Louis Saha

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Louis Saha
Louis Saha playing for Manchester United
Personal information
Full name Louis Laurent Saha
Date of birth August 8, 1978 (1978-08-08) (age 29)
Place of birth    Paris, France
Height 1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current club Manchester United
Number 9
Youth clubs
1996–1998 FC Metz
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1998–2000
1999
2000–2004
2004–		 FC Metz
→ Newcastle United (loan)
Fulham
Manchester United		 047 0(5)
011 0(1)
117 (53)
086 (28)   
National team2
2004– France 018 0(4)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 15:45, 17 May 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 11:16, 13 June 2007 (UTC).
* Appearances (Goals)

Louis Laurent Saha (born 8 August 1978 in Paris, France) is a French international footballer. He currently plays for the English Premier League club Manchester United.

Contents

[edit] Club career

[edit] Metz

Saha made his English football debut on loan from FC Metz to Newcastle United in 1999, making 11 appearances and scoring one goal before returning to Metz.

[edit] Fulham

He was transferred to Fulham for £2.1million in 2000. During a spell of nearly four years at the club, he scored 63 goals in total. He was an ever favourite for Fulham before his transfer to Manchester United

[edit] Manchester United

Saha was transferred to Manchester United for a fee of £12.8 million in 2004 after impressing Sir Alex Ferguson in Fulham's 2-1 loss to Manchester United and throughout the season having scored 15 goals up to that point. Fulham were reluctant to sell Saha[1] but he pushed for a deal and it eventually went through on 23 January 2004.[2]

Saha impressed early, with 7 goals in his 10 starting appearances of the 2003-04 season and scoring on his debut against Southampton.[3] In the next match, versus Everton, Saha and Ruud van Nistelrooy each scored two goals in a 4-3 win.[4] On 28 February, he faced his former team for the first time, scoring the only goal for United in a 1-1 draw.[5]

He then got an international call-up for French national team, scoring on his debut versus Belgium and made the Euro 2004 squad for the tournament in Portugal. Unfortunately, he was unable to play in the FA Cup final win over Millwall, being cup tied due to an earlier appearance with Fulham.

The 2004-05 season was a stop-start season marred by constant injury. Saha never really got going making only 11 starting appearances, 11 from the bench and scoring two goals. In September he picked up a knee injury playing for France against the Faroe Islands which cost him a month. Then in November he picked up the injury again, also playing for the national side and costing nearly two months out. At the end of February 2005, the problem re-occurred, again leaving Saha out for a further two months. With serious doubts over fitness, his long term future at Old Trafford was highly uncertain. The Frenchman was again sidelined by a hamstring strain for the first three months of the new season and there was talk of him leaving in the January transfer window.

He finally returned in November 2005 and eased back into side as a sub, making appearances in League Cup matches. To the surprise of many, the French striker recaptured his initial good form and started banging in the goals. Six goals in the League Cup run saw him usurping Ruud van Nistelrooy as the first choice strike partner for Wayne Rooney. Saha was named a starter, over van Nistelrooy, in the final against Wigan Athletic, signaling an extraordinary turn-a-round in fortunes for the two players. For the remainder of the season, Saha was commonly picked in place of the Dutch striker. Saha scored 15 goals during the 2005-06 season and was chosen by Ferguson to partner alongside Rooney for the next season, after van Nistelrooy's exit for Real Madrid during the summer transfer window.

Saha began the 2006-07 season in great form, scoring only 7 minutes into the first game versus Fulham.[6] In December 2006, he signed an extension to his contract[7] lasting to 2010, though soon after began suffering from more injury problems. Groin and hamstring injuries restricted appearances and meant he only scored one goal in the 2nd half of the season. He returned as substitute at Roma but then soon picked up a knee injury. Saha's excellent pre-Christmas form had led to him bagging 15 goals in all competitions.

In the 2007-08 season, Saha returned from injury and came as a substitute against Sunderland, scoring the winning goal.[8] On 23 September 2007, Saha won and converted a penalty against Chelsea in Chelsea's first game with Avram Grant in charge.[9] This earned Saha a recall to the French national team after a year out.

Against Arsenal, Saha came on to replace the under performing Carlos Tévez in a 2-2 draw.[10] He was key in setting up a goal as Cristiano Ronaldo gave United a 2-1 lead.[10] Saha continued to make appearances off the bench, but when Wayne Rooney was ruled out for a few weeks he partnered Tévez up front. He recently revealed on www.manutd.com that he feels much fitter and hopes to get back into scoring form again. He started on December 26, Boxing Day. Manchester United won the game 4-0 and Saha scored two goals including a penalty to lift Manchester United to 1st position in the Premiership.

