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Birthdate:
24.09.1980
Birthplace: Molde, Norway
Other clubs: Aalesund, Monaco, AS Roma
Bought from: Monaco
Signed for LFC: £4000000 20.06.2001
International debut: 31.01.2000 vs. Iceland
International caps: 87/12 (02.06.2010)
Liverpool debut:
12.08.2001
Last appearance: 30.04.2008
Debut goal: 24.08.2001
Last goal: 03.04.2007
Contract expiry: 01.07.2008
LFC league games/goals: 234 / 21
Total LFC games/goals: 348 / 31
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Player Notes:
Riise was bought to Monaco for 700,000 pounds from 2nd division side Aalesund FK (Norway) in the summer of 1998. After Jean Tigana left Monaco Riise wanted also to look for pastures new. Leeds showed an interest but could not broker a deal with Monaco. Riise was frozen out of the first team but finally it looked like his old mentor Tigana would buy him to Fulham. Houllier improved Fulham's offer after Riise has agreed terms with the London side and hijacked the deal.
Riise benefited from his 3-year-stay in France and combines good technique and power. He seemed to have no trouble adapting to English game and was a tremendous success his debut season. Riise has an excellent engine and a very powerful left foot, but sometimes his defensive skills leave a lot to be desired. Riise lost his way at Liverpool in his last two seasons his personal nadir being his own goal in the semi-final vs. Chelsea in the Champions League. He left for AS Roma on the 18th of June, 2008.
It would be a shame if John Arne was mainly remembered for the calamitous cup own-goals against Luton and Chelsea that marred his final season at Anfield. On the positive side, he scored 31 goals, many of them really spectacular, and earned winners' medals in the European Super cup, League cup and F.A. cup as well of course as being a member of the historic team that won the European cup so famously in 2005.
Riise seemed to settle well into Italian football, making 31 League appearances for Roma in 2008-09 followed by 28 in 2009-10. He seemed to have lost the useful habit of scoring goals during his final years with Liverpool. But eight League and cup goals in two years with Roma shows that he has not lost the knack completely. John has continued to represent Norway on a regular basis and is now closing in on a century of "A" caps for his country.
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