Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Martin Škrtel | ||
Date of birth | 15 December 1984 | ||
Place of birth | Handlová, Slovakia | ||
Height | 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)[1] | ||
Playing position | Centre back | ||
Club information | |||
Current club | Liverpool | ||
Number | 37 | ||
Youth career | |||
Baník Horná Nitra | |||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
2001–2004 | Trenčín | 44 | (8) |
2004–2008 | Zenit Saint Petersburg | 74 | (3) |
2008– | Liverpool | 109 | (5) |
National team‡ | |||
2004– | Slovakia | 52 | (5) |
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15:11, 20 December 2011 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). |
Martin Škrtel (Slovak pronunciation: [ˈʃkr̩tɛl]; born 15 December 1984) is a Slovak footballer who plays in defence for Liverpool and the Slovakia national football team.
Contents |
Škrtel was born in Handlová and raised in Ráztočno[2] and began playing football at the age of six.[3] Although a competent ice hockey player, he followed his father's career.[4][5] He is the youngest of three children, with an older brother Dušan and sister Marcela.[6]
Škrtel played as left wing or striker until the age of 16 when he was asked to fill in as a centre-back for the Slovak youth team. He agreed even though he had never played that position before.[2]
Škrtel started his professional career at FK AS Trenčín. He played in 45 games for them between 2001 and 2004.[3]
Škrtel made his debut for Zenit Saint Petersburg in a Russian Cup match on 31 July 2004. He said that the presence of Slovak and Czech players helped him to adjust to the new team.[4] He played 113 times and scored 5 goals for the club.[4] Valencia, Tottenham Hotspur, Everton, and Newcastle United were all reported to be interested in his services,[7] but he ended up signing for Liverpool in the January 2008 transfer window.[8][9][10][11][12]
Škrtel joined Liverpool on 11 January 2008 on a four-and-a-half year contract for a transfer fee of £6.5 million.[2] On completion of the deal, then Liverpool manager Rafael Benítez said of Škrtel:
"He is aggressive, quick, is good in the air and I think he's a very good player for the future and also for the present. He is very competitive, but his mentality for me is very good".
He made his league debut against Aston Villa, wearing the number 37 for Liverpool. Benítez has also compared Škrtel to present Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher.[8][9]
On 26 January 2008, Škrtel played in Liverpool's 4th Round FA Cup tie against non-league side Havant & Waterlooville, when he nervously gave away a corner which put Liverpool 1–0 behind, and was also involved in a goal mouth scramble which saw Liverpool go 2–1 down after having equalised, before Liverpool eventually won 5–2. But he put in a solid display in the league game against Chelsea, making several good clearances and interceptions, and was voted Man of the Match by the Liverpool supporters on their official website. Liverpool fans have warmed to Škrtel and he is now considered an integral part of Liverpool's defence after turning in several more solid performances at centre half, especially in both UEFA Champions League quarter-final legs against Arsenal.
Škrtel was voted Man of the Match by Liverpool supporters on Liverpoolfc.TV, for his performance in the 1–0 derby win over Everton at Anfield on 30 March 2008, Škrtel's first ever appearance in a Merseyside derby.
