Dacourt: Olivier Nicolas Andre (Olivier)

2000-2003 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Midfield

Born: Montreuil, France: 25-09-1974

Debut v TSV Munich ECL (h) (European Cup): 09-08-2000

5’9” 11st 3lb (2003)

#39 in 100 Greatest LUFC Players Ever

He started with Aulnay sous Bois in 1989. He then joined Thouars in August 1992 and made six appearances for them before he moved to Strasburg in August 1993, where he stayed until signing for Everton on 27th July 1998 for £4 million. Dacourt had caught Everton Manager Smith's attention when he helped Strasburg knock Smith's Glasgow Rangers side out of the UEFA Cup. He had made ninety starts and thirty-one substitute appearances for Strasburg in the League, scoring four goals and also played four times in UEFA Cup matches. Dacourt had played at all levels of football, from Under-Eight through to the National League. Dacourt made a good impression with excellent performances in Everton's otherwise dismal opening matches of the 1998/99 season, earning three straight “Man of the Match” awards. He showed skill, he showed urgency, he showed determination. In all, he showed himself to be a class above, and his performances in midfield were a revelation. But the real problem was the ease with which he had picked up Yellow Cards, many of them albeit thoroughly undeserved. He got into conflict with the Everton Management over supposed broken promises and was sold to Lens on 29th June 1999 for £6.5 million. He had played thirty games, two being as a substitute, for Everton scoring two goals, in the League. He also scored once in four League Cup matches and made two appearances in the F.A. Cup, without scoring. With Lens he played twenty-six League games, one being as a substitute, scoring two goals and made one appearance in European competition, before he signed for Leeds United on 15th May 2000 for a new club record £7.2million fee. The tough-tackling Frenchman was added to the Leeds squad to add some much-needed experience and bite to the very-youthful Leeds engine-room. Although he had a slow start, he soon became a vital member of the team. His battling qualities helped Leeds to the semi-finals of the Champions League in the 2000/01 season and he signed a new five-year deal at the end of the season. Injuries hampered his progress throughout 2001/02, and by the end of the campaign he was being strongly linked with a move to Serie A for a fee in the region of £15million. Lazio and Juventus were the two sides said to be interested. The France international was happy to stay at Elland Road, although Leeds were eager for the cash to appease the PLC board. At the start of the 2002/03 season, Dacourt remained on the Leeds wage bill and eager to impress new boss Terry Venables. He came into conflict with Venables and was loaned to AS Roma on 9th January 2003. Leeds could no longer afford the luxury of his Wage and after the loan arrangement ran out on 27th April 2003, after he had made fourteen League appearances, on 10th July 2003 he made the move permanent. Leeds at least got a fee for him, though at £3.5 million it was about half the £7.2 million they originally paid. He soon settled in Serie A and played regularly for AS Roma, making ninety-four appearances and scoring two goals in Serie A and a further thirteen games in European Competitions, before leaving for Inter-Milan at the end of 2005/06 on a two year contract under a Bosman ruling. He had made thirty-one appearances before sustaining a damaged cruciate ligament against Forentina on 2nd December 2007 causing him to miss the rest of the season. He was out of favour with new Manager Jose Murinho and was loaned out to Fulham in February 2009 and made nine appearances during his time at Craven Cottage. While at Inter he made thirty-four appearances in Serie A and eleven in European Championship games. He also won two League Championships and two Italian Super Cups. He signed a one year contract with Standard Liege on 23rd September 2009. However the Belgian club terminated this on 8th February 2010. He decided to retire in March 2010. He scored once in twenty-one appearances for France at full International level