Christopher Wreh has retired from football
Christopher Wreh (born May 14, 1975 in Monrovia) is a Liberian
footballer.
A cousin of former FIFA World Player of the Year George Weah, Wreh
first played for Liberian clubs Young Kotoko, La Modelle International
and Invincible Eleven, before being snapped up by French side AS
Monaco as a youth in 1989. A centre forward, Wreh was mainly on the
fringes of the Monaco side, and spent a period on loan at Guingamp,
where he played in the 1997 Coupe de France final (which Guingamp lost
on penalties). In the meantime, Wreh had made his debut for Liberia in
1995, and would go on to win 36 caps for his country, scoring 11
goals.
Wreh's contract expired in the summer of 1997, and he moved on a
Bosman free transfer to English club Arsenal, linking up with his
former boss at Monaco, Arsène Wenger. Although fourth choice behind
Ian Wright, Dennis Bergkamp and Nicolas Anelka, Wreh still played an
important part in the Gunners' Double winning season of 1997-98,
scoring in vital 1-0 Premier League wins against Wimbledon and Bolton
Wanderers, and scoring the only goal of the Gunners' FA Cup semi-final
win over Wolves. Wreh went on to play in the FA Cup final, although he
didn't score, Arsenal beat Newcastle United 2-0.
Despite scoring in the Charity Shield against Manchester United, Wreh
couldn't sustain his previous form and he played fewer and fewer
games; after the arrival of Thierry Henry and Davor Šuker at the club
in 1999 he was squeezed out altogether. He had brief loan spells with
Birmingham City, AEK Athens and Den Bosch, but none of these were made
permanent. He left Arsenal in 2000, having scored 5 times in 46
matches (most of them as substitute).
Wreh's career never reached the same heights as it had at Arsenal, as
he became somewhat of a journeyman footballer. He initially signed for
Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, then returned to the UK in 2001 with
brief stints at Bournemouth and St Mirren, but fitness problems meant
he rarely got a game. After trying his luck at Bishop's Stortford, he
now plays for United Counties League side Buckingham Town.
As of 2005 Wreh has retired from football and is now concentrating on
his musical career, with his band 'Soul Rebels', currently touring
Europe.
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