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Birthdate:
15.02.1983
Birthplace: Hölstein, Switzerland
Other clubs: Basel, Aarau (loan), Dortmund, Stuttgart (loan)
Bought from: Dortmund
Signed for LFC: £0 03.07.2008
International caps: 32/0 - 14.11.2009
Liverpool debut:
23.09.2008
Last appearance: 29.04.2010
Contract expiry: 2012
LFC league games/goals: 7 / 0
Total LFC games/goals: 13 / 0
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Player Notes:
Very few had heard of Phillipp Degen before he signed for Liverpool. This skillful right-back won the league title two years in succession with Basel before joining Borussia Dortmund in 2005. Injuries hampered his progress and he only made 10 appearances in the 2007-2008 season. His contract expired in the summer of 2008 and he joined Liverpool on free.
Rafa was quite happy with signing Degen: "He is an offensive player with great energy and a winning mentality. His strength is going forward and I am confident he will be prove to be a quality addition to our squad. Sometimes you can find these players on the market. When you find a player like him who costs no money it means you can use money for improving other parts of the squad. He is a good signing, a player of potential, who can help us improve in the wide areas."
Degen proved to be quite unlucky at the start of his Liverpool career, hardly being able to step on to the field without getting injured. He broke two ribs on his Liverpool debut vs Crewe in the League Cup on 23rd September 2009 and when he made his second appearance vs Spurs in December he injured his foot. To the surprise of many Phillipp Degen figured in as many as 11 of Liverpool's 56 competitive matches during the 2009-2010 season, six from the start and five as a substitute. One of those starts ended with a perhaps unfortunate red card at Fulham in October. He didn't start another match until the New Year when he was part of the team that capitulated horribly to Reading in the F.A. cup. Although frequently in the 18-man matchday squad, Degen only made 5 more appearances by the end of the season. Degen wants to get his career back on track and moved to Stuttgart on a season-long loan in the summer of 2010. |
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