出自 4 the game


     Position: Striker

  Nationality: Finnish

Date Of Birth: 15/ 03/ 1981

       Height: 1.78m

       Weight: 68.10kg










     Mikael Forssell initially signed for Birmingham on a four-month loan
deal from Chelsea at the end of the August 2003 transfer window, before it
was extended until the end of the season.


     The Finn was forced to move from the west London club after a host of
stars joined Chelsea following the takeover of Russian billionaire Roman
Abramovich.


     Forssell would have found first team chances very limited after the
oil tycoon splashed over ￡100million on Hernan Crespo, Adrian Mutu,
Damien Duff, Juan Sebastian Veron and several other world-class players.
But the fact that Claudio Ranieri does not want to sell his young striker
shows just how highly he is regarded.


     Chelsea beat off a host of European clubs to sign the then 17 year
old wonder kid on a Bosman free transfer from HJK Helsinki in 1998. Mikael
soon went on to prove his worth with a double wonder strike against Oxford
United in the FA Cup.


     A striker with a true eye for goal and the vision of cultured
midfielder, Forssell soon became recognised as an outstanding prospect.


     After two loan spells at Crystal Palace, where he was a great
success, Forssell returned to Chelsea to try and force his way into the
first team. He made 39 appearances in 2001/02, though only eight were from
the start. He scored 13 goals, earning him the tag of "super-sub" and
comparisons with fellow Scandinavians Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Tore Andre
Flo. Though he was flattered by the comparisons, he insisted that he
doesn't want to be known as a great substitute, but a great player.


     In January 2003, he joined German club Borussia Monchengladbach on
loan until the end of the season to get match practice, and was a big hit
over there, scoring seven goals in 12 games.


     He arrived back at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2003 demanding
first team football, and although he did not say that he wanted to leave
Chelsea, the partnership of Hasselbaink and Gudjohnsen and the signing of
Crespo and Mutu made it difficult to see how Forssell could break into the
team.


     And so Steve Bruce didn't hesitate in swooping for the youngster,
and Forssell was equally swift to make an impression. In November 2003,
his loan was extended until the end of the season.