Brett Emerton

Brett Michael Emerton (born 22 February 1979 in Sydney, New South Wales) is an Australian Association football player who plays for Blackburn Rovers F.C. in England. He is usually a wide midfielder but has been known to play in central positions or at Defender (association football).

Club career

Emerton was a product of the Australian Institute of Sport and started his career with Sydney Olympic FC in the National Soccer League in August 1996, making 93 appearances and scoring 16 goals. After captaining the Olyroos at the Sydney Olympics, he joined Feyenoord in August 2000 winning a UEFA Cup winners medal in May 2002 (although Emerton himself was banned for the final match) and being named the 2002 Oceania Footballer of the Year. He made a total of 111 league and cup appearances for Feyenoord, scoring eleven goals. he joined Blackburn Rovers F.C. in July 2003 for an undisclosed fee, on a four-year contract, saying, "I've always dreamed of playing in the Premiership so to finally achieve it is great." His transfer to Blackburn was noted by the fact that he apparently turned down offers from larger clubs so that he could play in his preferred position on the wing. He scored on his debut in a 5-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. in August 2003. The manager, Graeme Souness, said of him, "Emerton is a top player, we are very fortunate to have him. .. If he can keep up that level of trickery I will be quite happy." However, he was unable to inspire Blackburn as they failed to make progress in the UEFA Cup and struggled against relegation.

Blackburn survived that season but again struggled in the 2004–05 season, not winning a game until September 2004. However, the club preserved their Premiership status following a change of manager and reached the FA Cup semi-finals, where they lost to Arsenal. Emerton paid credit to new manager, Mark Hughes, ""It is a huge achievement. When Mark came in we were in a bit of disarray but from the day he arrived we worked on our fitness. Everyone is better for that and it has shown in our performances." the semi-finals of the Carling Cup, losing to Manchester United F.C., and qualify for the UEFA Cup. Following the end of the season, Emerton signed a new four-year deal at Blackburn in August 2006. Mark Hughes described him as "...a player who gives me a lot of options. He can carry the ball from one end of the field to the other. That's why teams have coveted him this summer." and reached the knock-out stages of the UEFA cup, eventually losing out to Bayer 04 Leverkusen for a place in the last 16. At the end of the 2006-07 season, Emerton had made a total of 167 appearances for Blackburn in all competitions, scoring 10 goals. where he was sent off against Nigeria as Australia were beaten 3-2 and went out of the tournament.
He was named in the Australia squad for the Fifa Confederations Cup held in South Korea and Japan in 2001 and made the starting line-up in a shock win over France national football team and a defeat by South Korea national football team as Australia qualified from the Group stages.
He was a member of the Australia national football (soccer) team that lost out on the final place in the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea and Japan when Uruguay national football team beat Australia over two legs in November 2001. He played in the team that comprehensively beat England national team 3-1 at Upton Park in February 2003, scoring the final goal to seal an impressive win.

Emerton played in 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (play-off CONMEBOL-OFC) in November 2005, when the Socceroos qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, the first time that Australia had reached the finals of the World Cup since 1974, and was named in the Australian squad for the World Cup finals. He was in the starting lineup for all three Group Stage games against Japan national football team, Brazil national football team and Croatia national football team as Australia qualified for the second round. However, he received two yellow cards against Croatia, was sent off in the 87th minute and subsequently missed the Socceroos' second round match against Italy national football team.

Emerton scored 2 goals against Qatar national football team in Australia's 4th match of World Cup Qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in Doha Qatar. The match finished 3-1 to the Australians, with former Liverpool FC striker Harry Kewell getting Australia's 3rd goal, and consequently Harry Kewell 2nd of the tournament, as well as Australia advancing to the 2nd round of the World Cup. He also scored two goals against Qatar again on the 15th of october in Brisbane, one from the penatly spot and the other a right foot finish from a flowing Australian move.

Club career statistics

- Includes FA Cup, League Cup and FA Community Shield