Robert Enke

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Robert Enke
Personal information
Full name Robert Enke
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
 Hannover 96
Number 1
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 10 2008

Robert Enke (born August 24, 1977 in Jena) is a German football goalkeeper, who plays for Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga. Now that Jens Lehman is not playing for the National Team anymore, Robert Enke is the number 1 in the German team. He is an exellent goalkeeper and will most likly become one of the worlds greatest keeper in the World Cup 2010.

Early career

Enke started his career in the youth ranks of hometown club Carl Zeiss Jena and worked his way up to the first team during the 1995–96 season. He made his professional debut on November 11, 1995, against current club Hannover 96 in the 2. Bundesliga. He was given the opportunity after first choice Mario Neumann conceded 14 goals in just three matches, prompting coach Eberhard Vogel to drop him for the youngster Enke. Enke played three games during November 1995, but Neumann was restored to the team after this period and Enke did not appear for the first team again that season.

The goalkeeper actually would never play for the club again as he was snapped up by Bundesliga club Borussia Mönchengladbach in Summer 1996. Enke spent his first two seasons here with the club's U-23 side, playing in the lower leagues and honing his talent.

His chance came on the eve of the 1998–99 season when the club's legendary goalkeeper Uwe Kamps suffered an injury and new coach Friedel Rausch gave Enke his big chance to finally make his club debut. His first Bundesliga game came on August 15, 1998 in a 3-0 win over Schalke 04 that put them top of the table. However, this position quickly changed as, despite Enke's best efforts, the club plummeted to the foot of the league where they remained from October until their eventual relegation (Rainer Bonhof was manager from November onward).

Life abroad

Although Mönchengladbach's fortunes were on a downward path, Enke's were not. After his first full season as a professional, he was quickly signed by Benfica of Portugal. The club were then managed by Enke's countryman Jupp Heynckes, who promptly made him captain. His time in Portugal was a turbulent one, as the club changed manager three times in his three seasons there and suffered their lowest ever league finish (6th) in a trophyless spell, beset by financial difficulties that caused players wages to often be late.

Despite these problems, Enke's performances here gained him a list of admirers, with clubs like Arsenal,[1] Atletico Madrid[2] and Manchester United chasing him.[3] After contract talks with Benfica stalled, Enke took up the offer of Spanish giants FC Barcelona and moved on a free transfer in June 2002 on a three-year deal.[4]

Life at the Nou Camp proved tough for Enke - he later labelled the goalkeeper's spot at Barca as the "most difficult goalkeeping position in Europe"[5] – as he ended up playing second choice to Roberto Bonano. His debut set the mark, as the club were humiliatingly knocked out of the Spanish Cup by third flight Novelda CF at the first hurdle on September 11, 2002 and was criticised by teammate Frank de Boer for his part in their exit.[6] His brief taste of La Liga came in a 20 minute appearance as a substitute in a 2–2 draw at Osasuna on March 2, 2003. He did manage to sample some European action during his spell though as he made two UEFA Champions League appearances, against FC Bruges and Galatasaray in the group stage.

The following season, as Frank Rijkaard replaced Louis van Gaal as coach, Enke was loaned out to Turkish side Fenerbahçe – then managed by German coach Christoph Daum – as part of the deal that saw Rüştü Reçber move to the Spanish club. However, his career continued to stall as he managed to play just a solitary game there, a traumatic 0–3 defeat to Istanbulspor on August 10, 2003. His own fans pelted him with firelighters and bottles during the game, blaming him for this bitter defeat. These scenes caused Enke to immediately quit the club and his planned one-year loan and return to Spain.

After a four month spell back at FC Barcelona, but outside the first team squad, Enke dropped down to the Spanish Segunda División when he was loaned to CD Tenerife in January 2004 for the remainder of the season. Here, he enjoyed an upturn, performing strongly and winning acclaim from the fans and other clubs.

Bundesliga return

Following his return to form at CD Tenerife, Enke returned to his homeland with Bundesliga side Hannover 96 in July 2004 on a free transfer in an initial two year deal. Here, his career has enjoyed the greatest success and stability, becoming firmly established as the club's first choice and being voted the best goalkeeper in the league by his fellow professionals in kicker magazine. Such form linked Enke to moves to larger clubs, particularly VfB Stuttgart, but in December 2006, he ended spectulation by signing a contract extension with Hannover 96 until the end of the 2009–10 season.[7] He was elected team captain by his teammates for the 2007/08 season.[8]

International career

Enke first represented his country in 1998–99 whilst playing for Borussia Mönchengladbach, winning a place in the German Under-21 side and holding down that number one jersey throughout the season, playing 15 times in total. His performances there convinced national team coach Erich Ribbeck to include him in the squad for the 1999 Confederations Cup, although he did not feature in any games.
His international career then stalled when he left Germany and he was not considered again until his return to the Bundesliga. The growing acclaim he enjoyed since saw him in contention for the 2006 FIFA World Cup squad, under Jürgen Klinsmann, although he missed out ultimately. He succeeded in breaking into the squad shortly after, under new coach Joachim Löw, in being chosen for a friendly against Georgia, and, after first choice Jens Lehmann caught the flu, again against Cyprus.
He finally made his senior international debut for Germany in a 0–1 friendly defeat to Denmark in Duisburg on March 28, 2007. His Second international game was against Belgium on August 21 2008 in Nuremberg, in which he kept a clean sheet with Germany winning 2-0

Personal life

Robert Enke is married to wife Teresa and had a daughter, Lara, who died (aged 2) on September 17, 2006 due to a heart birth defect. They live together on a farm.[5]
He is involved with his wife in the animal rights campaign, and have many pets themselves. He has lent his face to the PETA campaign against the fur industry. He is especially against the use of cat and dog pelts in China.[9]

References

  1. ^ "Arsenal may bid for Benfica's Enke". world soccer news. February 2, 2001. Retrieved 2008-02-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ "Atletico start Enke move in motion". March 20, 2002. Retrieved 2008-02-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  3. ^ "Enke in Man Utd no-go". BBC Sport. December 6, 2001. Retrieved 2008-02-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ "Barca swoop for Enke". BBC Sport. June 4, 2002. Retrieved 2008-02-22. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b "Interview mit Robert Enke" (in German). October 20, 2004. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ "Copa del Rey: Novelda vs. Barcelona". September 12, 2002. Retrieved 2008-04-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ "Enke sticks with Hannover". December 25, 2006. Retrieved 2008-04-06. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  8. ^ "Robert Enke neuer Kapitän" (in German). July 23, 2007. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  9. ^ "Helpinganimals.com". Retrieved 2008-04-06.

External links


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