Middlesbrough and England defender, Jonathan Woodgate
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Jonathan Woodgate
Back permanently at his hometown club after spending last season there on loan, Jonathan Woodgate has one wish and one wish only this season - play as much football as he possibly can.
In a career that defines the phrase "injury ravaged", Woodgate has been employed by some of the top clubs in England and arguably the world's biggest club in Real Madrid but in nearly ten years as a top flight professional footballer has barely came close to making 200 appearances in total. His three years on the books of Real Madrid as a £14m signing from Newcastle United yielded only 9 appearances, an award for worst signing of the 21st Century from readers of Spanish paper Marca and a debut over a year after signing which saw him score an own goal and get sent off.
Now back on home soil and eager to get his career on track Woodgate needs games to show himself, Boro boss Gareth Southgate and England manager Steve McLaren that he can still perform at the highest level. Defensively, he is the key to Middlesbrough's season - if he can stay off the treatment table and out on the Riverside pitch that is.
In a career that defines the phrase "injury ravaged", Woodgate has been employed by some of the top clubs in England and arguably the world's biggest club in Real Madrid but in nearly ten years as a top flight professional footballer has barely came close to making 200 appearances in total. His three years on the books of Real Madrid as a £14m signing from Newcastle United yielded only 9 appearances, an award for worst signing of the 21st Century from readers of Spanish paper Marca and a debut over a year after signing which saw him score an own goal and get sent off.
Now back on home soil and eager to get his career on track Woodgate needs games to show himself, Boro boss Gareth Southgate and England manager Steve McLaren that he can still perform at the highest level. Defensively, he is the key to Middlesbrough's season - if he can stay off the treatment table and out on the Riverside pitch that is.