Jobi McAnuff
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Personal information | |||
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Full name | Jobi McAnuff | ||
Height | 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) | ||
Position(s) | Midfielder | ||
Team information | |||
Current team | Watford | ||
Number | 11 | ||
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 26 November 2006 |
Jobi McAnuff (born 9 November 1981 in Edmonton, London) is a professional footballer. He currently plays for Watford F.C., and has played for the Jamaica national football team.
Club career
Early career
McAnuff made his professional debut in the 2001–02 season with Division One side Wimbledon. He played 104 games and scored 15 goals for the club, staying until Wimbledon's last ever season, 2003–04 (they would later become Milton Keynes Dons).
In the January 2004 transfer window McAnuff joined West Ham United. He played only 14 games for the club, scoring 1 goal. On 12 August 2004 he joined Cardiff City for a fee of £250,000 and was a virtual ever-present in his first year at the club. He made his debut against Ipswich Town, scoring his first goal against his former side West Ham United during a 4–1 win. He played 48 games and scored 3 goals and picked up numerous player of the month awards.[citation needed] With Cardiff in financial difficulty, McAnuff left the club at the end of the 2004–05 season to join Crystal Palace for a fee of around £600,000.[2]
Crystal Palace
In his first season at Selhurst Park, McAnuff played 43 games and scored eight goals. His performances in the Championship understandably led to interest from a number of clubs and in the summer of 2006 being linked with moves to Watford, Bolton Wanderers and Charlton Athletic, the latter managed by his former boss at Palace Iain Dowie.[citation needed] However, it was announced during the summer 2006 transfer window that he would stay at Crystal Palace, and play for the Eagles under new boss Peter Taylor.
Watford
After a less successful 2006–07 campaign, McAnuff moved to Watford in June 2007 in a deal worth an initial £1.75 million.[3]
McAnuff endured a slow start to his Watford career and found himself out of the side for the early part of the season due to the [loan] arrival of young Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson. After Johnson's loan ended prematurely in November, McAnuff returned to the side and scored two important goals - the winner away at Sheffield Wednesday and a last minute long-distance strike to save a point at home to Cardiff City. Since the departure of Aidy Boothroyd Watford have deployed a slicker passing style of football. This was in coincidence with a huge upturn in form for Jobi who was easily Watford's best player in the 2nd half of the season. Mcanuff should be in the Premiership by now he really has the talent. He is also being chased by stingy former manager Brendan Rodgers, whose initial bid of £1.73 and the bus fare was rejected by Watford.
International career
McAnuff has only one cap for Jamaica which he picked up in a friendly against Nigeria, in 2002. He is now retired from international football. This is a shame as Mcanuff is easily the best talent out of Jamaica ever and with him Jamaica would surely qualify for the world cup. McAnuff, however, is a complete tool.
References
- ^ Source: SoccerBase.com stats Template:En icon
- ^ "McAnuff completes Palace switch". BBC Sport. 2005-05-31. Retrieved 2008-09-05.
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(help) - ^ "Winger McAnuff signs for Watford". BBC Sport. 2007-06-05. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
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External links
- Jobi McAnuff at Soccerbase
- Jobi McAnuff profile at watfordfc.co.uk
- The Official Jobi McAnuff Site