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Aaron Ramsey

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Aaron Ramsey
Ramsey (centre) with the Wales Under-21 side
Personal information
Full name Aaron James Ramsey
Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Centre midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Arsenal
Number 16
Youth career
1999–2007 Cardiff City
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2007–2008 Cardiff City 16 (1)
2008– Arsenal 27 (3)
International career‡
2005–2008 Wales U17 15 (2)
2007– Wales U21 12 (2)
2008– Wales 11 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 19:12, 2 March 2010 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 22:48, 31 December 2009 (UTC)

Aaron James Ramsey (born 26 December 1990)[1] is a Welsh international footballer, who plays as a central midfielder for Arsenal, but can also play on either wing or at fullback.

Career

Cardiff City

After impressing in an Urdd tournament as a youngster he signed for Cardiff City, who beat off competition from Newcastle United, as a schoolboy at the age of eight, working his way through the club's youth system. After a few more years he eventually made his Cardiff City debut in the last home game of the 2006–07 Championship season, coming on to replace Paul Parry in the final minute of the 1–0 defeat to Hull City on 28 April 2007. In doing so, Ramsey became the youngest player to ever play for Cardiff City, aged just 16 years and 124 days,[2] beating the previous record holder John Toshack. In June 2007, Cardiff City turned down a bid of over £1m for Ramsey from a London-based Premier League club.[3] The club was not named, but it was widely believed that they continued to watch Ramsey at every available opportunity during the 2007–08 season. Cardiff also turned down a £1m offer, although the deal was to start with a payment of £200,000 and rise depending on his future achievements, from Everton.

"Rambo", as he is known to Cardiff City fans, made his first league appearance of the 2007–08 season on 6 October, when he came on as a late substitute for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in the 2–1 home win over Burnley. Ramsey signed his first professional contract in December 2007[4] and went on to make his first full professional start for Cardiff on 5 January in the FA Cup against Chasetown replacing the suspended Stephen McPhail. An impressive performance from Ramsey saw him head in the second Cardiff goal as they went on to win 3–1.[5] Due to his performance against Chasetown, Ramsey was nominated for the Player Of The Round award, eventually losing out to Coventry's Michael Mifsud.[6] On 26 April, he scored his first league goal in a 3–3 draw against Burnley.[7] He went on to make his first career league start three weeks later in a 3–1 win over Queens Park Rangers and began to establish himself in the first team making several more starts in the Cardiff side. He made a total of 22 appearances during the season, his first full season of professional football, and played in five of the club's six FA Cup matches, including the final, becoming the second youngest player to play in an FA cup final after Curtis Weston, who played in the 2004 FA Cup Final for Millwall.[8]

Following Ramsey's impressive performance in the 2–0 FA Cup quarter-final win over Middlesbrough it was revealed that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson had talked to Cardiff boss Dave Jones to inquire about Ramsey, who were later joined by Arsenal and Everton in following his progress.[9] Ramsey grew up a Manchester United fan as he looked up to fellow Welshman Ryan Giggs as well as Roy Keane. Cardiff Chairman Peter Ridsdale told the BBC that Arsenal's bid of £5 million up front had been accepted. Arsenal's bid did not include a loan clause that would allow Ramsey to stay at Cardiff for another season.[10] Cardiff City assistant manager and former Arsenal player and coach Terry Burton, who was credited for having brought through Ramsey, also helped recommend him to Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, having retained a longstanding connection to the club.[11] During the transfer negotiations, Burton also advised that Ramsey join Arsenal, citing the similarity between the player and the club's overall style of play.[11]

Arsenal

2008–09 season

On 10 June 2008 it was confirmed that after meeting officials from Arsenal, Manchester United and Everton, Ramsey had decided to join Arsenal, who paid Cardiff City a total of £4.8 million for the player.[12] The move was completed on 13 June 2008 on what is said to be a long-term contract. The main reason he chose Arsenal ahead of the other clubs that pursued his signature was the approach of Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger, who flew him and his family to Switzerland to talk about the plans Wenger had for him and his potential future with Arsenal.[13] Wenger described Ramsey as "a player with a fantastic engine, good build, good technique and good vision".[14]

