Patrik Berger

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Patrik Berger
Image:Berger, Patrik.jpg
Personal information
Full name Patrik Berger
Date of birth October 10, 1973 (1973-10-10) (age 34)
Place of birth    Prague, Czechoslovakia
Height 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position Midfielder
Club information
Current club Sparta Prague
Youth clubs
1989-1991 Sparta Prague
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1991–1995
1995–1996
1996–2003
2003–2005
2005–2008
2006–2007
2008-		 Slavia Prague
Borussia Dortmund
Liverpool
Portsmouth
Aston Villa
→ Stoke City (loan)
Sparta Prague		 089 (24)
025 0(4)
148 (28)
052 0(8)
029 0(2)
007 0(0)   
National team2
1993
1994–2001		 Czechoslovakia
Czech Republic		 02 (0)
042 (18)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 27 April (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 26 July 2006.
* Appearances (Goals)

Patrik Berger (born 10 November 1973) is a Czech footballer who currently plays for Sparta Prague. He has competed in the premier leagues of the Czech Republic, Germany, and England – where he played for 12 years. He operated as a midfielder for Premiership club Aston Villa until May 2008, having signed from Portsmouth on a free transfer on 1 June 2005.

The success of the Czech Republic's national team in the 1996 European Championship raised the profile of many players – including that of Patrik Berger, Pavel Nedvěd, and Karel Poborský – and convinced some of Europe's most prestigious clubs to purchase them.[1] Capable of occupying midfield and forward positions, Berger became noted for his powerful strikes, surging runs, and strong left foot.[2][3] Berger has been beset with injuries throughout his career and has received specialist treatment in the United States.[4]

Contents

[edit] Club career

[edit] Praha and Dortmund

Berger was born in Prague, the then capital of Czechoslovakia. He began his career as a youth player at AC Sparta Praha in 1989, securing a professional contract two-years later with rivals SK Slavia Praha.[5] Establishing himself as a senior regular, Berger competed in Europe and earned selection for Czechoslovakia and, following its establishment, the Czech Republic.[5][3][6]

After 89 league games and 24 goals, Berger was puchased by Ottmar Hitzfeld's Borussia Dortmund in 1995 for a reported £500,000.[3] His only season as a Dortmund player was frustrating and successful. While Dortmund gained the Bundesliga title and Super Cup, Berger was predominantly used as a substitute, scoring four goals in 25 league appearances. Hitzfeld preferred to employ Berger as a defensive midfielder as he considered him to be most suited to the role.[2]

Liverpool's interest in Berger was stimulated by the performances of the Czech Republic during Euro 96, organised in England.[3] The club approached both Berger and Karel Poborský, who elected to transfer to Manchester United after the competition's conclusion.[7] Berger did accept Liverpool's contract offer and completed his transfer in August 1996 for £3.25 million.

[edit] Liverpool

With wife Jaroslava and their two children, Berger settled in Southport, Merseyside, where he resided near retired players Kenny Dalglish and Alan Hansen.[8] Debuting as a substitute in a 2-1 home win against Southampton on 7 September 1996, Berger performed well in his first month with the club, endearing him to supporters and earning praise from colleagues.[5][9] Used again as a substitute in his second match, Berger scored a brace of goals in a 3-0 win against Leicester City. A second double was registered against Chelsea in the latter's 5-1 defeat at Anfield, which he followed with a fifth goal in four games in a Cup Winners' Cup match against MyPa.[10] The series of displays were recognised in October with the FA's Player of the Month award for September. [11]

You know, the greatest day in my football life was the day I signed for Liverpool. I couldn’t believe it. When I was young in Czechoslovakia, we didn’t see much European football, but my father’s friend went to England and he watched Liverpool. When he came back, he gave me the programme, the ticket and a scarf. I still have them all.

When I moved to Southport to live, my neighbour was Kenny Dalglish. Alan Hansen lived around the corner. I met them, they were normal guys, but they were my heroes. To me, it’s the best club in the world and when I am finished playing and I’m telling my children about it I will be proud to say that for seven years I was a Liverpool player.
Sunday Times, 8 February 2004.[8]

First-team opportunities became limited in Berger's second season. Unable to reproduce earlier performances, Berger was often confined to the bench in a season punctuated by a hat-trick against Chelsea.[12][13] Berger's dissatisfaction and discord between the midfielder and manager Roy Evans placed his Liverpool career in jeopardy.[14] Evans criticised Berger's perceived indifference to teamwork and publicly expressed a willingness to sell after he refused to be used as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers in March 1998.[15][12] His agent reported to the media that Benfica, A.S. Roma and unidentified Spanish clubs were interested in arranging a transfer from Liverpool. The appointment of Gerard Houllier as co-manager before the 1998-99 season and subsequent departure of Roy Evans proved to be pivotal in Berger's decision to remain with the club.[14]

Playing regularly in his first season under Houllier's reign, Berger scored nine goals and improved as a player.[2] An injury sustained in a 4-3 defeat to Leeds United in November 2000 rendered Berger unavailable for much of the 2000-01 season and required him to travel to the United States to receive specialist treatment from Doctor Richard Steadman.[16][17] Berger recovered by March and featured in the finals of the UEFA Cup and FA Cup, in which he assisted Michael Owen to score the deciding goal against Arsenal F.C..[17]

Recurring injuries between 2001 and 2003 further disrupted Berger's career and deprived him of a presence in the first team, resulting in his decision to leave Liverpool after the expiration of his contract on the conclusion of the 2002-03 season.[2][18] Berger had been confined to the bench for the duration of his final season when selected, limiting him to four appearances.[18] He moved on a free transfer to Portsmouth,[19] having played 196 games for Liverpool, scoring 35 goals in the process.

