Jump to content

Lucas Neill: Difference between revisions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Browse history interactively
← Previous editNext edit →
Content deleted Content added
VisualWikitext
No edit summary
No edit summary
Line 49: Line 49:
|nationalyears3=1996–
|nationalyears3=1996–
|nationalteam3=[[Australia national football team|Australia]]
|nationalteam3=[[Australia national football team|Australia]]
|nationalcaps3=76
|nationalcaps3=77
|nationalgoals3=0
|nationalgoals3=0
|pcupdate=2 September 2011
|pcupdate=2 September 2011
|ntupdate=7 September 2011
|ntupdate=11 October 2011
}}
}}
'''Lucas Edward Neill''' (born 9 March 1978) is an Australian [[Soccer player]] who currently plays for [[UAE Pro-League]] club [[Al Jazira Club|Al Jazira]]. He is a [[Defender (association football)#Full back|full back]]. Neill had spent almost 15 years of his career playing in England. He represented Australia at the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]], the [[2007 AFC Asian Cup]], the 2010 World Cup in South Afrca, and also the [[2011 AFC Asian Cup]] in Qatar. On 6 October 2006 he was named the 50th captain of the [[Australia national football team|Australian national team]]. Lucas's official website can be found at [http://www.lucasneill.com www.lucasneill.com].
'''Lucas Edward Neill''' (born 9 March 1978) is an Australian [[Soccer player]] who currently plays for [[UAE Pro-League]] club [[Al Jazira Club|Al Jazira]]. He is a [[Defender (association football)#Full back|full back]]. Neill had spent almost 15 years of his career playing in England. He represented Australia at the [[2006 FIFA World Cup]], the [[2007 AFC Asian Cup]], the 2010 World Cup in South Afrca, and also the [[2011 AFC Asian Cup]] in Qatar. On 6 October 2006 he was named the 50th captain of the [[Australia national football team|Australian national team]]. Lucas's official website can be found at [http://www.lucasneill.com www.lucasneill.com].

Revision as of 10:32, 11 October 2011

Lucas Neill
Personal information
Full name Lucas Edward Neill
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Position(s) Full back / Centre Back
Team information
Current team
 Al Jazira
Number —
Youth career
1991–1993 Manly United
1994–1995 AIS
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–2001 Millwall 152 (13)
2001–2007 Blackburn Rovers 188 (5)
2007–2009 West Ham United 79 (1)
2009–2010 Everton 12 (0)
2010–2011 Galatasaray 37 (1)
2011– Al Jazira 3 (1)
International career‡
1996–1997 Australia U-20 8 (3)
1999–2000 Australia U-23 13 (0)
1996– Australia 77 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 2 September 2011
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 11 October 2011

Lucas Edward Neill (born 9 March 1978) is an Australian Soccer player who currently plays for UAE Pro-League club Al Jazira. He is a full back. Neill had spent almost 15 years of his career playing in England. He represented Australia at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, the 2010 World Cup in South Afrca, and also the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar. On 6 October 2006 he was named the 50th captain of the Australian national team. Lucas's official website can be found at www.lucasneill.com.

Background

Neill grew up in the Northern Beaches of Sydney and was a student at Wakehurst Public School in Belrose and St Augustine's College in Brookvale, before attending the Australian Institute of Sport on a football scholarship in 1994–95.[1]

Club career

Millwall

Neill joined Millwall on a free transfer in November 1995, making his debut on 17 February against Luton Town in 1996.[2] In almost six years at The Den, he made 174 appearances in all competitions, scoring 13 goals.[3] In September 2001, Neill, by then the longest serving player at the club, submitted a transfer request[2] and shortly after, signed for Blackburn Rovers for an initial fee of £600,000 plus up to £400,000 more depending on appearances.[4]

Blackburn Rovers

Neill played his first game for Blackburn in September 2001 against Sunderland and scored his first Blackburn goal later that month against Bolton Wanderers. Neill is a combative, versatile player. He has played in all defensive positions during his professional career and is a key member for both his club and national team.

Neill was well regarded by Blackburn Rovers supporters largely due to his never-say-die, determined attitude. He was one of Blackburn Rovers' most consistent performers and held the right back position for over five years without any competition.

