Patrick Kisnorbo

Football player infobox
playername = Patrick Kisnorbo


fullname = Patrick Fabio Maxime Kisnorbo
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1981|3|24
cityofbirth = Melbourne
countryofbirth = Australia
height = height|m=1.88
currentclub = Leicester City
clubnumber = 3
position = Centre Back
youthyears = 1996–1997
1997
1997–1998
1998–2000
youthclubs = St. Bernard's College
Essendon City
Bulleen
South Melbourne
years = 2000–2003
2003–2005
2005–
clubs = South Melbourne
Hearts
Leicester City
caps(goals) = 067 0(3)
048 0(1)
118 (10)
nationalyears = 2001
2003–2004
2002–
nationalteam = Australia U20
Australia U23
Australia
nationalcaps(goals) = 014 0(1)
003 0(0)
014 0(0)
pcupdate = 15:02, 24 August 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 12:09, 6 April 2008 (UTC)

Patrick Fabio Maxime Kisnorbo (born March 24, 1981 in Melbourne, County of Bourke) is an Australian footballer of Italian heritage currently playing for Leicester City.

Career

Kisnorbo began playing football as a youth in his hometown of Melbourne with Essendon City and Bulleen. He then played in the South Melbourne youth team for two seasons before being selected for the senior team, which was competing in the now defunct NSL.

Following the collapse of the Australian national league, he made his move to from South Melbourne FC to SPL side Hearts in 2003, quickly cementing his place as a first team regular where he made 48 appearances in two seasons.

Leicester City

Kisnorbo joined Leicester in the summer of 2005 from Hearts, having signed a pre-contract agreement in January. He followed former Hearts boss Craig Levein, striker Mark de Vries and fellow defender Alan Maybury across the border to the midlands club. He had spent 18 months at Hearts, playing a total of 64 competitive games.

Kisnorbo scored his first goal for Leicester City on the October 15, 2005 against Watford at Vicarage Road. The goal turned out to be the winner. His initial displays for Leicester City came in midfield, and some under-par performances culminated in him being booed by his own fans during a 2-1 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday. However, a move back to defence under new manager Rob Kelly resulted in a change in fortunes for Kisnorbo, and his fine form alongside central defensive partner Patrick McCarthy was instrumental in helping Leicester City avoiding the drop that season. He begun the '06-'07 season well, scoring two goals and putting in fine rear-guard displays against Coventry and Southend.

He was linked with moves to Birmingham, Everton and Wigan at the end of the 2005/06 season season, but decided to extend his stay with Leicester City by signing a new contract which also includes a rare clause allowing him to be released for every Australian national team game if he was required.

2007/08

Kisnorbo's third season at Leicester proved to be his worst, as he was thrice the victim of poor refereeing decisions. His first was a goal against Scunthorpe on 20 October, which was ruled out for an offside, depriving Leicester of an away win. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/7043044.stm Scunthorpe 0-0 Leicester] , BBC Sport 2007-10-20. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.] Kisnorbo later found out via video replay that his disallowed goal was actually onside, greatly frustrating him. [ [http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/LatestNews/0,,10274~1148305,00.html Sheer Frustration For City Defender] , Leicester City 2007-10-21. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.] The result would prove costly at the end of the season as Leicester were relegated by a point.

His second was a red card by referee Phil Joslin for a tackle in a 3-1 defeat to Ipswich on December 11. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/7136535.stm Ipswich 3-1 Leicester] , BBC Sport 2007-12-11. Retrieved on 2007-12-15.] Then manager Ian Holloway and fellow teammate Stephen Clemence were furious with the decision when video replays showed that Kisnorbo had actually won the ball. Joslin had the ban rescinded the following day. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/7140416.stm Kisnorbo has red card rescinded] , BBC Sport 2007-12-12. Retrieved on 2007-12-15.] His third was another red card by referee Mike Pike for a foul on Billy Sharp on April 5, 2008, awarding Sheffield United a penalty as Leicester lost 3-0 away. Video replays however revealed that Sharp was diving, showing no contact between the two.cite news | title = Sheff Utd 3-0 Leicester | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/7320206.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 2008-04-05 | accessdate = 2008-04-06] Kisnorbo's second red card of the season was also rescinded after Leicester's claim of wrongful dismissal was successful.

