André Bikey

Infobox Football biography
playername = André Bikey


fullname = André Stéphane Bikey Amugu
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1985|1|8|df=yes
cityofbirth = Douala
countryofbirth = Cameroon
height = 6 ft 0 in (1.82 m)
position = Defender
currentclub = Reading
clubnumber = 23
contractend =
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2002–2005
2004–2005
2005
2005–2007
2006–2007
2007–
clubs = Espanyol
Paços de Ferreira
Shinnik Yaroslavl
Lokomotiv Moscow
→ Reading (loan)
Reading
caps(goals) = 00 (0)
02 (0)
11 (1)
26 (0)
14 (0)
39 (4)
nationalyears = 2006–
nationalteam = Cameroon
nationalcaps(goals) = 13 (2)
pcupdate = 08:54, 20 September 2008 (UTC)
ntupdate = 16:28, 3 August 2008 (UTC)

André Stéphane Bikey Amugu (born 8 January 1985, Douala, Cameroon) is a professional football defender, able to play in the centre of defence or at right back. He is currently playing for Reading in the Championship.

Club career

Bikey started his professional career at Espanyol in Spain when he was 15 where he failed to make the grade and left without making a first team appearance. He then moved to Shinnik Yaroslavl in Russia, where he caught the eye of Lokomotiv Moscow, for whom he signed on 1 July 2005. [cite web | title=Transfers - Archive | url=http://eng.fclm.ru/?team/lokotransfers/archive | publisher=Lokomotiv Moscow | accessdate=2007-04-20]

However, he failed to settle in the Russian capital later alleging racial abuse from the fans of rival teams. He joined Reading for an initial trial period during their pre-season trip to Sweden in 2006, where he impressed manager Steve Coppell. He was sent off in his final trial match for the club against Örgryte IS for head-butting an opponent, [cite news | title=Seol scores very late winner but Bikey is shown red card in final Swedish game | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~879211,00.html | work=readingfc.co.uk | date=2006-08-08 | accessdate=2007-04-20] an incident that was thought to have ended Reading's interest in the player. Coppell however put the incident down to the player being "determined to impress" and after much negotiation with Lokomotiv, a season-long loan deal was agreed on 26 August 2006, [cite news | title=Royals sign Andre Bikey from Lokomotiv Moscow; initially on season-long loan | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~888497,00.html | work=readingfc.co.uk | date=2006-08-26 | accessdate=2006-08-26] with Reading having an option to purchase the player at the end of the loan.

Bikey expressed a desire to obtain a permanent deal, [cite news | title=Bikey targets new deal with Royals | url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/sport/readingfc/2007/2007972/bikey_targets_new_deal_with_royals | work=Reading Evening Post | date=2007-02-22 | accessdate=2007-02-25] and following improving performances, it was announced on 24 April 2007 that Bikey had signed a three-year contract with Reading for a transfer fee in excess of £1 million, keeping him at Reading until the summer of 2010. [cite news | title=Royals sign Bikey for fee in excess of £1million | url=http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10306~1015632,00.html | work=readingfc.co.uk | date=2007-04-24 | accessdate=2007-04-24]

Bikey scored his first league goal for Reading on 15 August 2007, in Reading's 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea, [cite news | title=Reading 1-2 Chelsea | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/6941811.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2007-08-15 | accessdate=2008-03-22] followed by two more on 22 March 2008 against Birmingham City. [cite news | title=Reading 2-1 Birmingham | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7298218.stm | publisher=BBC Sport | date=2008-03-22 | accessdate=2008-03-22]

International career

Bikey represents Cameroon at international level. Bikey was named in Cameroon’s squad for the 2008 African Cup of Nations [cite news | date=2007-12-31 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/7166292.stm | title=Cameroon cancel Kenya camp | work=BBC Sport | accessdate=2008-01-01] . Bikey, who was scouted by Reading at the 2006 African Cup of Nations, said "I'm ready for the Cup of Nations though it is difficult to leave my obligations with Reading. I have a contract with Reading which I appreciate, but my country will always come first." [cite news | date=2008-01-05 | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/africa/7173175.stm | title=Bikey guns for Cameroon glory | work=BBC Sport | accessdate=2008-01-07] .

On February 7 2008 Bikey was sent off in the semi final win over Ghana after a bizarre incident where he pushed a medic watching over injured team mate Rigobert Song in the dying seconds of the match. It seems Bikey took offence when the Ghana stretcher team, keen to get the 'injured' Cameroon player off the field, with their team behind and time running out, began pushing back the doctor attending to Song, so that they could load him on the stretcher and the game could continue. Bikey reacted by pushing one of the offending stretcher bearers back with considerably more force, which sent him tumbling. Right on the scene, referee Abderahim El Arjoune instantly distributed the red card, alongside the bemused medic and some astounded Ghana players. [cite news | date=2008-02-08 | url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3334382.ece | title=Andre Bikey to miss final after shove | work=The Times | accessdate=2008-02-08]

Personal

Andre is married to his Portuguese wife, Marina, with whom he has a recently born daughter.

References

External links

* [http://www.readingfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/ProfilesDetail/0,,10306~34184,00.html André Bikey profile] at readingfc.co.uk
*soccerbase|43255|André Bikey

Persondata
NAME=Bikey, André
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=Bikey Amugu, André Stéphane
SHORT DESCRIPTION=Footballer
DATE OF BIRTH=8 January 1985
PLACE OF BIRTH=Douala, Cameroon
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=