videotape where he appeared to be a world class player. Boogers himself disputes this and says scouts from West Ham United attended several of his matches with Sparta before signing him. He finished his career playing for FC Groningen, RKC, FC Volendam and FC Dordrecht. [7]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
| Persondata |
| Name |
Boogers, Marco |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
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| Date of birth |
1967 |
| Place of birth |
Dordrecht, Netherlands |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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