Kisnorbo scored his first goal of the 2007/2008 season against Crystal Palace on August 18. He also assisted DJ Campbell's earlier goal. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/6941744.stm Crystal Palace 2-2 Leicester] , BBC Sport 2007-08-18. Retrieved on 2007-09-29.] He was nominated for Championship Player of the Month for October, but lost out to Ryan Shawcross. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/s/stoke_city/7080062.stm Kisnorbo pipped to award] , BBC Sport 2007-11-05. Retrieved on 2007-11-06.] He played his 100th game and scored his 10th goal for Leicester in a 2-0 home win over Ipswich on December 26. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_div_1/7157286.stm Leicester 2-0 Ipswich] , BBC Sport 2007-12-26. Retrieved on 2007-12-29.] His season ended when he suffered damaged knee ligaments in a 3-1 home defeat to fc|Sheffield Wednesday on 26 April 2008, sidelining him for six months as Leicester were relegated from the Championship.cite news | title = Kisnorbo out for up to six months | url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/l/leicester_city/7375635.stm | publisher = BBC Sport | date = 2008-04-30 | accessdate = 2008-05-01]

International

Kisnorbo was part of Australia's 2001 Youth World Cup campaign, playing five matches for the Young Socceroos in Oceania qualifiers, including a goal against Papua New Guinea. He remained in the squad for the finals, appearing in all matches up to Australia's second-round elimination at the hands of Brazil.

His performances at under-20 level led to his first international on 6 July 2002 against Vanuatu - Australia's first match of the 2002 OFC Nations Cup. [ [http://www.rsssf.com/tables/02oc.html Oceanian Nations Cup 2002] ] He made three appearances in the tournament including the shock loss to New Zealand in the final.

In 2004 Kisnorbo was again selected in the squad for the Oceania Cup. In Australia's last group match against Solomon Islands he was sent off for a second bookable offence, ending his tournament. He declined to join the Olyroos squad for an Olympic preparation tour in July, electing to concentrate on cementing a place at Hearts F.C. in the pre-season. [citenews|url=http://www.theage.com.au/news/Soccer/Kisnorbo-still-eyeing-Socceroo-callup/2005/04/02/1112302289577.html |title=Kisnorbo still eyeing Socceroo call-up |work=M.Lynch, The Age|date=3 April 2005] This decision harmed his national team aspirations, as he was left out of the squad that eventually lost to Iraq in the quarter-finals.

Kisnorbo made appearances for the "Socceroos" in friendlies against Ghana, Denmark, China and Uruguay. These performances led to his selection in the Australian Asian Cup squad. [citenews|title=Qantas Socceroos Squad Announced for AFC Asian Cup |url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/default.aspx?s=aus_soc_news_feat_news_news_item&id=10698|work=Football Federation Australia |date=2007-06-08 |accessdate=2007-06-13] He played in the first two Asian Cup group matches against Oman and Iraq. After Australia drew and lost those matches respectively and needed to win the remaining match against Thailand to advance to the Quarter-Finals, coach Graham Arnold dropped Kisnorbo from the starting line-up amongst a host of changes. Australia won that match 4-0 but lost to Japan 1-1 (4-3 on penalties). Kisnorbo did not feature in the Japan match either.

Honours

;Australia
*Runner-up
**OFC Nations Cup: 2002

References

External links

* [http://www.lcfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10274~24489,00.html Leicester City profile]
* [http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/Socceroos/default.aspx?s=soc_player_profile&pid=187&tid=23 FFA - Socceroo profile]
* [http://www.ozfootball.net/ark/Players/K/KI.html Oz Football profile]
*soccerbase|id=35412|name=Patrick Kisnorbo