Emanuel Pogatetz

Emanuel Pogatetz

Pogatetz in 2012
Personal information
Full name	Emanuel Pogatetz[1]
Date of birth	(1983-01-16) 16 January 1983
Place of birth	Graz, Austria
Height	1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current club	1. FC Nuremberg
Number	2
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2000–2001	FC Kärnten	33	(0)
2001–2002	Bayer Leverkusen II	26	(0)
2002–2005	Bayer Leverkusen	0	(0)
2002–2003	→ FC Aarau (loan)	21	(3)
2003–2004	→ Grazer AK (loan)	53	(2)
2005	→ Spartak Moscow (loan)	11	(0)
2005–2010	Middlesbrough	123	(4)
2010–2012	Hannover 96	57	(1)
2012–2013	VfL Wolfsburg	8	(0)
2013	→ West Ham United (loan)	6	(0)
2013–	1. FC Nuremberg	4	(0)
National team‡
	Austria U16	22	(0)
	Austria U18	5	(0)
	Austria U19	3	(0)
	Austria U21	11	(0)
2002–	Austria	60	(2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 20:22, 1 September 2013 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 29 February 2012

Emanuel Pogatetz (born 16 January 1983) is an Austrian footballer who plays as a defender for 1. FC Nuremberg. Pogatetz has previously played for FC Kärnten, Bayer Leverkusen II, FC Aarau, Spartak Moscow, Middlesbrough, Hannover 96, West Ham United and international football for Austria at under 16, under18, under 19, under 21 and full international level. He is nicknamed "Mad Dog" for his aggressive style of play.^[3]

Club career

Born in Graz, Pogatetz's career started at Sturm Graz before going to Kärnten and later to Bayer Leverkusen. After a short loan spell at Aarau, Grazer, and Spartak Moscow, he joined Middlesbrough.

Pogatetz in action for Middlesbrough

He had also been tracked by Fulham, but during his final match on loan at Spartak Moscow, he tackled Yaroslav Kharitonskiy, leaving the Russian with a double leg fracture. Although initially banned for 24 weeks by the Russian Football Union, the suspension was later reduced to eight weeks after Pogatetz attended a personal hearing in Moscow.^[4] As the ban commenced in June and was specified as a length of time rather than a number of matches, he ended up missing only three games for his new club Middlesbrough.

Middlesbrough

Signed by manager Steve McClaren for £1.8m his Middlesbrough debut came on 25 August 2005 against Charlton Athletic. With Pogatetz coming on in the second-half for Franck Queudrue, Middlesbrough lost 3–0.^[5] On 30 March 2006, during the first leg of Middlesbrough's 2–0 UEFA Cup quarter-final defeat against Basel,^[6] Pogatetz broke his nose, jaw and cheekbone in an accidental clash of heads with Mladen Petrić^[7] and was later warned against returning to full training for three months, for fear of losing his eyesight.^[8] He underwent successful surgery to have the fractures reset and Dr. Douglas Bryan declared himself "delighted" with Pogatetz's progress.^[9] "It is anticipated he will make a full recovery and be back with his team-mates for pre-season training," said Middlesbrough head physio Grant Downie. "The only disappointing thing for Manny [Pogatetz] is he won't be able to play football, and he was desperate to get back involved. But another blow to his face would risk severe trauma and a potentially eyesight-threatening injury."^[9]

Pogatetz suffered from a hernia, for which he received corrective surgery in Munich on 24 April 2006.^[9] On 4 July, he returned to training following successful surgery on his hernia and cheek.

In the 2006–07 season, Pogatetz was forced into the centre of defence due to an injury to Chris Riggott. He formed impressive partnerships at the back with both Robert Huth and Jonathan Woodgate, but was able to keep his place, even upon the returns of Woodgate and Riggott. Middlesbrough coach McClaren said "He never, ever, gives less than 300% in performance."^[10] After the 2007–08 season, Pogatetz was given the captain's armband on a full-time basis, following his taking up of the role towards the end of the season. Already known for his disciplinary problems having been booked 20 times in his first two seasons with Middlesbrough,^[11] in September 2008 he was involved in a challenge on Manchester United's Rodrigo Possebon in a League Cup game which resulted in Possebon being stretchered from the pitch and having to spend the night in hospital. United manager Alex Ferguson said of the incident "It was an absolutely terrible tackle. Pogatetz should have just walked off the field." Pogatetz was sent-off and served a three match ban.^[12]

