heurelho gomes - fact file

2008 -         goalkeeper

Born on 15th February 1981 in Joao Pinheiro, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

Height : -  1.91m  (6' 4")

Weight : -   82 kgs    (st lbs)

 
A Brazilian goalkeeper, who earned a good reputation in Holland with PSV Eindhoven and was signed for Tottenham for big money in the summer of 2008.

Gomes started his career in his homeland under manager Phil Scolari at Cruizeiro and his form in the regional and the national championships and cups attracted a number of admirers, including PSV Eindhoven, who had a record of taking Brazilian talent back to Holland to develop.  His popularity with the fans, earned through goalkeeping that earned his club the league title and a shot at Champions League football, as well as his histrionics which won the supporters over and made him a cult figure.  Earned national caps, including a friendly appearance at White Hart Lane for Brazil against Wales in 2006.

The UEFA Cup tie against Spurs the previous season had seen Heurelho make a fine last minute save in Eindhoven to keep PSV in the competition, when Steed Malbranque's volley appeared to be destined for the top corner of the net.  The keeper dived up to tip it over the bar and to take the game to penalties, which he did well to win for his club with a save from Jermaine Jenas' spot-kick.

This must have stuck in Sporting Director Damien Comolli's mind, as the club paid £7 million for the goalie as the man to take over from the soon-to-depart Paul Robinson.

Heurelho's early days at Tottenham were not that happy, with letting some easy goals in as the team struggled under Juande Ramos at the start of the 2008-09 season.  However, following the appointment of Harry Redknapp and with a better understanding with the defenders in front of him, his performances improved and he made some vital saves as the team gathered points to pull away form the bottom of the table.  The sacking of goalkeeping coach Hans Leitert who was replaced by ex-Spurs keeper Tony Parks also seemed to help Gomes come to terms with the English game.

Such was his improvement that a bid from an overseas club to take the keeper away from White Hart Lane was received in the January 2009 transfer window, matching what Tottenham paid for Gomes, but Redknapp said that the keeper had battled through hand and wrist injuries, as well as criticism of his game, to produce some highly competent performances, so he would not be selling the Brazilian.

Played a nervy part in Tottenham's good start to the 2009-2010 season, conceding a rash penalty in the first game against Liverpool and then suffering a thigh injury at Hull City that saw him replaced by Carlo Cudicini, who kept goal while the Brazilian was on the sidelines.

 

NICKNAME :  'Octopus';

MIDDLE NAME :

Career Record
 
Club Signed Fee Debut Apps Goals
Democrata Sete Lagoas (Brazil) ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
CRB Alagoas (Brazil) ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Guarani Sao Paulo (Brazil) ?? ?? ?? ?? ??
Cruzeiro (Brazil) 2000 ?? ??  59 ??
PSV Eindhoven (Holland) 2004 ?? October 2004  v  Crvena Zvezda 128 ??
TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR July 2008 £7,000,000 16th August 2008  v Middlesbrough (Premier League) (away)  lost 1-2 ?? ??
- ?? ?? ??  ?? ??
- ?? ?? ??  ?? ??

Career Record
Cruzeiro (Brazil)
59 League appearances; goals
PSV Eindhoven (Holland)
128 League appearances; goals
- Dutch Cup appearances; goals
- European appearances; goals
 TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR
- League appearances; goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
European appearances; goals
- -
- League appearances; goals
- FA Cup appearances; goals
- League Cup appearances; goals
European appearances; goals

Honours
Brazil international
17 full caps;  0 goals
Under-21 caps; goals
Minas Gerais Championship winners medal 2000-2001, 2002-2003, 2003-2004 (Cruizeiro)
South Minas Cup winners medal 2002; 2003 (Cruizeiro)
Minas Gerais Superchampions winners medal 2002 (Cruizeiro)
Brazil League Championship winners medal 2003 (Cruizeiro)
Brazil Cup winners medal 2003 (Cruizeiro)
Dutch Eredivisie Championship winners medal 2004-2005, 2005-2006, 2006-2007, 2007-2008 (PSV Eindhoven)
Dutch Cup winners medal 2004-2005 (PSV Eindhoven)
Confederations Cup winners medal 2005, 2009 (Brazil)

Milestones
- appearance

           

 

What they said about Heurelho Gomes
his ability ... Tony Parks (THFC goalkeeping coach) 18.12.2008 (THFC programme)

"I knew of Gomes before he came to Spurs through his time at PSV and from the first minute I worked with him in training, I knew he was a top goalkeeper who was perhaps just struggling a little with confidence.  You look at the agility and his ability to make saves and I have to do no work with that whatsoever.  That's all in the bag already. 

He's come into a more physical league and I think he's tried to prove himself by trying to deal with every cross that comes in and that's one of the things we have spoken about, slowing his mind down and making the right decisions and that sometimes, the right decision isn't to try to come for everything.

His ability is unquestionable and he's an absolute gentleman who wants to work hard, wants to improve and wants to impress.  He just wants to be number one."

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What Heurelho Gomes said about ...
saving penalties in shoot-outs ...  18.09.2008 (Spurs programme)

"It's all about the moment.  If you try to research too much you can focus more on trying to remember things about the player in front of you and not concentrate on the moment." 

his relationship with the fans ...  18.09.2008 (Spurs programme)

"I have always had a good relationship with supporters at all the clubs I've been at and that is important.  It can give you confidence and Maybe when you don't have a good game, you know the relationship is strong and they trust you, which makes you determined to do better next time.

I want to have a friendship with every one of the Spurs fans because they are special.  In Brazil, the clubs are like big families and the supporters are an important part of that family, that's what I want it to feel like here too."

the quality of the Premier League ...  02.05.2009 (Spurs programme)

"The Premier League is very entertaining, but it is also so difficult and I don't think that is normal.  This afternoon we are playing a side which is bottom (WBA) and yet we know that they are going to be tough opponents and they will beat us if we do not put in a good performance.  When I played in Brazil and in Holland, you had some easy games and when you played the team at the bottom you were expected to win.  That doesn't happen here."

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             Appearances

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