Neill's combative and committed style of play in the Premier League attracted criticism in 2003–04 at a time when Blackburn had been criticised routinely for their aggressive play. He broke the leg of Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher when his trailing leg caught that of the Liverpool player in the fifth game of the 2003–04 season in a tackle at Ewood Park. Carragher, a popular home-grown Liverpool player, was sidelined for six months and the incident sparked a war of words between Gérard Houllier and Graeme Souness after Neill and his manager did not apologise for 48 hours[citation needed].

Johan Neeskens, who became assistant to Barcelona manager Frank Rijkard for the 2006–07 season, said that Neill "could play for any of the best clubs".[5] On 4 August 2006 he announced he would not sign a new four-year contract for Blackburn Rovers. The player's agent, Peter Harrison, said "He has enjoyed his time there (Blackburn), he loves the club and the fans, he just feels it is time for a change."[6] On 30 August, Liverpool reportedly made a £2 million bid for Neill; however, this bid was rejected by Blackburn. The club wanted Stephen Warnock in part exchange for Neill; however Liverpool were not prepared to let the left-back go.[7] In late November, rumours emerged that Chelsea[8] or even Barcelona[9] were also interested in his signature. Neill, once a cult hero at Blackburn left under something of a storm and is now extremely unpopular amongst Blackburn fans. He was booed and barracked on his return to Ewood Park in March 2007.[10]

West Ham United

Neill playing for West Ham.

In January 2007 Neill turned his back on a un-confirmed bid from Liverpool in favour of West Ham United, following the successful transfer of Stephen Warnock from Liverpool to Blackburn.[11] Neill was accused of his primary motivating factor being money, but he later refuted these claims, stating the move was for purely footballing reasons.[12] Neill later alleged to the media that Liverpool had not made him feel truly wanted, and that he had not even spoken to manager Rafael Benítez. Neill made his league debut for the Hammers in February 2007 against Watford, where he picked up a knee injury.[13] He captained the team for the first time during a 3–4 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur the following month and went on to play every remaining game of the season. He became the permanent team captain following Nigel Reo-Coker's transfer to Aston Villa.[14] Neill made his first appearance as team captain in the 1–1 draw against Wigan Athletic on 25 August 2007.[15] Neill scored his only goal for West Ham in a 3–2 away defeat to West Brom in September 2008.[16] At the end of the 2008–09 season Neill rejected a one year contract extension with West Ham, becoming a free agent.[17]

Everton

Neill and national team-mate Tim Cahill playing for Everton in 2009

On 17 September 2009, Neill joined close friend,[18] Tim Cahill at Everton on a free transfer, signing a one-year deal.[19] He was unveiled to the fans at half time during Everton's 4–0 Europa League win at Goodison Park against AEK Athens.

Neill played his first game for Everton on 23 September 2009 in the League Cup, coming on as a second half substitution for Leighton Baines, in their 4–0 victory over Hull City.[20] Neill's first start for Everton in the Premier League was on 25 October 2009 where he played a full match against Bolton Wanderers setting up two goals.

Galatasaray

On 13 January 2010, Neill agreed to join Turkish side Galatasaray.[21] It is believed Neill wanted to leave Everton to secure a longer contract.[22] Neill signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Galatasaray,[23] linking up with Socceroo teammate Harry Kewell. Neill made his Turkish Super Lig debut for Galatasaray on 24 January 2010 in a 1–0 home win at the Ali Sami Yen Stadium against Gaziantepspor.[24] Neill along with Kewell and several others were released at the end of the 2010–11 season.

Al Jazira

On 19 August 2011 it was announced he had signed a one year contract with UAE Pro League Club Al Jazira.[25][26]

International career

In October 1996, Neill became the second youngest player, after Harry Kewell, to debut for the Australian national team[27] when he played in a friendly game against Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, aged 18 years and 7 months.[28] He also competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney with the Australian men's team, the Olyroos.

