Gareth Barry Bio Send To Friend  

An excellent servant to Aston Villa for over a decade, Barry moved to Man City in the summer of 2009 to increase his international prospects and give himself a chance of winning a major trophy.

The left-footed midfielder had become one of the most reliable in the Premier League while at Villa and built a reputation for his versatility and consistency. His form did not go unnoticed by England boss Fabio Capello, who gave him a holding role in the centre of midfield.

Barry was first called up by Kevin Keegan in 2000 and has featured under every manager since, but suffered a four-year international exile under Sven Goran Eriksson until 2007. Now a vital player for club and country, Barry's stock is on the rise and he is seen as a key component for success by Capello and new club boss Mark Hughes.

Strengths: An excellent passer of the ball, Barry's great strength is his versatility which allows him to play as a holding midfielder, attacking midfielder, or defender. He is also a cool penalty taker.

Weaknesses: Up against the very best, he has struggled to match up, while he is also lacking a burst of pace.

Career high: His two performances for England against Israel and Russia in September 2007 led many to claim that he should be first-choice alongside Steven Gerrard in central midfield.

Career low: Stripped of the Villa captaincy after his courting of a move to Liverpool, he clashed with Martin O'Neill and angered his loyal fans.

Style: Confident, versatile, industrious, a top squad player.

Quotes: ''He just comes in and gets the job done on a daily basis. You can hang your hat on Gareth Barry, he's able to produce performance after performance and that is invaluable to any team." Man City manager Mark Hughes, October 2009.

Trivia: Along with David Beckham, he is the only other England international to date to have played under every England manager since first selected by Kevin Keegan in 2000.

Soccernet says: A great addition to any squad and, wherever he plays, Barry can have an impact for England.