Tom Huddlestone

Infobox Football biography
playername = Tom Huddlestone


fullname = Thomas Andrew Huddlestone
height = Height|m=1.88
dateofbirth = birth date and age|df=yes|1986|12|28
cityofbirth = Nottingham
countryofbirth = England
currentclub = Tottenham Hotspur
clubnumber = 6
position = Defensive midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2002–2005
2005–2006
2005–
clubs = Derby County
→ Wolverhampton Wanderers (loan)
Tottenham Hotspur
caps(goals) = 88 (0)
13 (1)
57 (4)
nationalyears = 2005–
nationalteam = England U21
nationalcaps(goals) = 29 (3)
pcupdate = 21 September 2008
ntupdate = 10 October 2008

Thomas Andrew "Tom" Huddlestone (born 28 December 1986 in Nottingham, Nottinghamshire) is a professional English football player for Tottenham Hotspur.

Club career

Huddlestone made his Derby début on the opening day of the 2003-04 season in a 3-0 home defeat to Stoke City, but despite the defeat, he was voted Man of the Match. [http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/players/first_team/tomhuddlestone.html Player Profile - Tom Huddlestone] ]

Huddlestone signed for Tottenham in January 2005 for a fee reported to be worth up to £2.5million, but remained at Derby until the summer. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/4227853.stm Spurs agree deal for Huddlestone] ]

Huddlestone spent a few months of the 2005-06 season on loan to Wolverhampton Wanderers, scoring his first league goal, ironically at Derby, before returning to make his début for Tottenham as a substitute in the 1-0 defeat away at Fulham on 31 January 2006 [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/w/wolverhampton_wanderers/4581284.stm Huddlestone to stay at Molineux] .]

His first start for Tottenham came on 14 September 2006, away to Slavia Prague in the UEFA Cup, a game which Tottenham won 1-0.

His first goal for Spurs came in the Carling Cup 4th Round match against Port Vale on 8 November 2006. Huddlestone scored 2 goals in this match, his second goal proving decisive in extra time, taking Tottenham through to the quarter finals of the competition.

Huddlestone got his first league goal for Spurs on 17 December 2006 against Manchester City with an excellent half-volley on 24 minutes, hit first-time after assisting with team mate Calum Davenport's first goal with a free-kick [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6164455.stm Man City 1 - 2 Tottenham] ] .

Huddlestone established himself as one of the most promising young english central midfielders in the premiership towards the end of the 2006-07 season and head coach Martin Jol compared Tom Huddlestone with German legend Franz Beckenbauer due to his playmaking abilities, ferocious shot power and versatility [ [http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,11675_2402128,00.html Huddlestone: Size not important] ] .

On 25 December 2006, he signed a new four and a half year contract - keeping him at the club until 2011. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/t/tottenham_hotspur/6211123.stm Huddlestone agrees new Spurs deal] ] Tom signed a new and improved five-year contract on 30 June 2008 committing his future to Tottenham Hotspur until 2013. [ [http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/news/articles/newdealfortom300608.html New deal for Tom] ]

International career

He is a regular in the England under-21s. He played twice in the 2007 UEFA Under-21 Championship before a red card for dissent ruled him out of the semi-final and final. [cite web | title=Huddlestone handed two-game ban | work=BBC Sport | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/internationals/6764825.stm | accessdate=June 18 | accessyear=2007 ]

He was called up into the England squad by coach Fabio Capello to face United States and Trinidad and Tobago in friendlies, but remained an unused substitute.

Attributes

He is known for his large figure which makes him a presence in midfield, though despite this, it does not seem to be the dominant attribute he possesses. He also has a good passing range, which has led to comparisons with former team-mate Michael Carrick and more recently to Tottenham legend Glenn Hoddle.

Honours

Tottenham Hotspur
*Carling Cup: 2007-08

Career stats

^{Correct as of 1 June 2008}

Personal life

Tom Huddlestone grew up in Nottingham and he attended Greenwood Dale School in Sneinton, Nottingham.

References

External links

*soccerbase|33696
* [http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/players/first_team/tomhuddlestone.html Player Profile] at Tottenham Hotspur Official Website