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Name: Zoltan
Gera
Position: Midfielder / Forward
Squad Number: 11
Date of Birth: April 22nd, 1979
Birthplace: Pecs, Hungary
Nationality: Hungarian
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 11st 11lbs
Signed for Albion: Friday 30th July 2004
Signed From: Ferencvaros
Signed By: Gary Megson
Transfer Fee: £1,500,500
Contract Expires: Summer
2007 with a further year's option in the club's favour
Albion Debut:
Saturday 14th August 2004, Blackburn Rovers 1 West Bromwich Albion 1, Barclays Premiership, substitute appearance (87th minute).
Full Debut: Wednesday 25th August 2004, West Bromwich Albion 1
Tottenham Hotspur 1, Barclays Premiership.
First Albion Goal: Wednesday 25th August 2004, West
Bromwich Albion 1 Tottenham Hotspur 1,
Barclays Premiership
Previous Clubs: Ferencvaros (2002-2004)
Honours
Fenecvaros: Domestic League Winners: 2003/04. Domestic Cup Winners:
2003/04.
West Bromwich Albion: Supporters 'Player of the
Year' award 2005
International Honours
Hungary Full: 39 caps, 13 goals also
Captain of his Country
Represented at Under-21 Level
Hungary's 'Footballer of the Year' 2004
Biography
Zoltan Gera joined Albion in July 2004 for a bargain £1.5m from
Ferencvaros in his homeland Hungary where he just helped them to the
League and Cup double. Albion beat off a host of top European clubs
to capture "The Magic Magyar" and he didn't disappoint in his first
season in English football which saw him appear in all 38 Premier
League games scoring 6 goals in the process (including a 3rd minute
goal on his full home debut against Tottenham Hotspur in August 2004)
and being named in the Premiership all-star team by Soccernet.com. A
fine end to a season where he played his part in Albion's Great
Escape season.
A skilful and productive player, Zoltan dazzles The Hawthorns
faithful with his all action displays and willingness to chase down
lost causes, his career began with Harkany in Hungary before he moved
on in 1999 to join his local club Pecsi MFC, he stayed for one season
before joining Hungarian giants Ferencvaros in 2000, during his 4
year stay at the club he made over 200 appearances scoring over 50
goals to help the club to 2 League titles and 2 Hungarian Cup
victories. On a personal level winning the Hungarian Player of the
Year award in 2002, 2004 and 2005 a year after moving to England.
After his explosive impact on the Premiership in his debut season
here, the next season was bit of an anti-climax which saw him
struggle with a persistent pelvic problem which saw him travel back
to Hungary for treatment by the Specialist who had helped him with it
previously, he made only 15 Premiership appearances scoring 2 goals
including a vital last minute equalizer at Sunderland to earn Albion
a valuable point in a 1-1 draw. After a Hernia operation in November
2005, Zoltan tried to make a comeback in the side but it was only in
the last 7 games that he showed anything like his previous seasons
form. After Albion's relegation in 2005/06 Albion received a lot of
interest from Premiership sides eager to take him away from The
Hawthorns but Albion held firm and Zoltan remained at the club
scoring his first goal of the season in the game at Ninian Park to
earn Albion a point against Cardiff City. Rumours of an impending
move continued with Middlesbrough heavily linked to the player but
the January transfer window came and went with Zoltan still here at
the club scoring another important goal in the 3-0 demolition of
Wolves in the FA Cup 3rd round in January, his knack of popping up
with important goals continued at Queens Park Rangers in March where
he came off the bench to score Albion’s winner in a 2-1 win at Loftus
Road.
Zoltan’s international career began in February 2002 against
Switzerland in a 2-1 defeat, his first goal was the first of a
hat-trick in October of the same year where he scored all the goals
in a 3-0 win over San Marino in a Euro 2004 Qualifier. Zoltan was
named Captain of Hungary by German legend Lothar Matthaus in 2004 and
his first game as skipper saw a 3-1 victory over Latvia, to date he
has scored 13 goals in 39 games for his country.
In 2006 Zoltan appeared in a TV commercial for Pepsi alongside such
names as David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Ronaldinho and Raul to promote
the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
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