José Gonçalves
Encyclopedia
José Gonçalves is a Portuguese
footballer of Cape Verde
an descent currently playing for FC Sion
in the Swiss Super League
. He is Portuguese
by birth but has Swiss
citizenship, having lived there since he was two years old. He rose to prominence as FC Thun
eliminated Dynamo Kyiv and Malmö FF
to make an unlikely appearance in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2005, where he impressed against Arsenal
, Ajax and Sparta Prague as the Swiss side secured third place in a difficult group.
in 2001, then FC Basel
the following season. He was signed by FC Winterthur
in 2004 and made his first competitive appearances in Swiss football for them aged 18.
In 2005, Gonçalves had a brief spell in Italy
with Venezia before being signed by surprise Champions League
qualifiers FC Thun 1898
, where he established himself in the left back position. His impressive form in the Champions League group stages resulted in a queue of admirers and it appeared he would be on the move again. Everton
decided not to pursue their interest after a trial spell, while Newcastle, Rangers
and Crystal Palace
were all linked to the player in the press.
's other club, FBK Kaunas
, and then immediately loaned out to the Edinburgh
side. Gonçalves made his debut in a 3–0 Scottish Cup
victory over Aberdeen
, although a series of injuries curtailed his appearances during his first season at Tynecastle
. After a 6-month lay-off to deal with hamstring, hip and toe complaints, he returned to action against Dunfermline
on 18 October.
, Gonçalves' season was interrupted by injury and the German outfit decided against signing him and he returned to Hearts in June 2009.
against St Johnstone. On 31 September it was announced that his much improved form since his return had earned him a place in Carlos Queiroz
's provisional Portugal squad
for the World Cup Qualifiers
against Hungary
and Malta
. However, he missed out on the final squad of 22. Despite having an impressive season Gonçalves was dropped from the team in January 2010 following the sacking of Csaba László
as manager and appointment of Jim Jefferies
as his successor. Jefferies revealed the reason behind Gonçalves' omission from the squad was his refusal to sign a contract extension with the club, with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season he was expected to join another club on a free transfer upon its expiration. Jefferies stated that while he felt it was better to select players "who wanted to play for the club", if Gonçalves were to sign a new contract he would instantly feature in his plans again. Gonçalves' hopes of featuring for Portugal
at the 2010 World Cup seemed increasingly bleak as he missed out on competitive football in the months leading up to the competition due to the deadlock in contract talks and he was ultimately left out of Queiroz's squad. On 7 March he returned to the Hearts starting line-up in the 1-0 away defeat to Dundee United due to a number of injuries in the Hearts squad, which left them particularly short of defensive options. Jefferies confirmed after the game that he would not have selected Gonçalves if he had had enough fit players. Gonçalves departed Tynecastle in the summer of 2010 after both parties failed to reach an agreement on terms of a new contract.
On 18 June 2010, it was announced on Gonçalves' personal website that his management was in talks with Rangers
and that he hoped to have his future resolved within the next two or three weeks. However, negotiations broke down and on 16 September 2010 it was announced on the same website that, although he was training with Swiss Super League
side FC St. Gallen
, Gonçalves' future was still unclear. On 16 December 2010 it was revealed that he had undergone a knee operation in the summer and had since been working with the Portugal national team
physiotherapist to work towards full fitness. Gonçalves also stated that he was now ready to play club football once again.
, tying him to the Swiss Super League
side until June 2013. He had scored his first goal for his new club in a 3-2 friendly victory over Swiss Challenge League side FC Schaffhausen
a day earlier. On 6 February 2011 he made his competitive debut for the club at the AFG Arena
, playing as a centre-back in a 4-1 league defeat to Grasshopper. On 3 April 2011, upon his return from a one game suspension, Gonçalves scored his first competitive goal for St. Gallen in a 1-1 draw with FC Luzern at Stadion Gersag. This was also the first match in which Gonçalves had featured for the club and not suffered defeat. On 20 April 2011 Gonçalves played in his first competitive victory as a St. Gallen player in his tenth game for the club, a 3-1 victory over Grasshopper at Letzigrund
. He amassed 17 appearances and one goal in his solitary season with the club, however he could not prevent St. Gallen from finishing bottom of the Swiss Super League and suffering relegation to the Swiss Challenge League. On 10 June 2011 Gonçalves informed FC St. Gallen that he would be invoking a clause in his contract, which allowed him to sever ties with the club in the event of relegation, and leaving the club six months into his two-and-a-half year contract in order to join Swiss Super League club FC Sion
.
