''If Im honest, at first I thought that everything was a joke. It was after when I realised that everything was true and Real Madrid wanted me that I became excited. - Julien Faubert, January 2009.
Even the man himself couldnt fathom that the Spanish giants could possibly be interested in him considering the nightmarish season he was enduring. Having made just nine appearances in the league, he was struggling to establish himself in Gianfranco Zolas side, with supporters labelling him the worst player in the squad. His tepid displays riled the Upton Park faithful, as they called for him to be sold in the January transfer window - what nobody envisioned was the potential suitor. It was a move that caught everyone by surprise when Real Madrid coach Juande Ramos returned to London to sort out the £1.5 million six-month loan deal for West Hams forgotten man. It was a deal which nobody in football could quite believe - how could a player struggling to make the grade at Upton Park suddenly be deemed good enough for the most illustrious and spectacular football club on earth? What could the Madrid directors see that nobody else could? The answer was nothing. Faubert made just two appearances for Los Blancos, and his ill-fated stint there was most remembered for his falling asleep on the bench during a league game against Villareal. There was a bit of an elevation in standard at the end of the season, as Cristiano Ronaldo was purchased for £80 million, effectively banishing Faubert back to the realities of a relegation scrap with West Ham.
Recent Journalism & New Media graduate. Insatiable thirst for all things football, and hopes to break into the field of sports journalism in the near future.
Have made a significantly insignificant playing career out of receiving several slaps around the head for not passing the ball.
