Eric Djemba-Djemba
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Eric Djemba-Djemba | ||
 The image above is believed to be a replaceable fair use image. It will be deleted on 2006-12-17 if not determined to be irreplaceable. If you believe this image is not replaceable, follow the instructions on the image page to dispute this assertion. |
||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | May 4, 1981 (age 25) | |
| Place of birth | Douala, Cameroon | |
| Height | 174cm | |
| Position | Midfield | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Aston Villa | |
| Number | 14 | |
| Professional clubs* | ||
| Years | Club | Apps (goals) |
| 2001-03 2003-05 2005- |
Nantes Manchester United Aston Villa |
66 (1) 39 (2) 11 (0) |
| National team** | ||
| 2002- | Cameroon | 20 (2) |
|
* Professional club appearances and goals |
||
Eric Djemba-Djemba (born May 4, 1981 in Douala, Cameroon) is a football player who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Aston Villa and the Cameroonian national team.
Djemba-Djemba rose to prominence with FC Nantes, in France. His impressive performances for the French club earned him a dream move to Manchester United in the summer of 2003. A feisty and uncompromising tackler, the Cameroonian was mooted by Sir Alex Ferguson as a possible replacement for the aging Roy Keane. Arriving in England, Djemba-Djemba was complete unknown to many fans and pundits alike. He wasted no time in establishing his ultra-aggressive style during his debut against Arsenal in the Community Shield, leaving an impression - literally - on Arsenal's Sol Campbell with a typically rambunctious challenge which Arsène Wenger called "obscene".
In 18 months at Old Trafford, Djemba-Djemba never fully established himself as a player capable of filling Keane's shoes. It did not help Djemba-Djemba's cause that United were in a period of transition and he was constantly being rotated in and out of the team with a number of other potential suitors to Keane's midfield mantle, as Ferguson searched for a worthy successor to his captain.
Djemba-Djemba was sold to Aston Villa in the January 2005 transfer window for a fee of £1,500,000. However, the move has done little to restore the player's reputation as he has found it difficult to move ahead of Gavin McCann and Steven Davis in Villa's midfield pecking order. A possible switch to La Liga in Spain has been speculated.
Djemba-Djemba was a member of the Cameroon team that won the 2002 African Nations Cup and finished runner-up to France at the 2003 Confederations Cup. He also appeared at the 2002 World Cup.
[edit] External links
 |
Cameroon squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup | |
|---|---|---|
|
1 Boukar | 2 Tchato | 3 Wome | 4 Song | 5 Kalla | 6 Njanka | 7 Ndo | 8 Geremi | 9 Eto'o | 10 Mboma | 11 Ndiefi | 12 Lauren | 13 Mettomo | 14 Epalle | 15 Alnoudji | 16 Songo'o | 17 Foé | 18 Suffo | 19 Djemba‑Djemba | 20 Olembé | 21 Job | 22 Kameni | 23 Ngom Kome | Coach: Schäfer |
||
| Aston Villa F.C. - Current Squad |
|---|
|
1 Sørensen | 2 Delaney | 3 Samuel | 4 Mellberg | 5 Laursen | 6 Barry | 8 McCann | 9 Ángel | 10 Baroš | 11 Petrov | 12 Davis | 13 Taylor | 14 Djemba-Djemba | 15 Agbonlahor | 16 Bouma | 17 Whittingham | 18 Hughes | 19 Ridgewell | 20 Sutton | 21 Cahill | 22 Moore | 23 Berger | 25 Olejnik | 26 Gardner | 27 Osbourne | 31 Agathe | Manager: O'Neill |
