FOOTBALLER'S LIFE - Pablo Zabaleta, Manchester City and Argentina defender

Pablo Zabaleta signed for Manchester City back in August 2008 from Spanish side Espanyol for GBP6.45million and has become a cult hero at the club.

His status across the blue side of Manchester stems from his versatility and work rate.

Winning plaudits from the terraces and critics alike for his tough tackling and committed performances in sky blue, Zabaleta was in the PFA team of the year in 2012-13 and awarded Manchester City's Etihad player of the season 2013.

The latter of which he won after receiving 68% of the vote polled by the supporters club and fans online.

After winning the award, Zabaleta said. “I would like to say thank you to all the City fans who voted for me. This is a great personal honour and sits alongside winning the Premier League title, captaining City and playing for my country.”

This capped off a great season for 'Zaba' which saw him accumulate 42 appearances and 3 goals for City. He also captained the team in Vincent Kompany's absence, in addition to winning the clubs Etihad player of the month awards in January and February.

The 29 year old began his career in Argentina at San Lorenzo in 2002, and was capped at national youth level from 14, captaining the under 20s to World Cup glory in 2005, before being transferred to Spanish outfit Espanyol for GBP2.7million.

Zabaleta helped his new team capture the Copa del Rey in 2006, and achieved a UEFA cup final appearance against fellow Spanish side Sevilla a year later, however Espanyol lost on penalties on the day.

The defender, who has been utilised at right back and in midfield made 84 appearances for Espanyol over three years before transferring to Manchester City.

In 2008, he won an Olympic gold medal, representing his country in Beijing. The team beat Nigeria in the final, thanks to a goal from Angel Di Maria.

The Argentine made his EPL debut for City in the home defeat to Chelsea on September 13th 2008, and appeared 39 times for City in his maiden season, quickly becoming a vital member of the first team.

He scored his first goal for the club in a 1-0 win over Wigan in January 2009, the wait for his second took 22 months, against Fulham in bittersweet circumstances condemning Mark Hughes, the man who brought him to England to defeat with an uncharacteristic yet nonetheless spectacular long range effort.

He quickly reached another landmark at City, making his 100th appearance for the club against Blackpool on new years day 2011.

He has since made 168 appearances for the Citizens.
Despite cementing his name as one of the first on the team sheet at City, this was in stark contrast to the international scene, as Zabaleta was overlooked for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa by then manager Diego Maradona.

Zabaleta did however represent his country at the 2011 Copa America and is now a regular starter in the international set up.

He made 39 appearances this season, scoring one goal with a pass completion rate of 85% on the way to winning the Premier league title and League cup.

The talismanic Argentine will be looking to continue his successful season at club level with international honours at this years World Cup in Brazil.

FOOTBALLER'S STRIFE: So adored by the Man City faithful, a facebook group emerged prior to the 2010 World Cup in South Africa begging Diego Maradona to 'stop ignoring him', however those pleas fell on deaf ears, the Argentina boss did not select the defender for the tournament.

ONE TO REMEMBER: He scored the opening goal on the dramatic final day win against QPR in 2011/12 that helped pave the way for the club's, and Zabaleta's first Premier League winners medal.

ONE TO FORGET: Sent off in the Champions League against Barcelona in the 2nd leg of their knock out phrase fixture, City went on to lose the game 2-1 and the tie 4-1 on aggregate. Zabaleta said: “I am disappointed but also very proud of the team because I think we played a fantastic game.”

FOOTBALLER STATS:

POSITION: Defender
CLUB: Manchester City
DOB: 16/01/1985
INTERNATIONAL CAPS: 36
INTERNATIONAL GOALS: 0

FOOTBALLER'S LIFE - Ben Foster, West Brom and England goalkeeper

Ben Foster spent much of his early playing career on loan in non-league football, however it was by chance that the Warwickshire born shot stopper was spotted by Sir Alex Ferguson in 2005 while on loan at Wrexham.

Ferguson was in attendance to watch his son Darren, but with United struggling to find a heir apparent between the sticks since the departure of Peter Schmeichel, the red devils boss snapped up the young keeper shortly after for GBP1million.

At the age of 22, Foster was deemed not ready for first team action, and swiftly went out on loan to Championship side Watford for the season, with an option of a further year.

Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd claimed in the press that Foster was 'better than current Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin Van Der Sar' and he would be 'England's next goalkeeper', he repaid faith by helping Watford to promotion via a play off final victory over Leeds United.

He remained on loan at Watford in the Premier League and a succession of impressive displays earned him the clubs 'player of the season' award.

Boothroyd expressed a desire to keep Foster on the Watford books for a third season in a row, however the United manager made it clear the promising keeper would be returning to Old Trafford.

It finally seemed as though Foster would get some game time for his parent club two years after originally signing for them, however he underwent surgery on a cruciate knee ligament injury that would rule him out until February 2008.

After returning to action, he made sporadic appearances for the first team in league and cup due to injuries and in order to rest Edwin Van Der Sar for big games.

Following a combination of niggling injuries, inconsistent form when called upon and Tomasz Kuszczak ahead of him in the United pecking order, Foster resigned himself to the necessity of a move away from Old Trafford to gain first team football.

That came in the shape of a three year contract with Birmingham City, a team in search of a replacement for incumbent loanee Joe Hart who would return to Manchester City.

Foster was relatively consistent throughout the season in the league, but for a mistake whilst on England duty in a 2-1 defeat to France.

A week later, the goalkeeper made a multitude of stops to deny league champions Chelsea, as Birmingham held firm for a 1-0 league win.

Foster told the Mirror: “When I signed on, I was just relieved to be playing first-team football. It has gone from strength to strength for me. It has worked out really well.”


A further 'blunder' did creep in during the semi final of the league cup, against West Ham, where Carlton Cole's shot slid underneath him.

However he made up for his error in the final, with a string of good saves on the way to a 2-1 victory over Arsenal, Birmingham city's first trophy in 48 years.

“To win a cup in my first season here is amazing”, said Foster.

The teams league cup final heroics couldn't keep them in the top flight and were relegated on the final day of the 2010-11 season.

Nevertheless, Foster was awarded both Birmingham's player of the season and players' player of the season awards.

Following relegation to the 2nd tier of English football, Foster found himself in familiar territory, on loan, this time at Premier League side West Bromwich Albion.

Foster would appear in 37 of 38 league games, keeping 10 clean sheets – equalling WBA's clean sheet record on route to a 10th placed finish in the Premier League, Albion's highest league finish in 30 years.

In June 2012, he joined the Baggies permanently on a 3 year deal, continuing his impressive displays by recording 7 clean sheets in 30 games.

Despite a 4 month lay off due to a foot injury this term, Foster has been included in Roy Hodgson's 23 man England squad to fly out to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup.

His selection comes as a reward for his hard work and performances on merit over the last few seasons whereby the 31 year old has found some stability in which to ply his trade.


FOOTBALLER'S STRIFE: Foster sustained a cruciate knee ligament injury on returning to Manchester United from a loan spell at Watford, this proved to scupper his promising United career.

ONE TO REMEMBER: Helped Birmingham win their first trophy in 48 years, with an impressive display against Arsenal in the league cup final, he was man of the match.

ONE TO FORGET: Foster and Birmingham couldn't beat the drop after the league cup triumph and were relegated to the Championship on the final day of the 2010-11 season.

FOOTBALLER STATS:

POSITION: Goalkeeper
CLUB: West Bromwich Albion
DOB: 03/04/1983
INTERNATIONAL CAPS: 6

Who is Eliaquim Mangala?

As the race to sign Porto centre back Eliaquim Mangala hots up, it seems Chelsea are the Frenchman's preferred option over newly crowned Premier League champions Manchester City with location being the apparent dealbreaker.

Here's a rundown of his key moments so far.

1991: Born in Colombes, France

1996: Family moves to Belgium.

1996: Plays for Athletic Club Lustin, situated in Namur, where his family moved.

2002: Leaves AC Lustin and moves on to C.S. Wépionnais.

2004: After 2 years at C.S. Wépionnais, Mangala moves to Namur.

2006: Joins the IPES Waremme Football School.

2008: Signs for Belgian top flight club Standard Liege.

2008: Tastes silverware early into his Belgian Pro League career, winning the Belgian Super Cup.

2009: Makes debut for France Under-21s against Tunisia.

2009: Scored against Arsenal in Liege's 3-2 home defeat in the Champions League.

2009: Helps his new club to the Belgian Pro League title.

2009: Part of Standard Liege team that retains Belgian Super Cup.

2010: Reaching Quarter finals of the Europa League with Liege.

2011: Forced to withdraw from the French squad to play Slovenia in Euro 2011 Under 21 qualification group match, due to a groin injury.

2011: However did return on 15 November 2011, in a 2013 Under 21s European Championship qualifier, Mangala opened the scoring against Slovakia, France’s main rival in the group.

2011: Scores the first goal in a 2-0 victory over Westerlo in the Belgian Cup final. His last trophy at Standard Liege.

2011: Signs for Portuguese Champions Porto for £5.5 million.

2012: Makes 23rd and final appearance for the French Under 21's on 16 October 2012, France failed to qualify for the 2013 Under 21 European Championships after losing to Norway 4-5 on aggregate.

2012: His move to Portugal provides immediate success, winning Portugal's Primeira Liga in his first full season.

2012: Adds to Portuguese premier league win with the Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira or Portuguese Super Cup with a slender 1-0 win over Académica de Coimbra.

2013: Porto retain the Primeira Liga with Mangala in the side.

2013: Club keeps the Portuguese Super Cup at the Estádio do Dragão by beating Vitória de Guimarães 3-0 in the final.

2013: Received his first cap from France senior squad on 6 June 2013 in a friendly against Uruguay. France lost the game 1-0, Liverpool's Luis Suarez with the only goal.

2014: Porto finish third in Primeira Liga 6 points behind 2nd placed Sporting Lisbon and 13 points behind Champions Benfica.

Braintree Post Match: Paul Marshall Interview

In a game where chances were in short supply, Halifax were left frustrated by Braintree as they failed to break the deadlock, succumbing to a 0-0 draw at the Shay.

Midfielder Paul Marshall who arguably went closest in the first half with a freekick, admitted his frustration after the game.

‘Thought it was frustrating to be honest, Braintree came and set up camp, they didn’t really want to attack us, it didn’t quite go for us tonight.’

Although left dissatisfied by the outcome, the former Manchester City trainee believes the result was fair.

‘Yes it probably was, they had a game plan, and they worked it well, maybe we could of nicked it.’

Having missed the chance to climb up to third in the Skrill Premier had the Shaymen overcome the Iron, Marshall remains stoic in the belief a promotion push is still on the cards.

‘Yes 100%, we’ve got a good team, and we’ve got some big games coming up, the lads are very confident we can do it.’

Halifax are unbeaten in their last 6 games after the draw with Braintree, they will be looking to keep that momentum going into the remaining games.

The Shaymen turn their attentions to Nuneaton on Saturday; the first of three key away fixtures. Further away trips to Grimsby and Barnet follow.

‘We’ve played Nuneaton before, they play a little like Braintree tonight, set up camp and just want to defend, we played them at there place, and won, I think off 2 set pieces so I think set pieces will be crucial at there place.’