His early promise, which saw interest in him by such big clubs as Arsenal, was almost eliminated when in 2001, while only 21, he was the victim of a serious road accident in France which left him unable to play for almost a year.
In 2001, at the age of 21, his initial talent, which included interest from top teams like Arsenal, was significantly impaired by a severe car accident in France that prevented him from playing for over a year.