Thursday, January 3, 2008

Schwarzer loyalty is historic

SOCCEROOS goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has created English Premiership history by becoming the longest-serving foreigner at one club.

The Middlesbrough keeper set the record in Monday's 1-0 win over Portsmouth, his 316th Premier League game, surpassing the mark of 315 set by Arsenal's Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp.

The 35-year-old made his league debut for the Teesside club against Sheffield Wednesday on March 1, 1997 and has gone on to make 346 appearances in all competitions.

Although it looks doubtful his 10-season career with Boro will continue into next season, Schwarzer plans to keep playing and represent Australia at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

"Am I ready to give it away just yet? The answer is no, I'm not," he said recently.

"I believe I can perform at the highest level and I believe I can perform better than I have previously. It is also a case of remembering the last World Cup and saying to myself, 'I want to live that again and have an even better one next time'."

Loyalty such as Schwarzer's has been rare since the Premier League was formed in 1992.

Of the 27 players who have made more premiership appearances than him, only four -- Liverpool's Jamie Carragher and Manchester United trio Ryan Giggs, Roy Keane and Gary Neville -- have made them all at the same club.

Schwarzer's performances have been regarded as crucial to Middlesbrough's strong league finishes in recent years.

His most important save for the club came in the last match of 2004-05 against Manchester City, when he saved a Robbie Fowler penalty in stoppage time to keep them to a 1-1 draw.

The result put Boro in seventh and ensured qualification for the UEFA Cup, whereas City would have earned the European spot had Fowler converted the penalty.

His contract expires at the end of this season after he and the club were unable to agree on an extension in July.

www.foxsports.com

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