John Carew

Infobox Football biography
playername = John Carew


fullname = John Alieu Carew
height = height|ft=6|in=4
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1979|9|5
cityofbirth = Lørenskog
countryofbirth = Norway
currentclub = Aston Villa
clubnumber = 10
position = Striker
youthyears = 1995-1997
youthclubs = Lørenskog
years = 1997–1999
1999–2000
2000–2004
2003–2004
2004–2005
2005–2007
2007–
clubs = Vålerenga
Rosenborg
Valencia
→ AS Roma (loan)
Beşiktaş
Lyon
Aston Villa
caps(goals) = 33 (14)
18 (18)
84 (20)
20 0(6)
24 (13)
35 (10)
50 (20)
nationalyears = 1998–
nationalteam = Norway
nationalcaps(goals) = 72 (21)
ntupdate = 02:37, 6 October 2008 (UTC)
pcupdate = 02:37, 6 October 2008 (UTC)

John Alieu Carew (born September 5, 1979 in Lørenskog, Akershus) is a Norwegian footballer partly of Gambian descent who plays for Aston Villa of England's Premier League. His father is Gambian and his mother is Norwegian; he was born and raised in Norway.

Early career

He won the Norwegian Football Cup with Vålerenga I.F. in 1997, and the Norwegian Premier League with Rosenborg B.K. in 1999. After a string of impressive displays in the Champions League, he moved to Spanish club Valencia, where he won the league. Carew was part of the Valencia side that lost on penalties in the 2001 UEFA Champions League Final, even though he scored on his attempt. His goals in that campaign were crucial, including a 75th minute header in a 1–0 home win against Arsenal in the second leg of the quarter final, which saw Valencia advance to the semi-final. In the 2002–03 Champions League campaign, Carew was once again responsible for the exit of Arsenal. With Valencia needing a win in their final game of the second group phase at home against Arsenal to progress to the quarter finals, Carew scored twice in a 2–1 victory. He then moved to AS Roma in Italy's Serie A before arriving in Turkey with Beşiktaş in 2004. [Cite news
title = Carew joins Besiktas
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/3896269.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2004-07-15
accessdate = 2008-04-13] After the 2004–05 season, he was snapped up by the four-time defending Ligue 1 champions Lyon. [Cite news
title = Lyon sign Carew
url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/4626739.stm
publisher = BBC Sport
date = 2005-06-27
accessdate = 2008-04-13]

Aston Villa

2006–07 season

On January 22 2007, 'Big' John Carew signed for Aston Villa in an exchange deal with Olympique Lyonnais for Milan Baros. [cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/6280575.stm|publisher=BBC Sport|accessdate=2007-01-22|title=Villa secure rafferty in Baros swap] Carew penned a three-and-a-half year deal at the Birmingham-based club.

Carew went onto receive the number 10 jersey - left vacated by Baros' departure. [cite web|url=http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/HeadlinesDetail/0,,10265~970293,00.html?|publisher= [http://www.avfc.co.uk|Aston Villa FC Official Website] |accessdate=2007-01-25|title=New Boys Get Shirty]

Carew made his debut in the 3–1 loss to Newcastle United, but went onto score his first goal for the club in a 1–0 victory against West Ham United just three days later. The Norwegian international is extremely popular amongst the Villa Park crowd, for his workrate and determination in attack - the faithful often sing the tune "Carew, Carew, Carew is on fire" and, more recently, "John Carew, Carew, he's bigger than me and you, he's gonna score one or two, John Carew, Carew" (to the tune of 'Que Sera Sera'). He finished the season with three goals from 11 appearances.

2007–08 season

Carew began the season as Villa's primary forward and was under high expectations from the Villa faithful. However, despite some good performances it took Carew nearly two months to score his opener for the season against Everton in a 2–0 victory. Unfortunately, he also injured himself in the same game and was out of action for six weeks with a hamstring problem.

He scored on his second match back in the Villa side in a 3–0 away win against Middlesbrough in November. He then followed this up with a headed goal against Blackburn in a 4–0 victory as Aston Villa began to climb the Premiership table. December brought just one goal for Carew—a 30-yard run and shot against Manchester City—but he was instrumental in several of the goals Villa scored.

