Gareth Barry
DOB 23.02.81
2007 Caps 8, Goals 0
Career Caps 16, Goals 0
Aston Villa



After a gap of four years without any involvement in the England side, and seven years since he played in a competitive international, Gareth Barry completed a remarkable return to prominence this year.

Having settled in one position at Villa, Barry began to exert an influence on the domestic league and when up against the very best midfielders he showed he was capable of holding his own.

Steve McClaren took the opportunity to give Barry his chance in a friendly against Spain at the start of the year. On a difficult evening for the home side, Barry's second half performance in central midfield would prove to be a useful lesson.

Barry replaced Steven Gerrard at half time on that night, but the real impact from the Aston Villa captain would come later in tandem with the man he befriended in his youth at Euro 2000.

Having performed strongly at the start of the season, particularly as Villa overcame Chelsea in the Premier League, Barry got his chance in a crucial double-header at Wembley and took it with both hands.

Injuries presented the opportunity, with Frank Lampard, Owen Hargreaves and Michael Carrick all unavailable, but with the pressure on to achieve maximum points Barry showed his class as England earned two 3-0 victories.

Barry kept his place alongside Gerrard for the remaining three qualifiers, and though qualification was not to be for England, the performances of Barry were certainly a highlight.

Quotes:

“It was nice to play in their with Stevie G, playing alongside someone like that helps you in itself. To get a lot of the ball as we did, I thought I would do in a game like this at home against Israel, but I thought it went pretty well." Gareth Barry

"He's the heartbeat of this football club. Heartbeat is the operative word, he's got a fantastic heart, but he's also got great ability and that has showed on the biggest stage recently." Martin O'Neill