Patrick Nyema Gerhardt

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Patrick Gerhardt

| fullname = Patrick Nyema Gerhardt

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1985|7|31|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bern, Switzerland

| height = 6 ft 1/2 in

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Defender

| youthyears1 = 2000–2004

| youthclubs1 = Young Boys

| years1 = 2004–2008

| years2 = 2004–2005

| years3 = 2006–2007

| years4 = 2007–2008

| years5 = 2008–2009

| years6 = 2010–2011

| years7 = 2011–2012

| years8 = 2012–2014

| years9 = 2015

| years10= 2017

| years11= 2017

| clubs1 = Young Boys

| clubs2 = → Young Boys II (loan)

| clubs3 = → Concordia Basel (loan)

| clubs4 = → SR Delémont (loan)

| clubs5 = CS Otopeni

| clubs6 = Brantford Galaxy

| clubs7 = Željezničar Sarajevo

| clubs8 = Melbourne Heart

| clubs9 = Sarawak FA

| clubs10= Melbourne Knights

| clubs11= Nunawading City

| caps1 = 1

| caps2 = 22

| caps3 = 11

| caps4 = 30

| caps5 = 4

| caps6 = 12

| caps7 = 33

| caps8 = 40

| caps9 = 2

| caps10 = 3

| caps11 = 11

| goals1 = 0

| goals2 = 11

| goals3 = 0

| goals4 = 3

| goals5 = 1

| goals6 = 0

| goals7 = 2

| goals8 = 1

| goals9 = 1

| goals10= 0

| goals11= 3

| nationalyears1 = 2011–2015

| nationalteam1 = Liberia

| nationalcaps1 = 8

| nationalgoals1 = 0

| club-update = 4 October 2017

| nationalteam-update = 22 March 2016

}}

Patrick Nyema Gerhardt (born 31 July 1985) is a former professional footballer who last played for National Premier Leagues Victoria 2 side Nunawading City. Born in Switzerland, he represented the Liberia national football team. He is known for his strength, technical skill, heading ability and industrious work rate.

Early life

Gerhardt was born in Bern, Switzerland. He holds a Liberian citizenship through his heritage. He began his football career at Bern, local club FC Bumpliz, before impressing enough to be selected in the BSC Young Boys youth system, where he played for the under 15, under 17, under 18 and under 21 teams. He also won international youth caps for the Swiss national under 15 and under 16 side.

Career

After four years in the youth system and at the age of 19 he won a senior contract with BSC, playing 22 times for the BSC Young Boys II team. After a series of loans to local sides Concordia Basel and SR Delémont he left BSC after just one senior appearance. Gerhardt left BSC in the middle of 2008 and joined newly promoted Romanian Liga I team CS Otopeni.http://www.sporttip.ch/sporttip/fr/lottoportal/sporttip/sporttip_news/sporttip_newsmeldung_365.jsp;jsessionid=166E849D0CE559B9AD96C0DD071D95E6.node0{{Dead link|date=September 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He left after a frustrating season which saw Otopeni relegated and few first team chances. In 2010, he joined Canadian Soccer League side Brantford Galaxy.{{Cite web|url=http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2010/05/06/lazo-is-in-charge|title=Lazo is in charge|last=Smiley|first=Brian|website=Brantford Expositor|access-date=2016-10-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920062045/http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2010/05/06/lazo-is-in-charge|archive-date=20 September 2016|url-status=dead}} After an up and down 'regular season' Gerhardt helped the side win the league playoffs, where they came from way back in 7th place to beat Hamilton Croatia 0–3 in the final.

= FK Željezničar =

On 26 January 2011, FK Željezničar Sarajevo announced that Gerhardt was coming on trial with the club.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fkzeljeznicar.com/vijesti/svicarac-stigao-na-probu-0|title=Fkzeljeznicar.com|website=www.fkzeljeznicar.com|access-date=2018-05-03}} He signed for FK Željezničar on 7 February, for the remainder of the 2010–11 season.{{Cite web|url=http://www.fkzeljeznicar.com/vijesti/patrick-gerhardt-novi-fudbaler-zeljeznicara|title=Fkzeljeznicar.com|website=www.fkzeljeznicar.com|access-date=2018-05-03}} After helping the Club win the National league cup he was awarded a 1-year contract, keeping him at the club until the end of the 2011/12 season.

The 2011–12 season was an even better one for the club and for Gerhardt, winning 'the Double' (League and Cup titles), as well as qualifying for the UEFA Champions League. It was the first double for any club since the unified Bosnia and Herzegovina football competitions started in 2002.

= Melbourne Heart FC =

On 22 June 2012, he signed for Australian A-League club Melbourne Heart.http://mhfcindex.com/gerhardt-signs-two-year-deal-with-melbourne-heart/{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He was released by the club on 30 April 2014.{{cite web|title=Melbourne Heart FC Confirms Departure of Four Players|url=http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/news-display/Melbourne-Heart-FC-Confirms-Departure-of-Four-Players/90216|work=Football Federation Australia|accessdate=29 April 2014|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140502005842/http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/melbourneheart/news-display/Melbourne-Heart-FC-Confirms-Departure-of-Four-Players/90216|archivedate=2 May 2014}}

After a stint with Malaysian Sarawak FA, Gerhardt returned to Australia, signing for National Premier Leagues Victoria club Melbourne Knights FC.{{Cite web|url=http://www.cornerflag.com.au/former-heart-defender-gerhardt-joins-knights/|title=Former Heart defender Gerhardt joins Knights – The Corner Flag|website=www.cornerflag.com.au|language=en-US|access-date=2018-05-03}} After battling various injuries in the first part of the season, Gerhardt made his Knights debut in Round 14, coming on as a late substitute in a 1–0 win over Hume City FC. He moved to Nunawading City in June 2017.

International career

Despite being born in Bern, Switzerland, Gerhardt accepted the call to play for the Liberian national team. He was eligible to play for Liberia due to his heritage. He debuted on 26 March 2011 in a 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Cape Verde Islands, a 2–4 loss.