Joshua Kennedy
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- See also Josh Kennedy.
| Joshua Kennedy | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joshua Blake Kennedy | |
| Date of birth | August 20, 1982 | |
| Place of birth | Wodonga, Australia | |
| Nickname | Jesus | |
| Position | Striker | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | 1. FC Nürnberg | |
| Professional clubs* | ||
| Years | Club | Apps (goals) |
| 1999–2000 2000–2002 2002–2003 2003–2004 2004–2006 2006–present |
Carlton SC VfL Wolfsburg Stuttgarter Kickers 1. FC Köln Dynamo Dresden 1. FC Nürnberg |
4 (0) 8 (2) ?? (?) ?? (?) ?? (?) 0 (0) |
| National team** | ||
| 2006 - | Australia | 3 (1) |
|
* Professional club appearances and goals |
||
Joshua Blake Kennedy (born August 20, 1982 in Wodonga, Victoria, Australia) is an Australian Football (soccer) player who plays as a striker for the Australian national football team and 1. FC Nürnberg.
The 6' 5" tall central forward began his footballing career at Carlton. At age 18 he was transferred from Carlton to Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg. However in his first season in Germany he only managed to play once for the first team - as a substitute coming on five minutes from time in the 4-4 draw against fellow Northern German side Hamburger SV on September 23, 2000. The following season brought little change for Kennedy as he managed just seven appearances for the Bundesliga side and only starting once. However, he scored two goals in this 2001/02 season, with his first ever Bundesliga goal coming on September 8, 2001 against Energie Cottbus.
At the start of the following season Kennedy was transferred to Regionalliga Süd side Stuttgarter Kickers, where he was a regular feature playing 23 games for the Suabian side. After just one season Kennedy left for Cologne where he joined (at the time) Bundesliga club 1. FC Köln. However he mostly played for their reserve team in the Regionalliga Nord, where he was the club's second-best scorer of the season with nine goals in twenty-three games.
Having just won promotion to the Second Bundesliga, Dynamo Dresden were looking for a striker and found it in the then 22-year old Victorian. This transfer, his fourth in four years, proved to be a vital one in Kennedy's career. He immediately found a first-team spot with the Saxonian side and played in all of the club's thirty-four league matches - again becoming the second-top scorer of his club with nine goals. The following season he was again an integral part in the club's fight against relegation scoring seven goals and setting up four. This attracted the interest of Bundesliga club 1. FC Nürnberg who signed Kennedy to a three-year contract and of Australian national coach Guus Hiddink who called the previously uncapped Kennedy up to the Australian Squad for the FIFA World Cup 2006.
Kennedy got his first national cap against Liechtenstein as a sub. He made his mark in his first game with a headed goal. He also came on as a sub in Australia's first World Cup game in which Australia beat Japan 3-1 by scoring 3 goals in the last 8 minutes. Kennedy was Hiddink's secret weapon against the Japanese because he was taller than all of the Japanese defenders. Kennedy also came on as a sub against Croatia, and his height proved crucial. Two Crotatian defenders were forced to mark Kennedy on a cross from Marco Bresciano, Kennedys missed header deflected to a now unmarked Harry Kewell who promptly scored, sending Australia to the second round.
In July 2006, during his first training session with FC Nürnberg, Kennedy ruptured his right Achilles tendon. He is not expected to be fit again until January 2007.
[edit] Trivia
Kennedy is married to Australian national basketball player, Jacinta Hamilton.[1]
His looks, consisting of chin-length hair and a beard, have brought physical comparisons with Jesus Christ and cricketer Jason Gillespie in Australia.
Simon Hill, while commentating for Australian television during the Socceroos' 2-2 draw against Croatia; "Here comes Josh Kennedy, whose looks have been likened to that of Jesus, I hope he can be Australia's savior tonight."
[edit] References
 |
Australia squad - 2006 FIFA World Cup | |
|---|---|---|
|
1 Schwarzer | 2 Neill | 3 Moore | 4 Cahill | 5 Čulina | 6 Popović | 7 Emerton | 8 Skoko | 9 Viduka | 10 Kewell | 11 Lazaridis | 12 Čović | 13 Grella | 14 Chipperfield | 15 Aloisi | 16 Beauchamp | 17 Thompson | 18 Kalac | 19 Kennedy | 20 Wilkshire | 21 Sterjovski | 22 Milligan | 23 Bresciano | Coach: Hiddink |
||
| 1. FC Nürnberg - Current Squad |
|---|
|
1 Schäfer | 3 Beauchamp | 4 Gláuber | 5 Wolf | 6 Galásek | 7 Nikl | 8 Polák | 9 Sibon | 10 Banović | 11 Mintál | 16 Heffernan | 18 Klewer | 19 Kristiansen | 20 Kennedy | 21 Schroth | 22 Engelhardt | 23 Saenko | 24 Greško | 25 Pinola | 26 Weber | 28 Reinhardt | 30 Stephan | 31 Paulus | 32 Benko | 33 Vittek | 34 Huber | 35 Pagenburg | 36 Mnari |