Pogatetz returned in the 2009–10 season after a long injury layoff, on 31 October in a 0–1 loss to Plymouth Argyle, only to suffer a recurrence of his cheekbone fracture with the scores tied at 0–0.^[13] He made his return to the first team against Nottingham Forest on 21 November in a 1–1 draw. He had to wear a protective mask because of his cheekbone fracture which he picked up in the Plymouth game. He received a bang to the head in the Forest game and had to receive stitches at half time, he still completed the full 90 minutes.^[14]

Hannover 96

On 2 June 2010, he signed for German side Hannover 96 on a three-year contract making his debut on 21 August in a 2–1 home win against Eintracht Frankfurt.^[15][16]

Wolfsburg

On 20 June 2012, Pogatetz signed for the German Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg.^[17] He made his debut on 18 August 2012 in a 5–0 away win at FC Schönberg 95, assisting the fourth goal by Bas Dost.^[18][19]

West Ham United

On 28 January 2013, Pogatetz signed, on-loan until the end of the season, with English Premier League side West Ham United.^[20] A loan fee of £500,000 was paid to Wolfsburg by West Ham for Pogatetz.^[11] His West Ham debut came on 2 February in a 1–0 home win against Swansea City when he came on as a 90th minute substitute for Kevin Nolan.^[21]

International career

Pogatetz playing for Austria in 2012.

Pogatetz made his international debut for Austria on 18 May 2002 in a 6–2 defeat by Germany. He came on in the 83rd minute as a substitute for Ernst Dospel.^[22][23] His first international goal came on 6 September 2003 in a Euro 2004 qualifying game in the Feyenoord Stadium, Rotterdam. With score at 1–0 to Netherlands, Pogatetz equalised only for the game to finish 3–1 to the Netherlands.^[22][24] On 12 October 2005 he was dismissed in an international game against Northern Ireland. In the 73rd minute in a 2–0 win in the Ernst Happel Stadion in Vienna. Pogatetz retaliated to a "reckless challenge" by Northern Ireland's Damien Johnson. Both were dismissed.^[25] In September 2006, Pogatetz was banned from playing for his country after he criticised the coach Josef Hickersberger and captain Andreas Ivanschitz after Austria drew with Costa Rica and lost to Venezuela in an international tournament played earlier in the month. In 2008 he was a member of the Austria team at Euro 2008 which Austria co-hosted with Switzerland. He played all three games, against Croatia, Germany and Poland, as Austria failed to make the knock-out stages of the competition.^[22]

In March 2009, Pogatetz was named captain of Austria by coach Dietmar Constantini.^[3] However, a series of injuries kept Pogatetz out of Austria's team for much of 2009 and 2010, with Christian Fuchs replacing him as captain.

International goals

As at 10:08, 28 January 2013 (UTC)^[22][24][26]

#	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1	6 September 2003	Feyenoord Stadium, Rotterdam, Netherlands	Netherlands	1–1	3–1 Loss	Euro 2004 qualifying
2	20 August 2008	Stade du Ray, Nice, France	Italy	1–0	2–2 Draw	Friendly

Honours

Kärnten

• Austrian Cup: 2000–01

Grazer AK

• Austrian Football Bundesliga: 2003–04
• Austrian Cup: 2003–04

References

External links

• Official website
• Emanuel Pogatetz career stats at Soccerbase
• Leverkusen who's who
• Emanuel Pogatetz at National-Football-Teams.com

v t e Austria squad – UEFA Euro 2008 1 Manninger 2 Standfest 3 Stranzl 4 Pogatetz 5 Fuchs 6 Aufhauser 7 Vastić 8 Leitgeb 9 Linz 10 Ivanschitz 11 Korkmaz 12 Gërçaliu 13 Katzer 14 Garics 15 Prödl 16 Patocka 17 Hiden 18 Kienast 19 Säumel 20 Harnik 21 Macho 22 Hoffer 23 Özcan Coach: Hickersberger