Eric Addo

Football player infobox
playername = Eric Addo
fullname = Eric Pappoe Addo
nickname =


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|11|12
cityofbirth = Accra
countryofbirth = Ghana
height = height|ft=6|in=0
currentclub = PSV Eindhoven
clubnumber = 18
position = Centre back, defensive midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1996 1996-99 2002-04 1999-
clubs = Noble Harrics Club Brugge → Roda JC (loan) PSV Eindhoven
caps(goals) = 095 0(5) 085 0(5) 080 0(2)
nationalyears = 1998-
nationalteam = Ghana
nationalcaps(goals) = 023 0(0)
pcupdate = 27 September 2006
ntupdate = 28 June 2008

Eric Pappoe Addo (born November 12, 1978 in Accra) is a Ghanaian International football player who currently plays for the Dutch Eredivisie's PSV Eindhoven.

Once heralded as a potential African great thanks to his combination of strength, pace and poise early on, Addo, a combative central defender who can also play as a defensive midfielder, had his budding career blighted by knee injuries. [cite news | date=2007-01-01 | url=http://ghanafa.org/profiles/ericaddo.asp | title=Profile of Eric Addo | publisher=ghanafa.org | accessdate=2007-01-01]

Club career

Born in the Ghanaian capital Accra, Addo began his European career brightly at Club Brugge in 1996 and over three seasons at the Jan Breydelstadion made 65 appearances, scoring five goals. At Brugges, he was viewed as a potential superstar on the European stage, after bursting into the first team ranks and helping them to win the Belgian Championship. He was voted the 1997-98 Young Belgian Footballer of the Year by Belgian journalists and Ghana Player of the Year the same season. He also won the Belgian Ebony Shoe Award for being the best African player (or player with African roots) in the Belgian league. The jury was composed of the league clubs' coaches, the Belgian national team coach, sports journalists and an honorary jury.

Addo joined PSV Eindhoven during summer 1999 for €5.9m on a five-year contract, although he spent most of his first three years injured or as a substitute. He played just 24 times during this period, going out on loan [cite news | date=2003-03-08 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/2832525.stm | title=Addo hopes for career resurrection | publisher=bbc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-01-01] at Roda JC for two years - before finally becoming a regular, as PSV retained their Eredivisie title in 2006. "I'm hoping now to show at Roda what I can do," Addo told Dutch magazine "Voetbal International". "When I moved to PSV there was a lot of pressure and obviously it got worst when I was injured. They paid a lot of money for me. I still need to show the supporters what I am capable of and the move to Roda is the solution for me." [cite news | date=2003-03-08 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/2832525.stm | title=Addo hopes for career resurrection | publisher=bbc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-01-01]

His last game for PSV in the UEFA Champions League was a [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6534993.stm 1-0] away loss at Anfield against Liverpool F.C., in the 2006-07 quarterfinal second leg. [cite news | date=2007-04-11 | url=http://english.psv.nl/web/show/id=58980/contentid=20704 | title=PSV’s Champions League campaign has come to an end | publisher=psv.nl | accessdate=2007-04-11] (watch [http://files.filefront.com/7226182 1st half here] , [http://files.filefront.com/7226181 2nd half here] )PSV lost 4-0 on aggregate to the 2005 UEFA Champions League winners, after losing [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/europe/6517163.stm 3-0] at home.

On April 29 2007, Addo won [cite news | date=2007-04-29 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/6605971.stm | title=African duo in Dutch title win | publisher=bbc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-04-29] his fifth Eredivisie Championship with PSV in 2006-2007, with a [http://english.psv.nl/web/show/id=58980/contentid=20805 5-1] , final day home victory against Vitesse Arnhem [cite news | date=2007-04-29 | url=http://english.psv.nl/web/show/id=58980/contentid=20805 | title=PSV retain the Dutch title on a dramatic afternoon | publisher=psv.nl | accessdate=2007-04-29] . Pre-match, PSV, Ajax and AZ Alkmaar were tied on 72 points. PSV coach Ronald Koeman started Alex and Addo at the heart of defence in the decider. [cite news | date=2007-04-29 | url=http://english.psv.nl/web/show/id=58980/contentid=20804 | title=Koeman fields strongest possible team | publisher=psv.nl | accessdate=2007-04-29]

