Gaël Clichy

Personal information
Date of birth	26 July 1985 (1985-07-26) (age 24)
Place of birth	Toulouse, France
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9+1⁄2 in)[1]
Playing position	Left back
Club information
Current club	Arsenal
Number	22
Youth career
1996–2000	INF Castelmaurou
2000–2001	Cannes
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
2001–2003	Cannes	15	(0)
2003–	Arsenal	138	(1)
National team‡
2004–2005	France U-21	10	(0)
2008	France B	2	(0)
2008–	France	3	(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 05:43, 25 November 2009 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 05:43, 25 November 2009 (UTC)

Gaël Clichy (born 26 July 1985) is a French footballer who currently plays as a full back for Arsenal in the English Premier League.

Contents 1 Biography 1.1 Early career 1.2 Arsenal 2 International career 3 Career honours 4 Arsenal career statistics 5 Footnotes 6 External links

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early career

Clichy grew up in the city of Toulouse, France. In his early years, after climbing over a metal fence, a ring he was wearing got caught and tore his Finger off.^[2] He had a seven-hour operation to sew it back on, but during the operation, his heart stopped beating due to a problem with his lungs. After 15 seconds, it restarted and, thankfully, he recovered. Doctors described it as a "miracle" that Clichy survived. His mother had the resources to help him recover after years of experience in medical school as a nurse.

When AS Cannes were relegated to the French Third Division, Arsène Wenger persuaded Clichy's parents to let him join Arsenal.

[edit] Arsenal

After Ashley Cole suffered a fractured foot in October 2005, it seemed that Clichy would earn some valuable first-team action during Cole's time out; indeed, with rumours linking Cole with a transfer to Spain, it seemed that Clichy could make a strong case for continual first-team action. However, Clichy ironically was a bit

Clichy returned to first team action on 25 April 2006 in a Champions League semi-final against Villarreal CF, and came on as a substitute for the injured Mathieu Flamini. Clichy suffered a re-occurrence of his injury and missed the end of the season including the Champions League Final, and would not return to the first team until 14 October 2006.

When Cole left for Chelsea in August 2006, Clichy became the first choice left-back at Arsenal. As Cole's understudy, Clichy made 62 appearances (including 39 in the league) for Arsenal in three seasons. In the season which followed Cole's departure, Clichy made 27 league appearances in a total of 40, and has since become Arsenal's first-choice left back. In the 2007–08 season, Clichy was selected in the PFA Team of the Year as left back. This fine form was rewarded on 20 June 2008, when he signed a new "long-term" contract. He came in second in the Arsenal fans' poll for Player of the Season. He captained Arsenal for the first time against Barnet in Arsenal's first pre-season game of 2008–09.

Clichy scored his first goal for Arsenal on 1 November 2008, with a late goal against Stoke City, as Arsenal went down 2–1.^[3] After being sidelined for several weeks, it was announced in early May that Clichy would miss the remainder of the 2008–09 season due to a back injury.^[4]

[edit] International career

In 2007, he was called up for the France national squad. He was called up again in January 2008, for the French game against Spain, and 5 February 2008, he was called in a B-squad friendly against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[5]

Clichy made his senior international debut for France on 10 September 2008 in their 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Serbia.

[edit] Career honours

Arsenal Winner

• Premier League: 2003–04
• FA Cup: 2005
• FA Community Shield: 2004

Runner-up

• UEFA Champions League: 2005–06
• FA Premier League: 2004–05
• FA Community Shield: 2005

Personal

• Member of PFA Team of the Year: 2007–08

[edit] Arsenal career statistics

(correct as of 31 October 2009)^[6]

Club	Season	League			Cup[7]			Europe			Total
		Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists	Apps	Goals	Assists
Arsenal	2003–04	12	0	0	9	0	0	1	0	0	22	0	0
	2004–05	15	0	0	7	0	0	2	0	0	24	0	0
	2005–06	7	0	0	0	0	0	4	0	0	11	0	0
	2006–07	27	0	1	7	0	0	6	0	0	40	0	1
	2007–08	38	0	5	1	0	0	10	0	1	49	0	6
	2008–09	31	1	0	0	0	0	10	0	0	41	1	0
	2009–10	8	0	0	0	0	0	5	0	0	13	0	0
Career totals		138	1	6	24	0	0	38	0	1	200	1	7

[edit] Footnotes

[edit] External links

• Statistics at soccerbase.com

v • d • e Arsenal F.C. – current squad 1 Almunia · 2 Diaby · 3 Sagna · 4 Fàbregas (c) · 5 Vermaelen · 6 Senderos · 7 Rosický · 8 Nasri · 9 Eduardo · 10 Gallas · 11 van Persie · 12 Vela · 14 Walcott · 15 Denílson · 16 Ramsey · 17 Song · 18 Silvestre · 19 Wilshere · 20 Djourou · 21 Fabiański · 22 Clichy · 23 Arshavin · 24 Mannone · 27 Eboué · 28 Gibbs · 30 Traoré · 32 Mérida · 33 Barazite · 34 Bartley · 35 Coquelin · 36 Cruise · 37 Eastmond · 38 Emmanuel-Thomas · 39 Evina · 40 Freeman · 41 Frimpong · 42 Gilbert · 43 Henderson · 46 Ayling · 48 Randall · 49 Shea · 51 Sunu · 52 Bendtner · 54 Watt · Manager: Wenger

Persondata
NAME	Clichy, Gaël
ALTERNATIVE NAMES	Clichy, Gaël
SHORT DESCRIPTION	Professional footballer
DATE OF BIRTH	1985-07-26
PLACE OF BIRTH	Toulouse, France
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH