Shaun Maloney

Infobox Football biography
playername = Shaun Maloney


fullname = Shaun Richard Maloney
height = height|ft=5|in=7
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1983|1|24
cityofbirth = Miri, Sarawak
countryofbirth = Malaysia
currentclub = Celtic
clubnumber = 13
position = Left Winger/Second Striker
youthyears = 1999-2001
youthclubs = Celtic
years = 2001-2007
2007-2008
2008-
clubs = Celtic
Aston Villa
Celtic
caps(goals) = 103 (26)
030 0(5)
003 0(2)
nationalyears = 2002-2005
2005-
nationalteam = Scotland U21
Scotland
nationalcaps(goals) = 020 0(6)
014 0(1)
pcupdate = 15:40, 6 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 16:43, 11 October 2008 (UTC)

Shaun Richard Maloney (born January 24, 1983 in Miri, Sarawak, Malaysia) is a Malaysian-born Scottish international footballer who plays for Celtic in the Scottish Premier League. He plays as a winger or striker and occasionally as an attacking midfielder, and is known for his set-piece accuracy and confidence when shooting and for being the first player to claim both the SPFA Players' Player of the Year Award and the Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year during his first spell with Celtic.

Biography

His family moved to his mother's home-town of Aberdeen, Scotland when Maloney was 5 years old.

At a young age, Maloney found a love for sport, particularly football and tennis. By the age of 10, he had joined his first football club, Kincorth Boys' Club. He played regularly for his Primary School Team, St. Joseph's. At 12, he moved to Culter Boys' Club then at 14, to Albion Boys' Club. He played a number of games for Cults Academy, where he was a student.

Club career

Celtic

After joining Celtic team as a trainee in 1999, he made his first team debut on April 29, 2001 against Rangers at Ibrox Stadium. Celtic went on to win the game 3 - 0. He spent the next few years trying to break into the first team, spending most of his time as a substitute.

In February 2004, Maloney picked up a cruciate ligament injury while playing for the Scotland U21 team. He returned from the injury late on in season 2004-05, starting only one game in that season.

Maloney was in lethal form for Celtic in the 2005-06 season after being moved from a striking position to the left of midfield by manager Gordon Strachan. His displays received praise from players, fans and the media throughout the year, and in recognition of his excellent season he was awarded both the SPFA Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards, the first time a player has won both plaudits. He also won Celtic Fans' Player of the Year, and Players Player of the Year in a season which saw him score 16 goals and contribute 28 assists from midfield.

With his contract expiring at the end of the 2006-07 season, Celtic moved to offer Maloney a new deal. However, contract negotiations continued for months, constantly breaking down due to differences between the two parties. Chief Executive Peter Lawwell asserted that Celtic "cannot keep players at any cost" [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/6089036.stm |title=Celtic Warning Over Maloney Deal|date= 26 October 2006|publisher=BBC Sport Website] while Maloney warned that "In situations like this one, both parties have to be completely happy with the outcome." He also promised that the prolonged contract talks wouldn't affect his football and that he hoped he wouldn't have to consider leaving the club in the future. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/5395038.stm |title=Maloney Contract Talks In Limbo|date= 15 October 2006|publisher=BBC Sport Website] With the realization that Maloney would be able to leave for free by signing a pre-contract with another club in January 2007, the Celtic support feared the worst, recalling Jackie McNamara's departure.

No new contract was agreed with Celtic and eventually a £1 million transfer to Aston Villa was agreed, where Maloney would play under his old boss Martin O'Neill.

In his first tenure, Maloney made a total of 139 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions, scoring 37 times. [cite web|title=Shaun Maloney profile at official Aston Villa site|url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Squad/Profiles/0,,10265~19708,00.html]

Aston Villa

Just before the transfer window closed on January 31, 2007, Maloney signed a pre-contract agreement with Aston Villa. Villa manager Martin O'Neill was keen to bring Maloney to Villa for the second half of the season however and moments before the deadline he signed for the Midlands club for a reported fee of £1m. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/6316441.stm|title= Villa beat clock to sign Maloney |date= 31 January 2006|publisher=BBC Sport Website] He made his debut in the 2-0 defeat at Reading on February 10 2007 [ cite web|title=Tactical Formation|work=Football-Lineups.com | url=http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3761.php | accessdate=February 28 | accessyear=2007] On April 28, 2007, Maloney scored his first Villa goal in a victory against Man City at the City of Manchester Stadium from a free kick which was curled around the wall into the bottom right of the goal. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6578841.stm |title=Man City 0-2 Aston Villa|date=28 April 2007|publisher=BBC Sport Website]

Maloney had trouble settling into the club but after a somewhat lacklustre start to his Villa career, he began to show his best form. Maloney has acknowledged that his football had been suffering but remained optimistic about his future at the club: "Homesickness has affected my form. I haven't played well enough to play in the team and I think that has shown, so hopefully now things can change." [ [http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_2687071,00.html Sky Sports | Football | Premier League | Aston Villa | Maloney wants future sorted ] ] Both O'Neill and teammate Stiliyan Petrov, who were both at Celtic during Maloney's time there, had expressed their desire for Maloney to stay at the club despite reports linking him with a move back to Scotland. [cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/6965216.stm |title=O'Neill cools Maloney Celtic Link=27 August 2007|publisher=BBC Sport Website] [cite web|title=Maloney Gets Petrov Backing|url=http://msnsport.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11677_2642876,00.html]

Maloney scored a brace for Aston Villa in a 4-4 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day of 2007. However since then Maloney did not play a lot of games as half of his last season appearances were substitutions, he has also said that he would like to one day come back and play in Scotland. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/7425322.stm BBC SPORT | Football | My Club | Aston Villa | Maloney admits Villa frustration ] ]

Return to Celtic

On 22 August 2008, Celtic announced the signing of Maloney on a four year deal. [http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/aug/21/astonvilla.celtic?gusrc=rss&feed=football] The fee could rise to £2.5 million. [ [http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~1372538,00.html Aston Villa FC | Maloney Completes Return ] ] Maloney marked his return with a Man of the Match performance and two assists in his first match, after coming off the bench for Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink in a 3-0 victory over Falkirk at Celtic Park. Maloney scored his first goal after his return to Celtic in a 4-2 away win over Motherwell and managed his second the following week in a 3-1 away win at Kilmarnock.

International career

Maloney made 20 appearances and netted 6 times for Scotland Under 21's.

Maloney made his international debut as a half-time substitute in Scotland's 1-0 defeat to Belarus at Hampden Park on October 8 2005. He has so far gained eleven caps for Scotland and scored his first goal for Scotland, a free-kick in the Svangaskard Stadium in a 2-0 victory over the Faroe Islands [cite web|title=Maloney sets Scotland Euro target|publisher=BBC|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6730617.stm|date= 7 June 2007] . Maloney was also eligible to play for the Republic of IrelandFact|date=May 2008, and Malaysia.

International goals

:"Scores and results list Scotland's goal tally first."

tatistics

"Last updated October 5 2008"

Major honours

flagicon|Scotland Celtic
*flagicon|Scotland Scottish Premier League (2001, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2007)
*flagicon|Scotland Scottish Cup (2001, 2004, 2005)
*flagicon|Scotland Scottish League Cup (2001, 2006)
*flagicon|Europe UEFA Cup runner-up (2003)

Personal
*flagicon|Scotland Scottish PFA Player of the Year (2006)
*flagicon|Scotland Scottish PFA Young Player of the Year (2006)
*flagicon|Scotland Celtic Fans' Player of the Year (2006)
*flagicon|Scotland Scottish Players Player of the Year (2006)

References

External links

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