Adrian Mariappa

Adrian Mariappa

Mariappa playing for Watford in 2011
Personal information
Full name	Adrian Joseph Mariappa[1]
Date of birth	3 October 1986[1]
Place of birth	Harrow, England
Height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)[2][3]
Playing position	Defender
Club information
Current team	Crystal Palace
Number	3
Youth career
0900–2005	Watford
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
2005–2012	Watford	216	(4)
2012–2013	Reading	29	(1)
2013–	Crystal Palace	38	(1)
National team^‡
2012–	Jamaica	36	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 08:28, 21 April 2016 (UTC). † Appearances (goals) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 08:49, 29 March 2016 (UTC)

Adrian Joseph Mariappa (born 3 October 1986) is an English-born Jamaican professional footballer who plays as a defender for Crystal Palace. He progressed through Watford's youth academy, and started playing for the first team in the 2005–06 season. Although primarily a centre back, he spent some of his early professional career at right back due to competition for places in the middle. He made 247 first team appearances for Watford, including 19 in the Premier League. This included a run of 113 consecutive league appearances, the fourth longest streak in Watford's history. Mariappa captained Watford at under-18, reserve and first-team levels, and was the club's vice captain in his final few years at Vicarage Road. Mariappa accepted his first call up to Jamaica's international team in May 2012.^[4] He won his first cap against Guyana later that month, and transferred to Premier League side Reading in July 2012. He made 29 league appearances for the club before joining Premier League side Crystal Palace in September 2013, following Reading's relegation to the Championship.

Career

Watford

Born in nearby Harrow, Mariappa started his career in Watford's youth system. He captained the club's under-18 side during their FA Youth Cup quarter final against Tottenham Hotspur,^[5] and later captained the reserve team.^[6]

Mariappa was selected as an unused substitute in Watford's last league game of the 2004–05 season.^[2] After signing his first professional contract with the club that summer,^[7] Mariappa made his first team debut in a League Cup match against Notts County on 23 August 2005, playing 90 minutes in a 3–1 Watford win.^[8][9] He made another cup start against Wigan Athletic in the 3rd round. During the 2005–06 season he also made three league appearances, including a clean sheet in his first league start, against Hull City on the final day of the regular season.^[10] Mariappa did not play any of Watford's play-off games, but was an unused substitute in the final, in which the team won promotion to the Premier League.^[11]

Watford started their 2006–07 Premier League campaign at Everton, with Mariappa starting in central defence in place of first-team regular Jay DeMerit. He was substituted at half-time, and, aside from a League Cup appearance against Accrington Stanley, did not make another first-team appearance until December 2006, when in an away match at Newcastle United he came on for the injured James Chambers at right-back. He continued in that position, playing regularly for the rest of the season.^[10][12]

With Watford back in the Championship for 2007–08, Mariappa found himself largely on the substitute bench, making 13 league starts and 3 in other competitions, as Watford again reached the play-offs.^[10] By contrast, he started 45 games in all competitions in the 2008–09 season, under the management of Aidy Boothroyd, Malky Mackay and latterly Brendan Rodgers, and scored his first senior goal for Watford in a 3–1 defeat at Wolves on 31 January 2009.^[10][13] At the end of the season he signed a two-year extension to his contract.^[14]

In the absence of injured captain Jay DeMerit, Mariappa skippered Watford for the first time on 12 September 2009, in a 1–0 victory at Vicarage Road against Barnsley.^[15] He retained the captaincy during DeMerit's absence, and scored his second senior goal in October 2009, on his 100th professional appearance.^[16] Watford finished the 2009–10 season 16th in the Championship; Mariappa was the only player to start each of the club's games in the Football League, FA Cup and League Cup.^[17][18] 2010–11 followed a similar pattern to the previous campaign; Mariappa started every game for which he was available,^[19] and was one of Watford's six scorers in the team's 6–1 away win against Millwall.^[20] He was also appointed as the club's vice captain during the season.^[19] However, Mariappa was sent off for the first time in his career on 19 March 2011, in a 2–1 defeat to Middlesbrough.^[10] The resulting suspension ended Mariappa's run of 113 consecutive league appearances, the fourth highest in Watford's history.^[19]

Mariappa continued to play in the 2011–12 season under new manager Sean Dyche. He was the focus of transfer speculation during the January 2012 transfer window when Watford received a number of bids for him from Premier League clubs. Three bids from Newcastle United were rejected;^[21][22] an offer from Wigan Athletic was accepted, but Mariappa rejected a move.^[23] He stayed at the club until the following summer, and his good form saw players and fans vote him 2011–12 Watford F.C. Player of the Season.^[24]

Reading

Mariappa playing for Reading in 2013.