in 2008. The summer signing missed the start of the 2011-12 Swiss Super League and admitted his frustration at his debut being delayed because of the ongoing case. Despite warnings from FIFA
he was named on the bench on 13 August 2011 for a league match against FC Luzern but did not appear. He made his debut for the club against Celtic
in the Europa League play-off round first leg as the Swiss side drew 0-0 at Celtic Park
. He made his league debut three days later in a 2-0 victory over FC Lausanne-Sport at Stade Olympique de la Pontaise
.
at international level. He chose to represent Portugal gaining, two caps for the Portugal under-21's
.
On 31 September, it was announced that his much improved form since his return had earned him a place in Carlos Queiroz
's provisional Portugal
squad for the World Cup qualifiers
against Hungary
and Malta
. However, he missed out on the final squad of 22.
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
footballer of Cape Verde
Cape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
an descent currently playing for FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
in the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
. He is Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
by birth but has Swiss
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
citizenship, having lived there since he was two years old. He rose to prominence as FC Thun
FC Thun
FC Thun 1898 is a Swiss football team from the Bernese Oberland town of Thun. The club currently plays in the Swiss Super League after being promoted in the 2009/10 season. The club plays at the Arena Thun which accommodates a total of 10,300 supporters, both seated and standing...
eliminated Dynamo Kyiv and Malmö FF
Malmö FF
Malmö Fotbollförening, also known simply as Malmö FF, are a Swedish professional football club based in Malmö. The club is affiliated with Skånes Fotbollförbund and play their home games at Swedbank Stadion. The club colours, reflected in their crest and kit, are sky blue and white...
to make an unlikely appearance in the UEFA Champions League group stage in 2005, where he impressed against Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, Ajax and Sparta Prague as the Swiss side secured third place in a difficult group.
Early career
Gonçalves initially began his career with La Sallaz before moving to the youth section of Yverdon-Sport FCYverdon-Sport FC
Yverdon-Sport FC is a Swiss football team from the town of Yverdon-les-Bains. The club plays in an all-white strip, and are currently in the Swiss 1. Liga, the third tier of Swiss football...
in 2001, then FC Basel
FC Basel
Fussball Club Basel 1893, widely known as FC Basel is a Swiss football club based in Basel. They are one of the most successful clubs in Swiss football, having won the Swiss Super League 14 times, the third most for any Swiss club. They were most successful in the late 1960s and 1970s, winning the...
the following season. He was signed by FC Winterthur
FC Winterthur
FC Winterthur is a Swiss football club based in Winterthur, Canton of Zürich. They play in the Swiss Challenge League, the second highest tier of Swiss football...
in 2004 and made his first competitive appearances in Swiss football for them aged 18.
In 2005, Gonçalves had a brief spell in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
with Venezia before being signed by surprise Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
qualifiers FC Thun 1898
FC Thun
FC Thun 1898 is a Swiss football team from the Bernese Oberland town of Thun. The club currently plays in the Swiss Super League after being promoted in the 2009/10 season. The club plays at the Arena Thun which accommodates a total of 10,300 supporters, both seated and standing...
, where he established himself in the left back position. His impressive form in the Champions League group stages resulted in a queue of admirers and it appeared he would be on the move again. Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
decided not to pursue their interest after a trial spell, while Newcastle, Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace F.C.
Crystal Palace Football Club are an English Football league club based in South Norwood, London. The team plays its home matches at Selhurst Park, where they have been based since 1924. The club currently competes in the second tier of English Football, The Championship.Crystal Palace was formed in...
were all linked to the player in the press.
