Geremi Njitap

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Geremi Njitap
Personal information
Full name	Geremi Sorele Njitap Fotso
Date of birth	December 20, 1978 (age 27)
Place of birth	Bafoussam, Cameroon
Height	5'9"
Position	midfielder
Club information
Current club	Chelsea
Number	14
Professional clubs*
Years	Club	Apps (goals)
1995-96 1997 1997-99 1999-02 2002-03 2003-	Racing Bafoussam Cerro Porteño Genclerbirligi Real Madrid Middlesbrough F.C. (loan) Chelsea	? (?) 6 (0) 57 (9) 45 (0) 33 (7) 54 (4)
National team**
1996-	Cameroon	49 (1)
* Professional club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 August 2006. ** National team caps and goals correct as of 27 May 2002.

Olympic medal record
Competitor for  Cameroon
Men's Football
Gold	2000 Sydney	Team Competition

Geremi Sorele Njitap Fotso, usually known simply as Geremi (born December 20, 1978 in Bafoussam, Cameroon) is a Cameroonian footballer contracted to Chelsea in the English Premier League.

Geremi was part of the gold medal-winning Cameroon team at the 2000 Summer Olympics. He also represented Cameroon at the 2002 World Cup and the 2004 and 2006 African Nations Cups.

Prior to joining Chelsea in 2003, Gérémi played for Cerro Porteño, Genclerbirligi, Real Madrid, and Middlesbrough (on loan). He was Middlesbrough's player of the season for 2002-03. In 2003, Geremi was brought to Chelsea by then Blues manager Claudio Ranieri after Chelsea agreed a 6 million pound fee with Real Madrid.

Geremi was fairly regular for Chelsea while Ranieri was in charge. After Ranieri was succeeded by José Mourinho, Geremi struggled to earn first-team opportunities at Chelsea due to the exceptional strength in depth of Chelsea's squad. Despite this, he scored twice in the 2005-06 Premiership season, against Sunderland and Liverpool.

Although he began his career as a right-winger, Geremi now figures in Chelsea manager José Mourinho's plans as the back-up to Paulo Ferreira at right-back, especially as Chelsea has three of the game's most valuable wingers in Arjen Robben, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Joe Cole, as well as a strong pool of central midfielders, including Claude Makélélé, Frank Lampard, Michael Essien, Michael Ballack, Lassana Diarra, and most recently, John Obi Mikel.

The club's decision to loan Glen Johnson, another right back, to Portsmouth F.C. for 2006-07, has enhanced Geremi's prospects of getting playing time in 2006-07.

At the Adidas and Chelsea "Blue Day Out" event for Fans at the Stamford Bridge Stadium, Geremi had one of the biggest cheers as he made his entrance to the Chelsea Stadium - in an AA Van, after his car had broken down on the journey.

Geremi has scored four league goals in his bit-part role at Chelsea. Nevertheless, each goal has been dripping in quality. They have ranged from a stunning free-kick against West Ham United,an excellent chipped volley from the edge of the box in the 2003/04 season, a curling effort from 27 yards against Sunderland A.F.C and a powerful follow-up whilst coming in at speed against Liverpool F.C.

[edit] External links

• BBC profile

	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

Chelsea F.C. - Current Squad
1 Čech | 3 A. Cole | 4 Makélélé | 5 Essien | 6 Carvalho | 7 Shevchenko | 8 Lampard | 9 Boulahrouz | 10 J. Cole | 11 Drogba | 12 Mikel | 13 Ballack | 14 Geremi | 16 Robben | 18 Bridge | 19 Diarra | 20 Ferreira | 21 Kalou | 22 Hedman | 23 Cudicini | 24 Wright-Phillips | 26 Terry | 40 Hilário | 41 Ma-Makalambay | Manager: Mourinho