Škrtel made a bright start to this campaign, starting in all but one Premier League match and displacing out of favour Daniel Agger to the bench. He put in a number of strong performances with defensive partner Jamie Carragher against many top teams, notably Manchester United, Everton and Olympique Marseille. However, on 5 October 2009, Martin suffered a serious knee injury after falling awkwardly when challenging Ched Evans late in a game against Manchester City. Liverpool went on to win the game 3-2 but it was later confirmed the central defender had torn the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and would face up to 8 weeks on the sidelines.[13]
He scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 2–2 draw with Manchester City on 21 November 2009.[14] On 26 February 2010, it was confirmed that he had broken his metatarsal in his right foot while playing in the 3–1 victory over Unirea Urziceni the previous day.[15] On 18 August 2010, Škrtel signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool, committing his future to Liverpool until 2014.[16]
He has played in all of Liverpool's fixtures this season, apart from the UEFA Europa League play-off against Trabzonspor, the first group game against Steaua Bucaresti and the shock exit from the Carling Cup 3rd round stage, losing to League Two side Northampton Town 4-2 on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Skrtel also played every minute of every Premier League match with Liverpool F.C.[17] He scored his second career goal for Liverpool on 28 November, opening the scoring at Tottenham at White Hart Lane on a Right-footed shot after collecting the rebound from his own deflected header, and also scored his first own goal in premier league as Liverpool lost 2-1. On his 26th birthday, he captained Liverpool in the Europa League against FC Utrecht. On 5 January 2011, he started the game against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park and completed the full 90 minutes in a 3-1 defeat. On 2 April 2011, he scored a header against West Bromwich Albion, and played the full 90 minutes in a 2-1 defeat at The Hawthorns. Skrtel had appeared in every minute of the 2010/11 premier league season, playing in all 38 Barclays Premier League games for Liverpool, one of only two out field players to do this, the other being Everton's left-back Leighton Baines.
On 27 August 2011, Škrtel scored a headed goal for Liverpool against Bolton Wanderers in his first league appearance of the season whilst making his appearance in an unfamiliar right-back position.[18] Later in the season he was sent off at an away match against Tottenham Hotspur, who won the match 4-0. Teammate Charlie Adam was also sent off at the same match. Škrtel came under criticism for his recent poor performances against Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United despite the fact that he was playing out of position because both right-backs, Martin Kelly and Glen Johnson were injured. Skrtel and Daniel Agger then became the first choice centre-backs ahead of Jamie Carragher after a run of good form. He scored Liverpools second goal in a league match against Aston Villa in a 0-2 win.
Škrtel played international football for Slovakia youth teams,[3] before making his debut in the senior squad in 2004. Škrtel was selected in Slovakia's squad for the 2010 World Cup, the country's first as an independent nation. He played a crucial part in the side's 3-2 win over reigning champions Italy as he played in every match of their world cup campaign, which saw Slovakia reach the knock-out stages ahead of the Italians.
# | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 2 September 2006 | Tehelné Pole, Bratislava, Slovakia | Cyprus | 1 – 0 | 6–1 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
2. | 7 February 2007 | Jerez de la Frontera, Spain | Poland | 2 – 0 | 2–2 | Friendly |
3. | 24 March 2007 | GSP Stadium, Nicosia, Cyprus | Cyprus | 1 – 2 | 1–3 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
4. | 13 October 2007 | Mestský štadión, Dubnica, Slovakia | San Marino | 4 – 0 | 7–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
5. | 6 September 2008 | Tehelné Pole, Bratislava, Slovakia | Northern Ireland | 1 – 0 | 2–1 | 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying |
Club | Season | Russian Premier League | --- | --- | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | ||
Zenit Saint Petersburg | 2004-05 | 7 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Zenit Saint Petersburg | 2005–06 | 18 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | 0 |
Zenit Saint Petersburg | 2006–07 | 26 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 1 | 0 |
Zenit Saint Petersburg | 2007–08 | 23 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | 0 |
Club Total | 4 | 74 | 3 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | 18 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 92 | 3 | 0 |
Club | Season | Premier League | FA Cup | League Cup | Europe | Other | Total | ||||||||||||
App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | App | Goals | Assists | ||
Liverpool | 2007–08 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 0 |
Liverpool | 2008–09 | 21 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 2 |
Liverpool | 2009–10 | 19 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 1 | 0 |
Liverpool | 2010–11 | 38 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 2 | 1 |
Liverpool | 2011–12 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 0 |
Club Total | 5 | 107 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 146 | 5 | 3 |
Total | 9 | 181 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 46 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 238 | 8 | 3 |
Last updated 18 December 2011 (UTC) |
Zenit St Petersburg
Individual
|
|
|