On 17 July 2012, it was announced that Mariappa had joined Reading on a three-year deal for an undisclosed fee.^[25] Media estimates of the transfer fee ranged from £2m to £3m.^[26][27]

Crystal Palace

Mariappa signed for newly promoted Premier League club Crystal Palace on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee on 2 September 2013.^[28]

International career

Mariappa's father is Fijian^[29] making Adrian eligible to play international football for that country.^[30] In late 2010 he was named by the Fiji Football Association in the 50-member national training squad to prepare for the 2011 Pacific Games in New Caledonia, but did not take up the place.^[31]

Both of Mariappa's mother's parents are from Jamaica, and in 2012 Mariappa accepted a call up to the Jamaica squad, for a friendly against Guyana.^[4] His first match in an international competition came on 9 June 2012, in a 2–1 World Cup qualifying win against Guatemala.^[32]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 21 April 2016.^[33]

Club statistics

Club	Season	League			FA Cup		League Cup		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Watford	2005–06[34]	Championship	3	0	0	0	2	0	0	0	5	0
	2006–07[35]	Premier League	19	0	5	0	1	0	—		25	0
	2007–08[36]	Championship	25	0	2	0	2	0	1[lower-alpha 1]	0	30	0
	2008–09[37]	Championship	39	1	3	0	5	0	—		47	1
	2009–10[38]	Championship	46	1	1	0	2	0	—		49	1
	2010–11[39]	Championship	45	1	2	0	2	0	—		49	1
	2011–12[40]	Championship	39	1	2	0	1	0	—		42	1
	Total		216	4	15	0	15	0	1	0	247	4
Reading	2012–13[41]	Premier League	29	1	2	0	1	0	—		32	1
	2013–14[42]	Championship	0	0	0	0	1	0	—		1	0
	Total		29	1	2	0	2	0	—		33	1
Crystal Palace	2013–14[42]	Premier League	24	1	2	0	0	0	—		26	1
	2014–15[43]	Premier League	12	0	2	0	2	0	—		16	0
	2015–16[44]	Premier League	2	0	0	0	3	0	—		5	0
	Total		38	1	4	0	5	0	—		46	1
Career total			283	6	21	0	22	0	1	0	327	6

1. Appearance in Championship play-offs

International

As of match played 17 November 2015.^[45]

International statistics

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Jamaica	2012	6	0
	2013	9	0
	2014	4	0
	2015	16	1
Total		35	1

References

1. Hugman, Barry J., ed. (2009). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2009–10. Mainstream Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84596-474-0.
2. "Profiles:Adrian Mariappa". Watford F.C. Archived from the original on 24 November 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
3. "Profiles:Adrian Mariappa". BBC. Retrieved 31 January 2012.
4. Smith, Frank (14 May 2012). "Watford duo called up by Jamaica". Watford Observer. Retrieved 14 May 2012.
5. "Watford Yth 0–2 Tottenham Yth". Watford F.C. 17 March 2005. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
6. "Watford 2 Aldershot 1". Watford F.C. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
7. "Squad rebuilding starts". Watford F.C. 5 May 2005. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
8. "Adrian Mariappa handed new Watford deal". BBC Sport. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
9. "Academy Trio's debut delight". Watford F.C. 24 August 2005. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
10. "Adrian Mariappa:All time playing career". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Archived from the original on 8 October 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
11. "Leeds 0–3 Watford". BBC Sport. 21 May 2006. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
12. "Mariappa: It's good to talk". Mail Online. 2 February 2007. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
13. "Wolves 3–1 Watford". BBC. 31 January 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
14. "Mariappa deal is signed and sealed". Watford F.C. 14 May 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
15. "Watford 1–0 Barnsley". Watford F.C. 12 September 2009.
16. Smith, Frank (30 October 2009). "Watford skipper backs Lloyd Doyley to lift roof off Vicarage Road". Watford Observer. pp. 70–71. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
17. "Watford: Player appearances". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
18. Watford 2009–2010: Results". Statto.com. Tony Brown. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
19. "talkSPORT Transfer Spotlight: facts, stats and video of Arsenal and Newcastle target Adrian Mariappa". TalkSPORT. 30 January 2012. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
20. "Millwall 1–6 Watford". BBC Sport. 18 September 2010. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
21. "Newcastle in final bid for Watford's Adrian Mariappa, says Alan Pardew". The Guardian (London). 31 January 2012.
22. "Newcastle United boss denies claims low bid aimed to unsettle Watford defender Adrian Mariappa". This Is Local London. 26 January 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
23. "Mariappa rejects Wigan chance". Sky Sports. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
24. Matthews, Anthony (28 April 2012). "Mariappa wins Player of the Season". Watford Observer. Retrieved 30 April 2012. Full article printed in the Watford Observer. p. 62. 27 April 2012.
25. "Mariappa signs from Watford". 18 July 2012. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
26. Smith, Frank (17 July 2012). "Reading confirm Mariappa signing". Watford Observer. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
27. Fordham, Jonny (16 July 2012). "Adrian Mariappa set to join Reading FC in time for Portugal". Reading Post. Retrieved 30 September 2013.
28. "Transfer deadline day: Adrian Mariappa signs for Crystal Palace". BBC Sport. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
29. "Star with Fijian roots sees red". Oceania Football Confederation. 22 March 2011. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
30. "VII. Eligibility to play for association teams". FIFA. May 2008. Retrieved 17 April 2012.
31. "English defender in national squad". The Fiji Times Online. 25 December 2010.
32. "Jamaica: A. Mariappa". Soccerway. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
33. "Adrian Mariappa career statistics". Soccerbase. Retrieved 4 May 2013.
34. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2005/2006". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
35. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2006/2007". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
36. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2007/2008". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
37. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2008/2009". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
38. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2009/2010". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
39. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2010/2011". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
40. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2011/2012". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
41. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
42. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 5 December 2013.
43. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
44. "Games played by Adrian Mariappa in 2015/2016". Soccerbase. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
45. "Adrian Mariappa". National Football Teams. Retrieved 5 December 2013.

External links

• Adrian Mariappa profile at Crystal Palace F.C.
• Adrian Mariappa profile at the Jamaica Football Federation
• Adrian Mariappa career statistics at Soccerbase
• Adrian Mariappa at National-Football-Teams.com