Contract extension

On 3 April 2007, Addo told "BBC Sport" that "I will not extend my contract with PSV because things are not improving here for me. The African Cup of Nations is getting close and if I have to stay I should be guaranteed more playing time to be fit for the tournament in Ghana." He added, "The club understands my situation and they have agreed to allow me to leave at the end of the season." [cite news | date=2007-04-03 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/6521523.stm | title=Addo to leave PSV Eindhoven | publisher=bbc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-04-03]

On 22 April 2007, Addo was linked with a move to Galatasaray S.K. [cite news | date=2007-04-22 | url=http://www.v-bal.nl/nieuws/bekijk.php?id=22607 | title='Eric Addo van PSV naar Galatasaray SK' | publisher=v-bal.nl | accessdate=2007-04-22] in the Dutch media. He was also linked with FC Twente, whose manager Fred Rutten knows Addo from his time at PSV [cite news | date=2007-04-24 | url=http://www2.voetbalprimeur.nl/index.php?t=news&id=49750 | title=FC Twente aast op Eric Addo | publisher=voetbalprimeur.nl | accessdate=2007-04-24] . However, on 22 May 2007, Addo changed his mind and signed a new contract extension with PSV [cite news | date=2007-05-23 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/africa/6681571.stm | title=Addo makes PSV U-turn | publisher=bbc.co.uk | accessdate=2007-05-23] .

On 26 October, 2007, Addo was charged with 'committing an act of gross unsporting conduct' and received a four match ban from UEFA for spitting at Fenerbahçe player Semih Senturk during an ill-tempered Champions League match on October 23. PSV later claimed that he was provoked by the striker who elbowed him moments before the incident occurred; this explanation was rejected by the association. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/7064070.stm "Addo hit with four-match ban"] BBC Sport Retrieved on 30 October, 2007]

International career

Addo was given the chance to represent his adopted country, Belgium, in the 1998 FIFA World Cup, but instead opted to play for his homeland. However, after playing in the 1998 African Cup of Nations, he spent six years in the international wilderness.

He was a member of the Ghanaian squad at the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals, playing in all four of Ghana's games including the exit to Brazil in the secound round. His last game for Ghana was against Mexico in an international friendly in London, England on 26 March 2008. Seealso|2006 FIFA World Cup (squads).

Personal life

His brother Ransford plays for Royal Antwerp.

Major honors and awards

;Clubflagicon|NED PSV Eindhoven
*Eredivisie (Dutch League) Winner: 1999-00, 2000-01, 2004-05, 2005-06, 2006-07, 2007-08
*KNVB beker (Dutch Cup) Winner: 2004-05
*Johan Cruijff schaal (Dutch Super Cup) Winner: 1999-00, 2000-01
*KNVB beker (Dutch Cup) Finalist medal: 2006
*Johan Cruijff schaal (Dutch Super Cup) Finalist medal: 2006, 2005

flagicon|BEL Club Brugge
*Belgian Jupiler League Winner: 1997-98
*Belgian Supercup Winner: 1996, 1998

; Individual
* Belgian Young Footballer of the Year Winner: 1997-98
* Belgian Ebony Shoe Award Winner: 1998
* Ghana Footballer of the Year Award Winner: 1998

References

External links

*en icon [http://english.psv.nl/web/show/id=58754/dbid=13/typeofpage=55009 PSV bio]
* [http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/w/player/253358_ADDO_Eric.html Fifa 2006 World Cup Profile]
* [http://www.mastercard.com/football/ucl/players/player_detail29678.html UEFA Champions League Profile]
* [http://www.ghanafa.org/ Ghana Football Association] - official website
* [http://discussions.ghanaweb.com/viewforum.php?f=2/ Ghanaweb Football Forum] - Official Fan Forum