On 16 November 2005 at Sydney's ANZ Stadium, Neill helped Australia qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup playing the entire game and scoring the Socceroos' second penalty in a shoot-out against Uruguay, after aggregate scores were tied at 1–1 following extra-time. He was named Man of the Match for this game.[29]

Neill started all four of Australia's games at the 2006 World Cup. In the closing minutes of Australia's Round of 16 game against Italy, referee Luis Medina Cantalejo adjudged Neill to have fouled Italian fullback Fabio Grosso in the penalty area. Francesco Totti converted the ensuing penalty kick to score and give the Italians a 1–0 victory, knocking Australia out of the cup.[30]

Following the World Cup, Neill expressed his desire to captain his national side and on 6 October 2006 was named as the 50th player to captain Australia. On 7 October 2006 he made his debut as the Socceroo's captain in a 1–1 friendly against Paraguay, in Brisbane. Four days later, in Sydney, he captained Australia again in an Asian Cup qualifying game against Bahrain, which Australia won 2–0.[31] On 2 June 2007, Neill captained the Socceroos again in a friendly match against Uruguay at Sydney's Telstra Stadium in which Australia lost 2–1.

On 13 July 2007, in the dying seconds of the Socceroo's 3–1 loss to Iraq, Neill verbally abused the referee. He received his second yellow card and was sent off, capping a disappointing performance by the Australian side. In the quarter finals of the Asian Cup, Neill missed a crucial penalty in a shootout against Japan which resulted in Australia's elimination from the cup.[32] Neill played his 50th game for Australia in a World Cup Qualifier against Japan, a game that Australia won 2–1 with Tim Cahill scoring both goals.

Controversy

In 2011 Les Murray, an Australian soccer journalist, published a book entitled "The World Game: The Story of How Football Went Global" in which Murray cited an undisclosed source in alleging that Neill had instigated a mutiny just before the Germany vs. Australia game at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Murray alleged that Neill had asked his coach, Pim Verbeek, to leave the room, before describing Verbeek's game-plan as "bullshit" and erasing what the Dutchman had written on a whiteboard, telling the team to play like they normally do. The publication of this story was followed by responses from team members who had been eyewitnesses of the actual events, including Craig Moore, Eugene Galeković and Mile Jedinak, clarifying that such an event, as portrayed in Murray's book, had never occurred. Neill himself protested that before the Germany game it was Mark Schwarzer, and not Neill himself, who had given the team pep talk. A few days after the allegations hit the news, Les Murray retracted his allegations with a full apology, with an undertaking that future editions of his book would have the relevant portion deleted.

Career statistics

As of 23 October 2010[33][34]

Club

Club Season League Cup[35] Europe Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Millwall 1995–96 13 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
1996–97 39 4 5 0 0 0 44 4
1997–98 6 0 1 0 0 0 7 0
1998–99 35 6 9 0 0 0 44 6
1999-00 31 1 4 0 0 0 35 1
2000–01 24 2 1 0 0 0 25 2
2001–02 4 1 1 0 0 0 5 1
Total 152 14 21 0 0 0 173 14
Blackburn Rovers 2001–02 31 1 4 0 0 0 35 1
2002–03 34 0 7 0 4 0 45 0
2003–04 32 2 2 0 1 0 35 2
2004–05 36 1 8 0 0 0 44 1
2005–06 35 1 7 2 0 0 42 3
2006–07 20 0 1 0 5 1 26 1
Total 188 5 29 2 10 1 227 8
West Ham United 2006–07 11 0 1 0 0 0 12 0
2007–08 34 0 6 0 0 0 40 0
2008–09 33 1 3 0 0 0 36 1
Total 78 1 10 0 0 0 88 1
Everton 2009–10 12 0 2 0 0 0 14 0
Total 12 0 2 0 0 0 14 0
Galatasaray 2009–10 14 1 2 0 2 0 18 1
2010–11 23 0 2 0 4 0 29 0
Total 37 1 4 0 6 0 47 1
Career total 467 20 66 2 16 1 540 24

International

Template:Football player national team statistics |- |1996||1||0 |- |1997||0||0 |- |1998||1||0 |- |1999||0||0 |- |2000||0||0 |- |2001||0||0 |- |2002||0||0 |- |2003||3||0 |- |2004||5||0 |- |2005||11||0 |- |2006||9||0 |- |2007||8||0 |- |2008||7||0 |- |2009||7||0 |- |2010||9||0 |- |2011||2||0 |- !Total||63||0 |}

Personal life

On 2 June 2008, his long term girlfriend, Lindsey Morris, gave birth to twins; a boy and a girl.

