- Moustapha Salifou
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Moustapha Salifou 
Salifou pictured in 2007Personal information Full name Moustapha Salifou[1] Date of birth 1 June 1983 [1] Place of birth Lomé, Togo Height 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)[2] Playing position Midfielder Club information Current club Free Agent Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1998–2002 Modèle Lomé ? (?) 2002–2006 Rot-Weiß Oberhausen 33 (1) 2005–2006 → Stade Brestois (loan) 7 (0) 2006–2007 Wil 23 (2) 2007–2011 Aston Villa 4 (0) National team‡ 2000– Togo 51 (6) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 18:17, 24 October 2011 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20:24, 15 June 2011 (UTC)Moustapha Salifou (born 1 June 1983) is a Togolese footballer who plays as a midfielder is currently a free agent after being released by Aston Villa in May 2011.
Contents
Club career
Born in Lomé, Salifou started his career in his native Togo with Modèle Lomé.[3] The midfielder had fleeting stints with Swiss side FC Wil, French team Stade Brest 29 and German team Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, prior to moving to England. On August 31, 2007, Salifou signed a one-year deal with Aston Villa, joining for a nominal fee after a successful trial. Martin O'Neill commented that "He has great determination to succeed at this level and may well prove to be an excellent asset".[4] Salifou encountered problems acquiring a work permit though, and was forced to train with his old club in Switzerland. Salifou had no choice.
It was reported on September 25, 2007 that the work permit had been granted and that Salifou was to join up with the squad within a week,[5] however, he did not join up with his new club until October 18, 2007.[6] Salifou made his debut for Aston Villa Reserves on 22 October 2007 creating two of the goals in a 6–0 win over Chelsea reserves. Salifou made his debut for the first team on 12 January 2008 – coming on amidst terrific cheers from the Aston Villa crowd – as a 90th minute substitute in a 3–1 win against Reading. Despite not having played a game, his name was chanted loudly to the tune of Daddy Cool by the Holte End. He was later rewarded with a one-year extension to his contract – his deal now runs until June 2011. This surprisingly being the first time a premiership footballer has been given an extension on a contract purely based on the strength of his fan made song.[7] Salifou made his second appearance for the club on the 15 March 2008, coming on as a late substitute in the 2–0 away defeat at Portsmouth, as well as appearing in the 4–0 defeat to Manchester United. On 6 November 2008, Martin O'Neill decided to change his starting eleven for Villa's UEFA Cup match against Slavia Prague. Salifou started and played the full ninety minutes, earning enthusiastic praise from Stan Collymore.
Despite rarely featuring for the club at all during the 2009–10 season, Salifou was named in caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald's 22-man Premier League squad for 2010–11.[8] He failed to make an impact during this season too, and underwent a trial at AS Monaco in January 2011.[9] With the arrival of Jean Makoun to Villa in January 2011, Salifou found himself without a squad number for a period after the number 17 shirt was given to Makoun. He did however score a goal in a friendly against kungsbacka if. However, he was later given the number 37. On 27 May 2011, Aston Villa announced that Salifou was one of a number of players who was released by the club after their contracts expired.[10] As of May 2011 he is a free agent.
International career
He is a member of the Togo national team, and was called up to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played in all three of Togo's group games in that World Cup against South Korea, Switzerland and France.[11]
The midfielder earned glowing reports after a positive performance at the 2006 World Cup, which alerted the attention of many French league clubs, and prompted the nickname the 'Togolese Zidane' or 'the great of the figure of eight' from his compatriot Emmanuel Adebayor, due to Salifou's playmaking nature.[12]
On 8 January 2010, the bus containing the Togo squad for the Africa Cup of Nations was subjected to an attack from gunmen; Salifou was on the bus during the attack, but was said to be 'shaken but okay' after the incident.[13]
References
- ^ a b Hugman, Barry J., ed (2008). The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2008–09. Mainstream Publishing. p. 366. ISBN 9781845963248.
- ^ "Premier League Player Profile". Premier League. http://www.premierleague.com/page/PlayerProfile/0,,12306~42701,00.html. Retrieved 11March 2011.
- ^ "Salifou, Moustapha". National Football Teams. http://www.national-football-teams.com/v2/player.php?id=6815. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
- ^ "Aston Villa complete Salifou move". BBC Sport. 2007-08-31. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/6973403.stm. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
- ^ "Villa sigining Salifou gets permit". BBC Sport. 2007-09-25. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/7012936.stm. Retrieved 2007-09-25.
- ^ "Salifou finally arrives at Villa". BBC Sport. 2007-10-18. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/aston_villa/7050904.stm. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ^ "Salifou Contract Extension". Aston Villa F.C.. http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~1233970,00.html. Retrieved 2008-03-16.
- ^ http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2141616,00.html
- ^ http://www.mercato365.com/infos-clubs/monaco/article_489778_Monaco-Salifou-teste.shtml
- ^ "Farewell to Reo-Coker and Carew as released list announced". Aston Villa F.C.. 27 May 2011. http://www.avfc.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~2368005,00.html. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
- ^ "Villa take Salifou". Ireland On-line. 2007-08-31. http://breakingnews.iol.ie/sport/story.asp?j=230069162&p=z3xx69868&t=soccer. Retrieved 2007-08-31.
- ^ "Not Zizou- I'm Salifou". Aston Villa F.C.. http://www.avfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10265~1151591,00.html. Retrieved 2008-02-21.
- ^ "Togo football stars tell of gun attack". BBC Sport. 2010-01-08. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/8449502.stm. Retrieved 2010-01-09.
External links
Togo squads Togo squad – 2002 Africa Cup of Nations 
Togo squad – 2006 Africa Cup of Nations 1 Tchagnirou • 2 Nibombé • 3 Abalo • 4 Adebayor • 5 Tchangai • 6 Aziawonou • 7 Salifou • 8 Gaffar • 9 Dogbé • 10 Cherif Touré • 11 Coubageat • 12 Akoto • 13 Mathias • 14 Olufadé • 15 Romao • 16 Agassa • 17 Kader • 18 Sènaya • 19 Alidu • 20 Assemoassa • 21 Atte-Oudeyi • 22 Obilalé • 23 Guyazou • Coach: KeshiTogo squad – 2006 FIFA World Cup 1 Tchagnirou • 2 Nibombé • 3 Abalo (c) • 4 Adebayor • 5 Tchangai • 6 Aziawonou • 7 Salifou • 8 Agboh • 9 Dossevi • 10 Cherif Touré • 11 Malm • 12 Akoto • 13 Forson • 14 Olufadé • 15 Romao • 16 Agassa • 17 Kader • 18 Sènaya • 19 Assemoassa • 20 Erassa • 21 Atsou • 22 Obilalé • 23 A. Touré • Coach: PfisterTogo squad – 2010 Africa Cup of Nations (withdrawn) Categories:- 1983 births
- Living people
- People from Lomé
- Togolese footballers
- Togo international footballers
- Togolese expatriate footballers
- Expatriate footballers in Germany
- Expatriate footballers in France
- Expatriate footballers in Switzerland
- Expatriate footballers in England
- Rot-Weiß Oberhausen players
- Stade Brestois 29 players
- FC Wil players
- Aston Villa F.C. players
- Ligue 2 players
- Premier League players
- 2002 African Cup of Nations players
- 2006 Africa Cup of Nations players
- 2006 FIFA World Cup players
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