- Olivier Kapo
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Olivier Kapo 
Personal information Full name Narcisse-Olivier Kapo-Obou Date of birth 27 September 1980 Place of birth Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1 1⁄2 in) Playing position Left winger / Striker Club information Current club Al-Ahly Youth career 1996–1999 Auxerre Senior career* Years Team Apps† (Gls)† 1999–2004 Auxerre 119 (19) 2004–2007 Juventus 14 (0) 2005–2006 → Monaco (loan) 25 (5) 2006–2007 → Levante (loan) 32 (5) 2007–2008 Birmingham City 26 (5) 2008–2010 Wigan Athletic 20 (1) 2010 → Boulogne (loan) 16 (2) 2010–2011 Celtic 2 (0) 2011- Al-Ahly 5 (2) National team 2002–2004 France 9 (3) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 15 January 2011.
† Appearances (Goals).Narcisse-Olivier Kapo-Obou (born 27 September 1980 in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire), known as Olivier Kapo, is a French footballer who currently plays for Al-Ahly. He plays as a left winger.
Contents
Club career
Early career
Kapo joined Juventus on a free transfer from French club Auxerre in the summer of 2004, but he struggled to adapt to life in Turin and did not play much as he was behind Pavel Nedvěd in the left midfield role. As a result, he was loaned to Monaco for the 2005–06 season.
When Juventus were forcibly relegated to the Serie B Kapo returned to Turin but went sent back on loan due to the abundance of midfielders. He signed for Spanish La Liga club Levante, scoring five goals in thirty appearances.
Birmingham City
Kapo signed for Birmingham City on 29 June 2007 for a fee of £3 million.[1] He scored on his Premier League debut against Chelsea on 12 August 2007.[2]
Wigan Athletic
Kapo signed for Wigan Athletic on 16 July 2008, signing a three-year deal for a fee reported as £3.5 million, a move which reunited him with former manager Steve Bruce.[3] He scored his first goal for Wigan in a 4–1 League Cup win over Ipswich Town on 24 September 2008,[4] and then scored his first league goal in a 2–1 defeat to Chelsea on 28 February 2009.[5] He left the club by mutual consent in August 2010.[6]
Boulogne
On 8 January 2010 the winger moved to Boulogne on a six month loan deal from Wigan Athletic.[7]
Celtic
On 4 November 2010, Kapo signed for Celtic,[8] on an 18-month deal.[9] He was allocated the number 77 jersey.[10] He stated he turned down better money from other clubs to sign for the Glasgow side,[11] including an offer from Bundesliga club SC Freiburg.[12] He was encouraged to join the club after consulting with his friend, ex-Celtic player Jean-Joël Perrier-Doumbé.[13] Kapo made his debut against St Johnstone at home in the Scottish Premier League as a second half substitute, hitting the bar and then assisting the second goal in a 2–0 victory. He was released from Celtic contract in January 2011 although the player claims he walked out on the club.[14]
International career
Kapo won nine caps for France.[15] He represented his country in the 2003 Confederations Cup, scoring against New Zealand.[10] He has also scored in friendlies against Egypt and Serbia and Montenegro.[10] Kapo won his last cap in 2004, but after signing for Celtic in November 2010, he outlined his hopes for a recall to the international fold.[9]
References
- ^ "Birmingham sign midfielder Kapo". BBC Sport. 29 June 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/b/birmingham_city/6255568.stm. Retrieved 29 June 2007.
- ^ "Chelsea 3–2 Birmingham". BBC Sport. 12 August 2007. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/eng_prem/6931067.stm. Retrieved 15 July 2008.
- ^ "Bruce snaps up Kapo a second time". BBC Sport. 16 July 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/w/wigan_athletic/7508113.stm. Retrieved 16 July 2008.
- ^ "Ipswich 1–4 Wigan". BBC Sport. 24 September 2008. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/league_cup/7626823.stm. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
- ^ "Chelsea 2–1 Wigan". BBC Sport. 28 February 2009. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_prem/7905860.stm. Retrieved 8 November 2009.
- ^ "Kapo Leaves Latics". Wigan Athletic F.C. 6 August 2010. http://www.wiganlatics.co.uk/page/NewsDetail/0,,10429~2112492,00.html. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
- ^ "Kapo granted loan wish". Sky Sports. 8 January 2010. http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12875_5844116,00.html. Retrieved 8 January 2010.
- ^ "Olivier Kapo signs for Celtic". Celtic FC. 4 November 2010. http://celticfc.net/news/stories/news_041110111509.aspx. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ a b "Celtic sign Olivier Kapo for rest of the season". BBC Sport. 4 November 2010. http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/c/celtic/9150885.stm. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
- ^ a b c "Ex-Celtic defender sold Kapo on move". STV Sport. 4 November 2010. http://sport.stv.tv/football/scottish-premier/celtic/206783-ex-celtic-defender-sold-kapo-on-celtic-move/.
- ^ "Olivier Kapo insists football, not finance, was behind decision to join Celtic". The Scotsman. 5 November 2010. http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/spl/Olivier-Kapo-insists-football-not.6613808.jp. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- ^ "Kapo: Why I chose the SPL over the Bundesliga". STV Sport. 7 November 2010. http://sport.stv.tv/football/207320-kapo-why-i-chose-the-spl-over-the-bundusliga/. Retrieved 18 November 2010.
- ^ "Kapo: I couldn't turn down Celtic". Celtic FC. 4 November 2010. http://www.celticfc.net/news/stories/news_041110152556.aspx. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- ^ Grahame, Ewing (19 January 2011). "French winger Olivier Kapo accuses Celtic of 'deep injustice' over contract as he walks out on club". Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/celtic/8269897/French-winger-Olivier-Kapo-accuses-Celtic-of-deep-injustice-over-contract-as-he-walks-out-on-club.html. Retrieved 19 January 2011.
- ^ "Celtic snap up winger Olivier Kapo on a free transfer". Mail Online. 4 November 2010. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1326550/Celtic-snap-winger-Olivier-Kapo-free-transfer.html?ito=feeds-newsxml. Retrieved 4 November 2010.
External links
France squad – 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup Winners (2nd Title) 
Categories:- French footballers
- France international footballers
- French expatriate footballers
- Ligue 1 players
- AJ Auxerre players
- Juventus F.C. players
- AS Monaco FC players
- La Liga footballers
- Levante UD footballers
- Birmingham City F.C. players
- Wigan Athletic F.C. players
- US Boulogne players
- Celtic F.C. players
- French people of Ivorian descent
- Serie A footballers
- Premier League players
- Expatriate footballers in Italy
- Expatriate footballers in Spain
- Expatriate footballers in England
- Expatriate footballers in Scotland
- 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup players
- FIFA Confederations Cup-winning players
- 1980 births
- Living people
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