Heart of Midlothian
In January 2006, however, it was Hearts that eventually signed Gonçalves, in a deal that saw him signed by owner Vladimir RomanovVladimir Romanov
Vladimir Nikolayevich Romanov ; born 1947 in Tver Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR) is an ethnic Russian businessman who also holds Lithuanian citizenship following that country's independence from the Soviet Union. He is chairman of UBIG Investments which is the majority shareholder in Scottish Premier...
's other club, FBK Kaunas
FBK Kaunas
Kauno futbolo beisbolo klubas is a Lithuanian football club from the city of Kaunas, that currently plays in the A Lyga, the top level of Lithuanian football.- History :...
, and then immediately loaned out to the Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
side. Gonçalves made his debut in a 3–0 Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
victory over Aberdeen
Aberdeen F.C.
Aberdeen Football Club are a Scottish professional football club based in Aberdeen...
, although a series of injuries curtailed his appearances during his first season at Tynecastle
Tynecastle Stadium
Tynecastle Stadium is a football stadium situated in the Gorgie area of Edinburgh, Scotland, which is the home ground of Scottish Premier League club Hearts. Tynecastle has a seating capacity of 17,420, which makes it the seventh largest football stadium in Scotland...
. After a 6-month lay-off to deal with hamstring, hip and toe complaints, he returned to action against Dunfermline
Dunfermline Athletic F.C.
Dunfermline Athletic Football Club are a Scottish football team based in Dunfermline, Fife, commonly known as just Dunfermline. They currently compete in the Scottish Premier League....
on 18 October.
Nuremberg loan
It was announced on 4 July 2008 that Gonçalves had signed a new deal on the Hearts website, but subsequently had been loaned out to Nuremberg on a season-long loan deal, with the option for them to sign Gonçalves on a permanent deal. Despite Nuremberg boasting the best defensive record in the 2. Bundesliga and earning promotion via the play-offs with an aggregated score of 5–0 over Energie CottbusEnergie Cottbus
FC Energie Cottbus is a German association football club based in Cottbus, Lusatia . It was founded in 1963 as SC Cottbus in what was, at the time, East Germany...
, Gonçalves' season was interrupted by injury and the German outfit decided against signing him and he returned to Hearts in June 2009.
Return to Tynecastle
After featuring regularly for the Jambos in pre-season he made his first competitive appearance since his return in their opening fixture of the SPL season, a 2–0 defeat by Dundee United at Tannadice. He scored his first goal for Hearts on 30 August 2009 with a header in a 2–2 draw at McDiarmid ParkMcDiarmid Park
McDiarmid Park is a football stadium in Perth, Scotland, the home ground of St. Johnstone FC. It has an all-seated capacity of 10,673.-History:...
against St Johnstone. On 31 September it was announced that his much improved form since his return had earned him a place in Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Manuel Brito Leal Queiroz ComIH is a Portuguese football manager. He is currently the manager of the Iran national football team. A former manager of Real Madrid, and Portugal national football team, he has also twice been Alex Ferguson's assistant manager at English club Manchester...
's provisional Portugal squad
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
for the World Cup Qualifiers
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 1
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 1 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised 2006 fourth-place finishers Portugal, along with Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania and Malta....
against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
and Malta
Malta national football team
The Malta national football team is the national football team of Malta and is controlled by the Malta Football Association. Malta played its first international game in February 1957, and began competing for qualification to major tournaments in 1962. The side's first competitive victory came in...
. However, he missed out on the final squad of 22. Despite having an impressive season Gonçalves was dropped from the team in January 2010 following the sacking of Csaba László
Csaba László
Csaba László is a Romanian born Hungarian football manager and former player. He is the manager of Belgian Pro League club Charleroi SC. He is former manager of Scottish Premier League club...
as manager and appointment of Jim Jefferies
Jim Jefferies
James "Jim" Jefferies is a Scottish football former player and manager. Jefferies played for Heart of Midlothian for almost his whole playing career and enjoyed a successful first managerial spell with the club, winning the 1998 Scottish Cup...
as his successor. Jefferies revealed the reason behind Gonçalves' omission from the squad was his refusal to sign a contract extension with the club, with his current contract due to expire at the end of the season he was expected to join another club on a free transfer upon its expiration. Jefferies stated that while he felt it was better to select players "who wanted to play for the club", if Gonçalves were to sign a new contract he would instantly feature in his plans again. Gonçalves' hopes of featuring for Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
at the 2010 World Cup seemed increasingly bleak as he missed out on competitive football in the months leading up to the competition due to the deadlock in contract talks and he was ultimately left out of Queiroz's squad. On 7 March he returned to the Hearts starting line-up in the 1-0 away defeat to Dundee United due to a number of injuries in the Hearts squad, which left them particularly short of defensive options. Jefferies confirmed after the game that he would not have selected Gonçalves if he had had enough fit players. Gonçalves departed Tynecastle in the summer of 2010 after both parties failed to reach an agreement on terms of a new contract.
On 18 June 2010, it was announced on Gonçalves' personal website that his management was in talks with Rangers
Rangers F.C.
Rangers Football Club are an association football club based in Glasgow, Scotland, who play in the Scottish Premier League. The club are nicknamed the Gers, Teddy Bears and the Light Blues, and the fans are known to each other as bluenoses...
and that he hoped to have his future resolved within the next two or three weeks. However, negotiations broke down and on 16 September 2010 it was announced on the same website that, although he was training with Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
side FC St. Gallen
FC St. Gallen
Football Club St. Gallen 1879 is a Swiss football club based in St. Gallen. The club is currently playing in the 2011/12 Swiss Challenge League.-Brief history:...
, Gonçalves' future was still unclear. On 16 December 2010 it was revealed that he had undergone a knee operation in the summer and had since been working with the Portugal national team
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
physiotherapist to work towards full fitness. Gonçalves also stated that he was now ready to play club football once again.
FC St. Gallen
On 16 January 2011 Gonçalves signed a two-and-a-half year contract with FC St. GallenFC St. Gallen
Football Club St. Gallen 1879 is a Swiss football club based in St. Gallen. The club is currently playing in the 2011/12 Swiss Challenge League.-Brief history:...
, tying him to the Swiss Super League
Swiss Super League
The Swiss Super League or Axpo Super League is the top tier of the Swiss Football League. The Swiss Super League is currently ranked 16th according to UEFA's ranking of league coefficients, which is based upon Swiss team performances in European competitions.-Names:-Participating clubs:The teams...
side until June 2013. He had scored his first goal for his new club in a 3-2 friendly victory over Swiss Challenge League side FC Schaffhausen
FC Schaffhausen
FC Schaffhausen is a Swiss football team from the town of Schaffhausen. The club plays in the Challenge League, the second tier of the Swiss football pyramid.-Honours:*Swiss Cup: Final game*Challenge League: 1st*Swiss Super League: rank 8...
a day earlier. On 6 February 2011 he made his competitive debut for the club at the AFG Arena
AFG Arena
The AFG Arena is a multi-use stadium in St. Gallen, Switzerland, completed in 2008. It is used mostly for football matches and hosts the home matches of FC St. Gallen of the Swiss Challenge League. It replaces the Espenmoos stadium....
, playing as a centre-back in a 4-1 league defeat to Grasshopper. On 3 April 2011, upon his return from a one game suspension, Gonçalves scored his first competitive goal for St. Gallen in a 1-1 draw with FC Luzern at Stadion Gersag. This was also the first match in which Gonçalves had featured for the club and not suffered defeat. On 20 April 2011 Gonçalves played in his first competitive victory as a St. Gallen player in his tenth game for the club, a 3-1 victory over Grasshopper at Letzigrund
Letzigrund
In January 2005, UEFA approved plans to rebuild the stadium for use as a EURO 2008 venue. It hosted 3 matches in the 2008 European Football Championship....
. He amassed 17 appearances and one goal in his solitary season with the club, however he could not prevent St. Gallen from finishing bottom of the Swiss Super League and suffering relegation to the Swiss Challenge League. On 10 June 2011 Gonçalves informed FC St. Gallen that he would be invoking a clause in his contract, which allowed him to sever ties with the club in the event of relegation, and leaving the club six months into his two-and-a-half year contract in order to join Swiss Super League club FC Sion
FC Sion
FC Sion is a Swiss football team from the city of Sion. The club was founded in 1909, and play their home games at the Stade Tourbillon. They have won the Swiss Super League twice, and the Swiss Cup in each of their twelve appearances in the final, the most recent being in 2011.The first team also...
.
FC Sion
On 10 June 2011 Gonçalves confirmed via his personal website that he had signed a four-year contract with FC Sion and would join up with the club for the beginning of their pre-season training the following week. Gonçalves is considered ineligible to play competitive football for his new club due to the sanctions imposed on the club following the transfer of Essam El-HadaryEssam El-Hadary
Essam El-Hadary is an Egyptian goalkeeper, playing for Sudan Premier League side El-Merreikh.-Club career:Swiss club FC Sion announced that they had signed El-Hadary to a four-year contract in February 2008, despite claims to the contrary from his club Al-Ahly...
in 2008. The summer signing missed the start of the 2011-12 Swiss Super League and admitted his frustration at his debut being delayed because of the ongoing case. Despite warnings from FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
he was named on the bench on 13 August 2011 for a league match against FC Luzern but did not appear. He made his debut for the club against Celtic
Celtic F.C.
Celtic Football Club is a Scottish football club based in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which currently plays in the Scottish Premier League. The club was established in 1887, and played its first game in 1888. Celtic have won the Scottish League Championship on 42 occasions, most recently in the...
in the Europa League play-off round first leg as the Swiss side drew 0-0 at Celtic Park
Celtic Park
Celtic Park is a football stadium in the Parkhead area of Glasgow, which is the home ground of Celtic FC. Celtic Park, an all-seater stadium with a capacity of 60,832, is the largest football stadium in Scotland and the sixth-largest stadium in the United Kingdom, after Murrayfield, Old Trafford,...
. He made his league debut three days later in a 2-0 victory over FC Lausanne-Sport at Stade Olympique de la Pontaise
Stade Olympique de la Pontaise
Stade Olympique de la Pontaise is a multi-purpose stadium in Lausanne, Switzerland. The stadium holds 15,850 people and was built in 1904.During the 1954 FIFA World Cup, the stadium hosted five games.It is used mostly for football matches...
.
International career
Gonçalves is eligible to play represent Portugal, Switzerland and Cape VerdeCape Verde national football team
The Cape Verde national football team, nicknamed either the Tubarões Azuis or Crioulos , is the national team of Cape Verde and is controlled by the Federação Caboverdiana de Futebol.-Overview:...
at international level. He chose to represent Portugal gaining, two caps for the Portugal under-21's
Portugal national under-21 football team
The Portugal national under-21 football team is the national under-21 football team of Portugal and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation . They are nicknamed "Esperanças." Esperança means hope, thus they are Portugal's hopes for the future...
.
On 31 September, it was announced that his much improved form since his return had earned him a place in Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Queiroz
Carlos Manuel Brito Leal Queiroz ComIH is a Portuguese football manager. He is currently the manager of the Iran national football team. A former manager of Real Madrid, and Portugal national football team, he has also twice been Alex Ferguson's assistant manager at English club Manchester...
's provisional Portugal
Portugal national football team
The Portugal national football team represents Portugal in association football and is controlled by the Portuguese Football Federation, the governing body for football in Portugal. Portugal's home ground is Estádio Nacional in Oeiras, and their head coach is Paulo Bento...
squad for the World Cup qualifiers
2010 FIFA World Cup qualification - UEFA Group 1
The 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification UEFA Group 1 was a UEFA qualifying group for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The group comprised 2006 fourth-place finishers Portugal, along with Sweden, Denmark, Hungary, Albania and Malta....
against Hungary
Hungary national football team
The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation....
and Malta
Malta national football team
The Malta national football team is the national football team of Malta and is controlled by the Malta Football Association. Malta played its first international game in February 1957, and began competing for qualification to major tournaments in 1962. The side's first competitive victory came in...
. However, he missed out on the final squad of 22.
External links
- Appearances at londonhearts.com