Gonzalez: David Giraldo (David)

2010-2010 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Goalkeeper

Born: Medellin, Colombia 20-07-1982

Debut: None

6’ 4” 13st 1lb (2010)

Born in Medellin, Colombia, he signed for the local team Atletico Nacional Medellin in 2001 but did not make the first team before signing with the city's other team Independiente Medellin in 2002. He broke into the first team while still only twenty and went on to become the youngest goalkeeper ever to have won a Copa Mustang medal, when the club won the Colombian Categoria Primera A at the end of his first season, in which he made twenty-one appearances. The Championship win entitled Independiente to entrance into the Copa Libertadores de América. They achieved their highest ever standing when they finished third in the highly prestigious competition in 2003, a season where Gonzalez made thirty-eight appearances. They again won the Colombian Categoría Primera A in 2004, when Gonzalez was again the regular goalkeeper with forty-six games. He made twenty-two appearances in the 2005 season to bring his total to one hundred and twenty-seven before he left for Deportivo Cali, the 2005 Colombian Categoria Primera A champions. He stayed with them for two seasons, making fifty-seven appearances, thirty-five in 2006 and twenty-two in 2007, before moving to Turkey where he joined Caykur Rizespor. He madethirty League appearances in 2008, but left the club in September 2008 and was without a club until February 2009 when he joined Argentinian club Atletico Huracan. He did not make the first team and left the club in July 2009 and was once more without a club until he had a trial with Manchester City in September 2009 which led to him being offered a contract in January 2010. He was never in serious contention for the first team goalkeeper's jersey but was vying for third choice, behind Shay Given and Stuart Taylor, with Gunnar Nielsen and others. He was unlucky that he was injured towards the end of the season and that the club loaned Marton Fulop to fill the vacancy when Given and others were injured. Joe Hart came in as third choice keeper in 2010-11 and Gonzalez was seen as surplus to requirements and so in January 2011 he was loaned to Leeds United until the end of the season, as back up for Kasper Schmeichel and Shane Higgs. He never made the bench, and in February there was talk of his returning to Manchester City after Shay Given was injured, but it never eventuated and he saw out his time with Leeds and returned at the end of the season. Gonzales was loaned to Scottish Club Aberdeen for six months from 1st July 2011. He took part in the club's pre-season tours and made fourteen Scottish League and one Scottish League Cup appearance, before he was dropped after conceding two simple goals in a fixture with Dunfermline which cost the Don's full points. He returned to Manchester but his contract was terminated on 11th January 2012, not having featured in the first team. He was picked up on a free transfer by Brighton and Hove Albion on 19th January 2012, on a short-term contract until the end of the season, as back-up and competition for Peter Brezovan and Casper Ankergren. He has yet to feature with the first team. He was called up by Colombia for the 2004 Olympics, making his international debut on 8th January 2004 in a 0-1 defeat by Ecaudor and two days later he was again between the posts as Peru were beaten 3-1. His first full cap came a year later in Los Angeles when Colombia defeated the Korean Republic 2-1 on 15th January 2005.