Saha made his return in an FA Cup clash versus Arsenal on 16 February 2008. The following weekend, Saha came on as a substitute for Ronaldo, scoring the final goal in a 5-1 rout of Newcastle United.[11] After returning to nearly full fitness, Saha's injury haunts returned and forced him off with a hamstring complaint during United's win over Bolton at Old Trafford, where Saha had been looking good, causing the defense various problems. Saha was ruled out for several weeks, missing key games. In the final game of the Premier League season against Wigan Athletic, Saha was named as a substitute, but played no part in the game. In May 2008, Saha admitted that he believes his United career is in doubt despite his want to stay and love for the club, he is unsure of what the future holds for him at Old Trafford.[12]

[edit] Honours

Manchester United


Fulham

[edit] Career statistics

Club Performance League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Season Club League Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
France League Coupe de France Coupe de la Ligue Europe Total
1997–98 FC Metz Ligue 1 21 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 24 1
1998–99 3 0 0 0 0 0 3 0 6 0
1999–00 23 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 23 4
England League FA Cup Football League Cup Europe Total
1999–00 Newcastle United Premier League 11 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 12 2
2000–01 Fulham The Championship 43 27 1 0 4 5 0 0 48 32
2001–02 Premier League 36 8 6 0 2 1 0 0 44 9
2002–03 17 5 3 1 0 0 8 1 28 7
2003–04 21 13 1 2 0 0 0 0 22 15
2003–04 Manchester United Premier League 12 7 0 0 0 0 2 0 14 7
2004–05 14 1 2 0 4 1 2 0 22 2
2005–06 19 7 4 2 5 6 2 0 30 14
2006–07 24 8 2 1 0 0 8 4 34 13
2007–08 17 5 2 0 0 0 5 0 24 5
Total France 47 5 0 0 0 0 6 0 53 5
England 214 82 22 7 15 12 27 5 278 106
Career Total 261 87 22 7 15 12 33 5 331 111
Last update: 17:44, 17 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] References

  1. ^ Saha issues Fulham threat. BBC Sport. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  2. ^ Man Utd seal Saha deal. BBC Sport (2004-01-23). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  3. ^ Man Utd 3-2 Southampton. BBC Sport (2004-01-31). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  4. ^ Everton 3-4 Man Utd. BBC Sport (2004-02-07). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  5. ^ Fulham 1-1 Man Utd. BBC Sport (2004-02-28). Retrieved on 2008-05-27.
  6. ^ Ben Hibbs (2006-08-26). Report: United 5 Fulham 1. ManUtd.com. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  7. ^ Saha signs new Man Utd contract. BBC Sport (2006-12-20). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  8. ^ Man Utd 1-0 Sunderland. BBC Sport (2007-09-01). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  9. ^ Man Utd 2-0 Chelsea. BBC Sport (2007-09-23). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  10. ^ a b Arsenal 2-2 Man Utd. BBC Sport (2007-11-03). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  11. ^ Newcastle 1-5 Man Utd. BBC Sport (2008-02-23). Retrieved on 2008-05-17.
  12. ^ Ian Ladyman (2008-05-16). Saha nearing the end. Sky Sports. Retrieved on 2008-05-17.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
France squad - UEFA Euro 2004
1 Landreau • 2 Boumsong • 3 Lizarazu • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Pirès • 8 Desailly • 9 Saha • 10 Zidane • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Rothen • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Dacourt • 18 Pedretti • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Marlet • 22 Govou • 23 Coupet • Coach: Santini
 Flag of France
v • d • e
France squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup Runners-up
1 Landreau • 2 Boumsong • 3 Abidal • 4 Vieira • 5 Gallas • 6 Makélélé • 7 Malouda • 8 Dhorasoo • 9 Govou • 10 Zidane • 11 Wiltord • 12 Henry • 13 Silvestre • 14 Saha • 15 Thuram • 16 Barthez • 17 Givet • 18 Diarra • 19 Sagnol • 20 Trezeguet • 21 Chimbonda • 22 Ribéry • 23 Coupet • Coach: Domenech
 Flag of France
v • d • e
Manchester United F.C. – current squad

1 van der Sar • 2 Neville • 3 Evra • 4 Hargreaves • 5 Ferdinand • 6 Brown • 7 Ronaldo • 8 Anderson • 9 Saha • 10 Rooney • 11 Giggs • 12 Foster • 13 Park • 15 Vidić • 16 Carrick • 17 Nani • 18 Scholes • 21 Dong • 22 O'Shea • 23 J. Evans • 24 Fletcher • 27 Silvestre • 29 Kuszczak • 32 Tévez • 33 Eagles • 38 Heaton • 47 Welbeck • Manager: Ferguson


Persondata
NAME Saha, Louis Laurent
ALTERNATIVE NAMES
SHORT DESCRIPTION footballer
DATE OF BIRTH 1978-8-8
PLACE OF BIRTH Paris, France
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH