Stephane Henchoz Bio Send To Friend  

Henchoz returned to Blackburn Rovers in September 2006 as mark Hughes snapped up the vastly experienced central defender as a free agent.

Initially Henchoz signed a one-year deal which was later extended tying him to the club until summer 2008.

The Switzerland international had spent two years with the Lancashire side in the late 90s before leaving for a successful spell with Liverpool.

The centre-back's second spell at the club was merely as back-up. He was a free agent having left Wigan Athletic in the summer and Rovers re-signed him outside of the transfer window.

Henchoz is a consistent player and an excellent marker but has a tendency to dive into a tackle. A strong centre-half who is comfortable on the ball, Henchoz started his career with Stade Payerne and Bulle.

His progress was such that English born coach Roy Hodgson snapped him up when he was manager of Xamax Neuchetel.

Henchoz played for Switzerland in the 1994 World Cup as a 19-year-old and transferred to SV Hamburg where he spent two years before following Hodgson to Blackburn Rovers.

The defender had a fine 1998/99 and was voted their Player of the Year - but Rovers were relegated and Henchoz stayed in the Premiership when he moved to Liverpool for £3.5million.

A groin injury delayed his Liverpool debut until two months into the season but he settled straight into the team and struck up a fine partnership with Sami Hyypia at the heart of the defence.

That partnership transformed a notoriously leaky defence into one of the meanest in the Premiership and gave manager Gerard Houllier something to build on.

He helped Liverpool land their Worthington Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup treble in 2001 - including a crucial 'save' to help the Reds win the FA Cup against Arsenal.

But he missed the last three months of the Premiership season in 2002/03 through injury as Liverpool missed out on a Champions League spot. He was sorely missed.

And in 2003/04, after missing a month with an ankle injury, he found himself bizarrely left out of the side in preference to Igor Biscan - a decision that understandably angered the defender.

Henchoz then had a run-in with manager Gerard Houllier after questioning the decision to leave him out of the starting XI.

'He was out of order,' stormed Houllier. 'You have to respect your team-mates. You cannot say like that, that you expect to play.'

There was talk of Henchoz moving on in the summer of 2004, by which time he had played 200 games for Liverpool, but the sacking of Houllier provided him with the chance to impress a new man, in Rafael Benitez.

He was selected in Switzerland's squad for Euro 2004, featuring against Croatia and France.

But Henchoz failed to make an impression under Benitez, making just four appearances - three in the Carling Cup and another in the Champions League qualifying round - before being told he was able to leave Anfield on a free transfer.

The defender played 206 games for Liverpool without getting on the scoresheet.

After a 'will he, won't he' drama, Henchoz eventually signed for Scottish champions Celtic at the end of February, making his debut in a 3-0 win at Dunfermline Athletic.

Henchoz turned out right times for Celtic, but started just half of those games, as Celtic surrendered the title to Rangers. He was released by the Bhoys at the end of the campaign, bound for Wigan.

From Anfield to Parkhead to... the JJB.

He made his Wigan debut in a 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Chelsea but was released at the end of the season having played 32 matches.

And then his career in England turned full circle when he rejoined Blackburn.