Carew scored two goals against Reading on 12 January and was unlucky not to be awarded Man of the Match (which went to Martin Laursen). After two torrid results for Villa (a 1–1 draw at home to Blackburn Rovers and a 2–1 away loss to Fulham) he scored his first hat-trick for seven years and his first ever for Aston Villa against Newcastle United on 9 February in a 4–1 win. Gareth Barry allowed him to do so by kindly relinquishing his usual penalty taking duties so Carew could score his third.

On 12th April 2008, Carew scored for Aston Villa against Derby County at Pride Park in the Premier league, in the 26th minute and Villa went on to win the game 6-0. On 20th April 2008, Carew scored twice against Birmingham City in the Second City Derby at Villa Park, which Villa went on to win 5-1. He continued his scoring run with a header the following week, in a crunch game at Everton's Goodison Park which finished 2-2. It would be his 13th and final goal of the season, crowning him as Villa's top scorer for the 2007-08 season.

2008–09 season

John Carew scored his first goal of the 2008/09 campaign by scoring the first goal in Aston Villa's 2-2 draw over Odense BK in the Intertoto Cup.

Martin O'Neill has indicated that the forth-coming 2008/09 season will see Carew emerge as one of The Premiership's most feared strikers.

On 14 August 2008, Carew signed a 12-month extension to his contract, thus taking him through to 2011 with his current deal.

Carew continued his fantastic start to the new season by scoring the opening goal in Aston Villa's 4-2 win over Manchester City at Villa Park. He then scored his second league goal against Stoke as they went on to lose the match 3-2 when Mamady Sidibe scored a late winner. [ [http://soccernet-akamai.espn.go.com/gamecast?id=241919&cc=5739&league=ENG.1 John Carew scored his second league goal of the season as Villa lose] ] He quicked added his 3rd of the season in the 2-1 defeat of local rivals West Brom; and with Gabby Aghbonlahor on the scoresheet again the pair are beginning to form a formidable partnership.

Aston Villa F.C career statistics

:"(correct as of 28 September 2008)" [ [http://soccernet.espn.go.com/players/gamelog?id=11833&cc=5739 John Carew] , soccernet.espn.go.com, accessed 27 April 2008.]

International career

.

Personal life

Carew is now noted for being a religious person, and he often makes donations to charity. [cite web|url=http://www.dagbladet.no/sport/2004/12/30/418913.html|publisher=Dagbladet|accessdate=2004-12-30|title=no icon rafferty gir til flodbølgeofrene] He also contributes to organizations like Soccer Against Crime, MOT and Ungdom mot Vold and was awarded the Kniksen award as Kniksen of the year in both 2005 and 2007. Since joining Aston Villa, Carew is noted for visiting children in hospitals around Birmingham and supporting Villa's initiative to donate from the payroll towards hospital running costs. He usually celebrates his goals by running to the Villa crowd, sometimes picking up a lucky ballboy as evidenced in the 5-1 victory over Birmingham City.fact|date=July 2008He has one daughter.

Honours

*Winner of Norwegian Football Cup 1997 with Vålerenga
*Winner of Norwegian Premier League 1999 with Rosenborg
*Winner of Norwegian Football Cup 1999 with Rosenborg
*Runner-Up of UEFA Champions League 2001 with Valencia
*Winner of Spanish La Liga 2002 with Valencia
*Winner of French Ligue 1 championship 2006 with Olympique Lyonnais
*Kniksen of the year in 2005 and 2007

International goals

Trivia

His surname is usually pronounced "Karev" in Norway. In a song made by an Italian Roma fan, made semi-famous through extensive airplay on Norwegian radio show FK Fotball on NRK Petre, The correct pronunciation of his surname would be "Car Roo".He is a fan of the former Scarborough F.C., and is a member of the club's Norwegian supporters branch, having visited the town, in his youth.

References

External links

*soccerbase|id=16454|name=John Carew
* [http://www.football-shirts.co.uk/carewshirts.html John Carew] profile on football-shirts.co.uk
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/3094074.stm BBC News - Carew sent home]
* [http://www.aftenposten.no/english/sports/article1068955.ece Aftenposten - Carew's career keeps rolling]
* [http://www.aftenposten.no/english/sports/article759781.ece Aftenposten - Riise looking forward to seeing Carew]