Sofyane Cherfa

Sofyane Cherfa
Personal information
Full nameSofyane Cherfa
Date of birth13 August 1984
Place of birthToulouse, France
Height1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Playing positionCentre back
Club information
Current team
Panthrakikos
Number13
Youth career
AS Monaco
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
2005–2007Louhans-Cuiseaux59(5)
2007–2008Reims30(2)
2008–2009Sedan15(0)
2009–2011Châteauroux40(0)
2011–2014Omonia45(3)
2012–2013→ Panthrakikos (loan)29(0)
2014–Panthrakikos13(0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 6 July 2014.
† Appearances (Goals).

Sofyane Cherfa (Arabic: سفيان شرفة‎) (born 13 August 1984 in Toulouse, France) is a French-Algerian football defender who is currently playing for Panthrakikos in the Superleague Greece.

Career

Cherfa started his football career in 2004 playing for the youth team of AS Monaco with no official appearance.[1] The time period between 2005 and 2007, he played for the French CS Louhans-Cuiseaux scoring 5 goals in 59 matches. The next year he played with the jersey of French team Stade de Reims scoring 2 goals in 30 matches. A year after, he joined the French CS Sedan Ardennes (15 appearances). Between 2009 and 2011, Cherfa played for the French football team LB Chateauroux (40 matches).[2] In 2011, he joined AC Omonia Nicosia scoring 2 goals in 22 matches. In 2012-2013, he played for Panthrakikos F.C. on loan from AC Omonia. In the Summer of 2013 he re-integrated in Omonia's squad and renewed his contract for three years.

International career

In April 2005, Cherfa was called up to the Algerian Under-23 National Team for a mini training camp in France.[3][4]

Sofyane Cherfa was one of the 14 players with Algerian origins playing football in France who were selected and invited to form the roster of the Algerian Olympic national football team under 23 for the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008.[5]

Personal

His younger brother, Walid, is also a defender and is currently playing for Ligue 1 side Toulouse FC. [6]

Transfer to Cyprus

During the Summer transfer window of 2011, the coach of Omonia Nicosia, Neophytos Larkou, showed great interest in obtaining Cherfa due to voids in centre-back defensive positions of his team. Also, two other Cypriot football teams showed their great interest in the acquisition of the French-Algerian stopper, Ermis Aradippou and Apollon Limassol. In summer 2011, there was a strong competition in Cyprus on which Cypriot football team will integrate Cherfa in its roster. He even underwent and passed successfully the medical examination and physical/fitness test for Ermis Aradippou, although -at the end- he was transferred to Omonia Nicosia since the team of Ermis Aradippou did not have the financial ability to complete the transfer.[7] His registration in the roster of Nicosia’s football team constitutes his first transfer outside the French borders.

Sofyane Cherfa playing for Omonia Nicosia in Cypriot First Division match against AEL Limassol

On loan to Panthrakikos and scenarios of early return to Omonia

During the summer transfer window of 2012, the French-Algerian stopper was outside the plans of Omonia’s management because after the completion of the transfers, stoppers were considered redundant.[8] Thus, Omonia agreed one-year loan of Cherfa to Panthrakikos F.C.,[9] since the latter was competing in Super League Greece.[10] Before the mid-season transfer window of 2012, informal journalistic information wanted the coach of Omonia Nicosia Tony Savevski, requesting the return of the defender football player back to Omonia.[11] The rationale for his early return to Cyprus occurred mainly after the secession of 32-years-old Montenegrin defender Savo Pavićević and the transfer of Christos Karipidis to APOEL[12] On the other hand, the rumors regarding the return of Cherfa to Omonia contradicted by Panthrakikos management, who argued that the agreement between the two football teams would last by the end of the season.[13][14] The footballer himself, making statements to reporters, confirmed the rumors, although he clarified that he was not thinking at that time to return to Cyprus.[15]

Sofyane Cherfa playing with Omonia's jersey no.20

Back to Omonia and contract renewal

By the end of the 2012-2013 season, Cherfa completed his commitments in Greece, so he returned to Omonia. The club set a target of restructuring and management of debt accumulated in previous years, therefore, management of the club proposed the renewal of contracts of the players with the simultaneous reduction of their wages. Negotiations with French-Algerian player did not have positive outcome, at first. As a result, Cherfa started training alone and refrained from European obligations of the club.[16] Also, information was leaked concerning potential Cherfa’s transfer to OFI Crete, something never happened because according to press reports, Omonia did not want to release the player.[17] Meanwhile, gaps presented in defense line during the brief European course of Omonia in Europa League, made the coaching team to re-think Cherfa’s reintegration. After consultations, a new round of negotiations was launched to renew the player's contract with reduced wages. [18] Finally, negotiations achieved the desired result for both sides. Cherfa has renewed his contract with the football team of Nicosia for another three years.[19]

Honours

AC Omonia

Celebrations after winning the Cypriot Cup 2011-12

Club statistics

As of 2 April 2013
Club Season League Cup League Cup Europe Total
AppsGlsYCRCAppsGlsYCRCAppsGlsYCRCAppsGlsYCRCAppsGlsYCRC
CS Louhans-Cuiseaux 2005–2006
2006–2007
Total 595 595
Stade de Reims 2007–2008 3027000000000000030270
Total 3027000000000000030270
CS Sedan Ardennes 2008–2009 1500100000000000015001
Total 1500100000000000015001
LB Châteauroux 2009–2010 80000000000000008000
2010–2011 3205110001000000034051
Total 4005110001000000042051
AC Omonia 2011-2012 1828161000000100024381
2013-2014 2013040000000000024130
Total 3831111010000001010484111
Panthrakikos F.C. 2012-2013 2902181000000000037121
Total 2902181000000000037121

External links

References