Ramsey made his competitive debut for Arsenal in the Champions League Third Qualifying Round against FC Twente on 13 August 2008 and his league debut a month later against Blackburn Rovers on 13 September 2008, marking it with an assist to Emmanuel Adebayor for Arsenal's fourth and Adebayor's third. On 23 September 2008 he completed 90 minutes in Arsenal's third round Carling Cup game against Sheffield United where he added two more assists to his season's tally, setting up Nicklas Bendtner and Carlos Vela, which Arsenal won 6–0. He scored his first goal for the club in their 5–2 victory away against Fenerbahce in the group stages of the UEFA Champions League[15] by shooting a long range shot which hit the left post and went in, becoming the fifth youngest scorer in Champions League history, and only the second player born in the 1990s to score a Champions League goal. Ramsey was named amongst host of young players poised to shine in 2009 by Fifa.com.[16] On 1 July 2009, he signed a new long-term contract at Arsenal.[17]

2009–10 season

On 22 August, Ramsey scored his first league goal in a one-on-one against goalkeeper David James as Arsenal beat Portsmouth 4–1[18] at Emirates Stadium and then set up Andrei Arshavin in a 3–1 home win over Celtic in the Champions League play-offs.[19] In the 28 October Carling Cup fourth round win against Liverpool, he produced an impressive performance that earned him the Man of the Match award.

Ramsey made his first Premier League start of the season on November 7, 2009 as Arsenal beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 4–1 at Molineux with Ramsey completing 90-minutes for the first time in the top-flight. Four days after the game, he was awarded the Welsh Young Player of the Year award.[20] On 6 December 2009, Ramsey scored his second league goal of the season in a comfortable 2–0 victory over Stoke City. On 30 December, Ramsey went on to score his third goal of the season, along with an assist in the 4–1 victory against Portsmouth. On the 3rd January 2010, Ramsey scored a 78th minute equaliser in the F.A. Cup third round tie against West Ham United at Upton Park. Arsenal went on to win the tie 1–2, with Eduardo Da Silva scoring a 83rd minute header. Ramsey went on to be named E.ON Man of the Match.

Ramsey has been described by manager Arsene Wenger as: "An offence-minded Roy Keane" and "an all-round player, with a fantastic ability to cover distances".[21]

Leg Injury

On 27 February 2010, Arsenal played Stoke City at the Britannia Stadium. In the 67th minute, Ramsey was tackled by Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross and suffered a double fracture in his lower right leg. The foul resulted in a red card for the defender. Ramsey was stretchered off the field into an ambulance and hospitalised, where he was later confirmed to have broken his tibia and fibula, although pictures and studies show that Ramsey had damaged his ankle badly literally moments before the challenge was thrust upon him.[22] It was later confirmed that Ramsey would be out of action for six to eight months.

International

Ramsey had his first taste of international football when he was called up for the Wales U17's in 2005. A part of the new wave of young talents to emerge from the Wales youth teams, he debuted for the U21 side on 21 August 2007 in a 4–3 away win over Sweden U21's several months shy of his seventeenth birthday, breaking former club mate Chris Gunter's record.[23][24] Youth coach Brian Flynn revealed that Ramsey had been purposely held back in the U21's to help qualify for the 2009 U21 European Championships but they lost a close contest to England U21's in the play-offs, where Ramsey himself scored a wonderful volley with his weaker foot in the second leg at Villa Park.[25]

On 19 November 2008, John Toshack named Ramsey in the squad to face Denmark in a friendly.[26][27] On 14 October 2009, he scored his first senior goal in the 2010 World Cup qualifier away at Liechtenstein from a free kick awarded for a trip on Gareth Bale.[28] With the World Cup qualification campaign now over, he and 11 other senior internationals were recalled to Flynn's preliminary U21 squad on 30 October for a qualifier but later withdrew.[29] On 6 November, Toshack also called him up for the 14 November friendly against Scotland.[30] Wales won 3–0 and Ramsey was involved in all of them – assisting David Edwards' opener, setting up Joe Ledley to assist the second and then scoring a solo effort.[31] Ramsey was awarded the FAW's Young Player of the Year award that same month.[32][33]

International goals

Scores and results list. Wales's goal tally first.
Goal Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1. 14 October 2009 Rheinpark Stadion, Vaduz, Liechtenstein  Liechtenstein 2–0 2–0 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying
2. 14 November 2009 Cardiff City Stadium, Cardiff, Wales  Scotland 3–0 3–0 Friendly

Personal life

As a child Ramsey attended Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni in the Caerphilly County Borough.[34] Before turning to football, he was a keen rugby player and as a schoolboy he played as a winger for Caerphilly R.F.C.s youth development programme, where he was approached by scouts from Rugby league side St Helens RLFC after playing in a youth match against them[35] but had already been signed by Cardiff City's youth academy. He lived with his parents, Marlene and Kevin, and his brother, Josh until moving to London where he was housemates with former Cardiff City teammate Chris Gunter,[36] then at Tottenham Hotspur, until the latter's move to Nottingham Forest. Ramsey is bilingual, fluent in both Welsh and English.

