Jhon Viáfara

Football player infobox
playername = Jhon Viáfara


fullname = Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina
nickname =
height =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1978|10|27
cityofbirth = Robles
countryofbirth = Colombia
currentclub = Southampton
clubnumber = 16
position = Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 1999
2000–2001
2001
2002–2005
2005–2006
2006
2006–2008
2008–
clubs = Deportivo Pasto
América de Cali
Deportivo Pasto
Once Caldas
Portsmouth
→ Real Sociedad (loan)
Southampton
Once Caldas
caps(goals) = 44 (2)
37 (0)
18 (0)
114 (9)
14 (1)
11 (0)
76 (5)
nationalyears = 2003–
nationalteam = Colombia
nationalcaps(goals) = ? (?)
pcupdate = 08:55, 05 May 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate =

Jhon Eduis Viáfara Mina (born October 27 1978) is a Colombian football player, who is currently a free agent having left Southampton F.C. due to homesickness.

Born in the Colombian town of Robles, Viáfara came to international attention whilst playing for Once Caldas, for whom he was instrumental during his club's success in the Copa Libertadores, the South American version of the UEFA Champions League, in 2004. A tall and athletic midfielder who can play either in his preferred position on the right flank or down the middle, Viáfara is regardedWho|date=August 2007 as a fearsome tackler with the stamina to get forward and support the strikers while also protecting the back four.

His performances made him a regular in the Colombia national football team, and earned him a £800,000 move to English club Portsmouth F.C. for the FA Premier League 2005-06 season.

After playing in several games during the first half of Portsmouth's 2005–06 season, he was dropped by returned-manager Harry Redknapp after the sacking of Alain Perrin, the manager who had brought him to the club. In the January 2006 transfer window he made a loan move to Spanish Primera División club Real Sociedad. At the end of this deal Real declined the chance to purchase him and he returned to Portsmouth again, with only 11 matches played and two red cards for his Spanish adventure.

On August 4 2006 he signed a three year deal with rivalling south-coast team Southampton. The transfer fee was undisclosed but is believed to be in the region of £750,000. He has appeared consistently for the Saints in the 2006–07 season. One of his most memorable moments was scoring two goals in the Championship Playoff Semi Final Second Leg against Derby County, though it wasn't enough as Derby went on to win the tie in a penalty shootout.

He scored his first goal of the 2007–08 season with a 12 yard strike in Southampton's 3–2 win over Stoke City on 26 August 2007. Then on 29 September he got his second of the season with a 16 yard strike in the 2–1 win over Sheffield United which proved to be the winner.

External links

* [http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/team/?page_id=6587&player_id=105 Jhon Viáfara player profile] at saintsfc.co.uk
*soccerbase|id=37038|name=Jhon Viáfara
* [http://www.jhonviafara.com Player's website]