On 28 September 2009, Neill was a victim of burglars who had been targeting the homes of Premier League players. Neill was at home when thieves broke in and stole belongings, including his keys, before driving off in his car, which was found soon after.[36]

References

  1. ^ "List of Australian Olympic athletes". Australian Institute of Sport.
  2. ^ a b "Neill on the move", BBC Sport, 3 September 2001. Retrieved 28 June 2007.
  3. ^ Soccerbase: Lucas Neill, Racing Post. Retrieved 28 June 2007.
  4. ^ "Blackburn seal Neill deal", BBC Sport, 7 September 2001. Retrieved 28 June 2007.
  5. ^ Cockerill, Michael (22 June 2006). "Neill good enough for Barca: Neeskens". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  6. ^ "Neill set for Blackburn departure". BBC Sport. 8 April 2006.
  7. ^ "Reds ready to bide time for Neill". BBC Sport. 9 January 2006.
  8. ^ "Sunday's football gossip". BBC Sport. 26 November 2006.
  9. ^ "Blackburn may sell skipper Neill". BBC Sport. 13 December 2006.
  10. ^ Hughes recalls 'crazy' Hammers visit
  11. ^ "West Ham confirm capture of Neill". BBC Sport. 22 January 2007. Retrieved 5 August 2009.
  12. ^ Dunn, Alex (23 January 2007). "Neill rejects cash claims". Sky Sports. Retrieved 23 January 2007.
  13. ^ "Tactical Formation". Football-Lineups.com. Retrieved 28 February 2007.
  14. ^ "Lucas Neill named as new Team Captain". West ham United. 27 July 2007. Retrieved 27 July 2007.
  15. ^ "West Ham United v Wigan Athletic". West Ham United. 25 August 2007. Retrieved 27 August 2007.
  16. ^ West Brom 3–2 West Ham
  17. ^ "Neill turns down new Hammers deal". BBC Sport. 3 June 2009. Retrieved 3 June 2009.
  18. ^ Mersey flight for Aussie skipper as Neill and Cahill unite www.heraldsun.com.au
  19. ^ "Neill signs for Everton: report". Everton FC. 17 September 2009.
  20. ^ Hull 0 – 4 Everton www.bbc.co.uk
  21. ^ Lucas Neill Galatasaray'da
  22. ^ Lucas Neill Galatasaray
  23. ^ Lucas Neill Sözleşme İmzaladı
  24. ^ "Galatasaray 1 – 0 Gaziantepspor". ESPN. 24 January 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  25. ^ http://www.thenational.ae/sport/football/al-jazira-to-unveil-manager-franky-vercauteren-on-sunday-and-lucas-neill Al Jazira to unveil Lucas Neill
  26. ^ http://theworldgame.sbs.com.au/news/1069338/Neill-seals-UAE-switch:-report Neill seals UAE switch: report
  27. ^ "Bring On The Young Blood". www.ausfootballreview.com.
  28. ^ "Socceroo 1996 Matches". www.ozfootball.net.
  29. ^ "Jubilant Socceroos achieve their destiny". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 17 November 2005.
  30. ^ Gardiner, Andy (27 June 2006). "Late Totti penalty kick sends Italy past Australia". USA Today. Retrieved 11 May 2010. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  31. ^ Cockerill, Michael (15 November 2006). "Arnold's roll of honour". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  32. ^ "Iraq down sorry Socceroos". Special Broadcasting Service. 13 July 2007.
  33. ^ "LUCAS EDWARD NEILL". Turkish Football Federation. 23 October 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  34. ^ "Neill, Lucas". National Football Teams. 23 October 2010. Retrieved 23 October 2010.
  35. ^ Includes FA Cup, League Cup, FA Community Shield, League Trophy and Turkish Cup
  36. ^ "Socceroos captain and Everton recruit Lucas Neill burgled while at home". Fox Sports.
Preceded by West Ham United Captain
2007–2009 		Succeeded by

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lucas_Neill&oldid=455016858"