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Tugay Kerimoğlu

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Tugay Kerimoğlu
Personal information
Full name Tugay Kerimoğlu
Height 1.77 m (5 ft 10 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Blackburn Rovers
Number 5
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:10, 28 March 2007 (CST)

Tugay Kerimoğlu (born August 24, 1970 in Trabzon, Turkey) is a Turkish footballer who has been playing for Blackburn Rovers since 2001. Tugay's previous club was Rangers. Tugay also appeared for his country many times, including the Euro 2000 and the 2002 FIFA World Cup, but retired in 2003 after Turkey failed to qualify for Euro 2004. After 4 years of absence, he has returned back to the national team for the Euro 2008 qualifiers.

Tugay essentially plays in the midfield position, either as a defensive midfielder or a playmaker. He is well known for his accurate long passes and thunderbolt shots. Although his attacking instincts have not been prevalent in recent times, Tugay's energetic performances have earned him renewed contracts over the past two seasons.

He played for Galatasaray from 1987 to 2000, where he won the Turkish Premier Super League six times (1993, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999) and the Turkey Cup four times (1991, 1993, 1996 and 1999). He was signed by Scottish club Rangers in January 2000, and transferred to Blackburn Rovers for the 2001-02 season.

His debut for Rovers was as a substitute against Sunderland AFC. His first goal came on 14th October 2001 in a 7-1 home thrashing against West Ham United in which he scored with a trademark effort from outside the box, lobbing the keeper. Tugay immediately became a fans favourite at Blackburn Rovers, where he has been an integral part of the club's success on the field since his first season. Unfortunately he missed Blackburn's League Cup final win in 2002 through suspension.

Tugay was named Blackburn's Player of the Year in the 2003-04 campaign, and looks in good shape of repeating this feat once more for the 2006-07 season if his great form continues. With a good start to the UEFA Cup 2006-07 campaign, Tugay recently commented, after a 3-0 win over their UEFA opponents FC Basle, that he would like to renew his contract with Rovers, and would continue playing until he is 40 if he could do so.

Tugay generally keeps himself out of the media spotlight, and even with very good English and an apparent good sense of humour, he rarely makes an interview, even to his club's very own radio station, Radio Rovers. Tugay is married to Etkin Kerimoglu, a former Galatasaray and Turkish international basketball player.

Honours

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