Career statistics

(correct as of 2 March 2010)[37]
Club Season League FA Cup League Cup Europe Total
Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists Apps Goals Assists
Cardiff City 2006–07 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
2007–08 15 1 3 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 2 3
Arsenal 2008–09 9 0 1 4 0 0 3 0 2 5 1 0 21 1 3
2009–10 18 3 3 2 1 0 3 0 0 6 0 0 29 4 3
Career total 43 4 7 11 2 0 6 0 2 11 1 0 71 7 9

Honours

With Cardiff

Runner-up

Individual

References

  1. ^ "Official Player Profile". cardiffcityfc.co.uk. 2007-08-22. Retrieved 2007-08-22.
  2. ^ "Jones hails record-breaker Ramsey". BBC Sport. 2007-04-30. Retrieved 2007-04-30.
  3. ^ "Cardiff reject £1m bid for Ramsey". BBC Sport. 2007-06-27. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
  4. ^ "Ramsey pens professional contract" BBC Sport Retrieved on 11 February 2008
  5. ^ "Chasetown 1–3 Cardiff". BBC Sport. 2008-01-05. Retrieved 2008-01-05.
  6. ^ "Mifsud takes the vote". TheFA.com. 2008-01-14. Retrieved 2008-01-14.
  7. ^ Factfile: Aaron Ramsey
  8. ^ "Man Utd win FA cup" BBC Sport Retrieved on 20 October 2008
  9. ^ "Fergie in for £5m rated Aaron Ramsey" South Wales Echo Retrieved on 15 March 2008
  10. ^ Cardiff City – Ridsdale on Ramsey Move: Updated
  11. ^ a b Amy Lawrence (2009-01-25). "Welsh Rambo a perfect Gunner". The Observer. guardian.co.uk. Retrieved 2009-01-25.
  12. ^ Phillips, Terry (2008-07-31). "Arsenal claim discount on Ramsey deal". South Wales Echo. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
  13. ^ Dulin, David (2008-06-13). "Ramsey completes Arsenal switch". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2008-06-13.
  14. ^ Wenger – Opportunity knocks early for Ramsey, arsenal.com, accessed 13 August 2008.
  15. ^ – Fenerbahce 2–5 Arsenal, arsenal.com, accessed 20 November 2008.
  16. ^ – Ones to watch in 2009, Fifa.com, accessed 9 January 2009.
  17. ^ Ramsey agrees new deal at Arsenal, BBC Football, accessed 2 July 2009.
  18. ^ "Arsenal 4 – 1 Portsmouth". BBC. 22 August 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2009.
  19. ^ – Arsenal 3–1 Celtic, arsenal.com, accessed 30 August 2008.
  20. ^ "News – FAW awards evening 2009 – Winners". faw.org.uk. 2009-11-11. Retrieved 2009-11-12.
  21. ^ The Official Arsenal Magazine Volume 8 Issue 07
  22. ^ "Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey suffers horrific leg injury". BBC Sport. 2010-02-27. Retrieved 2010-02-27.
  23. ^ "Sweden U21 3–4 Wales U21". bbc.co.uk. 21 August 2007.
  24. ^ "Ramsey set for Wales U-21 debut". bbc.co.uk. 13 August 2007.
  25. ^ "Ramsey earns promotion". westerntelegraph.co.uk. 11 November 2008.
  26. ^ "Ramsey to start against Denmark". BBC Sport. 2008-11-19. Retrieved 2008-11-19.
  27. ^ "Craig Bellamy adds the gloss for young braves". timesonline.co.uk. 20 November 2008.
  28. ^ Ramsey's rocket settles Wales nerves
  29. ^ "Ramsey named in Wales U21 squad". BBC Sport. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 8 November 2009. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  30. ^ Wales Squad v Scotland
  31. ^ "Wales 3–0 Scotland". BBC Sport. 14 November 2009.
  32. ^ "FAW Awards Evening 2009 – Winners". faw.org.uk. 11 November 2009.
  33. ^ "Giggs hails future captain Ramsey". bbc.co.uk. 14 November 2009.
  34. ^ "₤5m Ramsey 'popular and talented'". bbc.co.uk. 10 June 2008.
  35. ^ Williams, David (2008-05-29). "Ramsey could have been RL star". Media Wales. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  36. ^ Gunter hails super tenant Ramsey
  37. ^ "Statistics". Soccernet. Retrieved 2008-10-01.
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