[edit] Portsmouth

Berger made his first appearance for Portsmouth on the opening day of the club's debut Premiership season in a 2-1 home win over Aston Villa, scoring the second goal. However, in February 2004, he was forced to undergo an operation upon his knee forcing him to miss the rest of the season. His performances at the start of the 2004-2005 season indicated that a return to his best form might be on the cards.[citation needed]

However he was released by Portsmouth in June 2005 and joined Aston Villa on a 2 year deal.[20]

[edit] Aston Villa

Berger was hampered by injury during his early Villa career, making few league appearances. In November 2006 he was loaned to Stoke City in order to gain fitness[21], with some reports suggesting that the player had fallen out with manager Martin O'Neill over playing in the reserve side. After his loan spell, Berger had a good spell of fitness and began to show flashes of what he was capable of, regularly showing his influence on the pitch.[citation needed] On April 7, Berger scored his first goal in two years against Blackburn Rovers in a 2-1 victory, where his performance was praised.[citation needed] Berger scored again on May 5 in the penultimate game of the season against Sheffield United.

On May 28, 2007, Berger agreed to sign a one-year contract extension with Aston Villa. [22].

On May 6, 2008, he was told he had played his last game for Aston Villa after urging Villa captain Gareth Barry to move to Liverpool. At the end of his contract he was released by the club having appeared in just 29 PL matches in three seasons.

On 29 May 2008, Berger returned to Sparta Prague as a free agent, signing a two-year contract.

[edit] International career

Berger appeared once in the Euro 2000 Championship, having been suspended after being sent off in a qualifier against the Faroe Islands.

[edit] Honours

Borussia Dortmund
Liverpool

[edit] References

  1. ^ Harris, Nick (2002), Demoralised Slovaks put hope before expectation, 9 October 2002, independent.co.uk. Accessed 10 February 2008.
  2. ^ a b c d Patrik Berger, lfchistory.net. Accessed 10 February 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d Matthews, Tony (2006), p29
  4. ^ 23 Patrik Berger, soccernet.espn.go.com. Accessed 4 March 2008.
  5. ^ a b c *Past Player Profile: Patrik Berger, liverpoolfc.tv. Accessed 10 February 2008.
  6. ^ Patrick Berger, uk.eurosport.yahoo.com. Accessed 12 February.
  7. ^ Mills, Bill (1996), Czech Mates!; Fergie has never had a go at my hair says Karel, Sunday Mirror, 20 October 1996, findarticles.com. Accessed 13 February 2008.
  8. ^ a b Sunday Times (2004), Berger shaping up for battle, 8 February 2004, timesonline.co.uk. Accessed 13 February 2008.
  9. ^ Berger Sparks Liverpool Goal-rush, 22 September 1996, 4thegame.com. Accessed 14 February 2008.
  10. ^ Berger looks to increase his tally, 29 September 1996, 4thegame.com. Accessed 14 February 2008.
  11. ^ Evans insists Collymore stays, 11 October 1996, 4thegame.com. Accessed 14 February 2008.
  12. ^ a b Berger Boost for Evans, 4thegame.com. Accessed 22 February 2008
  13. ^ Hetherington, Paul (1998), Football: You're in for a serious Czech-up, Sunday Mirror, 15 November 1998, findarticles.com. Accessed 22 February 2008.
  14. ^ a b Hetherington, Paul (2000), Football: Berger relishing life without Roy; How Houllier Saved Red, Sunday Mirror, 13 February 2000, findarticles.com. Accessed 22 February 2008.
  15. ^ Football: Berger and Liverpool set for parting of the ways, The Independent, 12 March 1998, findarticles.com.. Accessed 22 February 2008.
  16. ^ BBC News (2001), Berger seeks all-clear stateside, 13 January 2001, news.bbc.co.uk. Accessed 26 February 2008.
  17. ^ a b Past Player Profile: Patrik Berger, liverpoolfc.tv. Accessed 26 February 2008.
  18. ^ a b BBC Sport (2003), Berger signs for Portsmouth, 6 June 2003, news.bbc.co.uk. Accessed 3 March 2008.
  19. ^ "Portsmouth capture Berger", UEFA.com, 2003-06-06. Retrieved on 2008-05-08. 
  20. ^ "Berger set for Aston Villa move", BBC, 2005-05-17. Retrieved on 2008-05-08. 
  21. ^ Stoke complete Berger loan swoop
  22. ^ Berger agrees to stay with Villa

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Czech Republic squad - UEFA Euro 2000
1 Srníček • 2 Řepka • 3 Látal • 4 Nedvěd • 5 Fukal • 6 Vlček • 7 Němec • 8 Poborský • 9 Kuka • 10 Koller • 11 Rosický • 12 Lokvenc • 13 Bejbl • 14 Horváth • 15 Jankulovski • 16 Maier • 17 Šmicer • 18 Novotný • 19 Rada • 20 Berger • 21 Gabriel • 22 Blažek • Coach: Chovanec
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