Jirès Kembo Ekoko

Jirès Kembo Ekoko

Kembo Ekoko with Stade Rennais
Personal information
Full name Jirès Kembo Ekoko
Date of birth (1988-01-08) 8 January 1988
Place of birth Kinshasa, Zaire
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 Al Nasr
Number 8
Youth career
1997–2001 AS Bondy
2001–2004 Clairefontaine
2004–2006 Rennes
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2012 Rennes 110 (16)
2012–2015 Al Ain 57 (25)
2013–2014 → El Jaish (loan) 22 (6)
2015– Al Nasr 13 (6)
National team‡
2009–2011 France U21 9 (3)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 February 2016.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 10 June 2009

Jirès Kembo Ekoko (born 8 January 1988) is a footballer from Democratic Republic of the Congo, who plays for Emirati club Al Nasr SC. His father is Kembo Uba Kembo, who played for DR Congo (formerly Zaire) national team in the 1974 FIFA World Cup.

Early life

Born in Kinshasa, Zaire, Kembo Ekoko move to France when he was six years old and live Bondy, Île-de-France with his uncle and older sister. His mother had decides to send him to Europe to make his tuition while their parents still remain in Zaire (which later be called Congo in 1997).

Kembo Ekoko began playing football in the street and was spotted by scouts while playing in school. At age 9, Kembo Ekoko had signed for youth team called AS Bondy in 1997. Four years later, he would join another youth team called Clairefontaine. After three years of training, he would join Rennes. Upon joining the club, Kembo Ekoko would soon join up the youth team and made an impression. Due to his technical qualities, he was earned a nickname "Kembinho" by his teammate. By the end of May, he signed his first professional contract.[1]

Career

Stade Rennais

Kembo Ekoko in the match between Rennes and Guingamp reserve squads in 2007.

In his first season, Kembo Ekoko made his debut, coming on for Jimmy Briand in a late minutes, in a 2–1 loss against Lille. Since his debut, he played very little first team this season, which led him being linked with several clubs in the lower division but the club rejected the bid and prevent him with the move.[2]

In his second season, Kembo Ekoko playing time was limited, which he needs to improve. Under Pierre Dréossi, he gave Kembo Ekoko his first game in the UEFA Cup against Lokomotiv Sofia with a 2–1 loss, before coming off by Jérôme Leroy. The next game in UEFA Cup, Kembo Ekoko set up a goal for Bruno Cheyrou in a 1–1 draw against Brann. At the end of the season, he earned a French citizenship, earning a French call-up.

In his third season, Kembo Ekoko made 13 appearance and scored 3, under Dréossi's successor Guy Lacombe. Under Lacombe, he is slowly place, getting more playing time. In the third of Coupe de la Ligue against Le Mans on 24 September 2008, Kembo Ekoko scored his first Coupe de la Ligue's goal in a 2–2 draw, which saw him linked with him linked with Reading F.C, although a bid was not accepted. The club would win 4–3 on penalties in the next round shootout to go through to last sixteen of Coupe de France on 4 March 2009, Kembo also scored his first Coupe de France's goal in a 3–0 win over Lorient. A week later following first Coupe de France's goal, Kembo Ekoko scored his first league goal against Le Mans (the team he scored his first in Coupe de la Ligue). His performance suggests the club should give him more playing time[3] and began to grow impatient with being on the bench and wanted more playing time.[4] The club would reach the final of Coupe de France against Guingamp. Ahead of the match, Lacombe would put Olivier Thomert, Romain Danzé and Moussa Sow in three-way attack and the club is without injured Jimmy Briand and with the club losing 2–1, Kembo Ekoko came on as a substitute in a late minute for Bruno Cheyrou. In the end, the club stayed the same and Guingamp won their first title. Weeks after the final on 23 May 2009, Kembo Ekoko scored his second goal in a 3–1 win over Lorient. After the 2008/09 season, Lacombe would leave the club and was replaced by Frédéric Antonetti.

In his fourth season, many strikers like Briand, Sow and Mickaël Pagis all left the club but the club managed to bring Asamoah Gyan (his future Al Ain team-mate) and Ismaël Bangoura putting Kembo Ekoko out of the first team. Despite being pushed out of the first team, he scored his first goal of the season in a 4–1 win over Toulouse on 20 March 2010. As his contract is set to expire at the end of 2009/10 season, Kembo Ekoko signed a new contract, keeping him until 2013[5] Unlike last season, he barely get playing time at the club.

In his fifth season, Kembo Ekoko managed to make a return in the first team after Gyan and Bangoura both left the club but got Víctor Montaño and ledding manager Antonetti to give more playing time[6] and which he did.[7] He scored three goals in three games against Lyon, Auxerre and Brest. His performance led the federation of Congo wants Kembo Ekoko to join the national team, to his father footstep, but he declined, insisting he should concentrate on his club career.[8] During a match against Bordeaux on 12 December 2010, he suffered an ankle injury in the second half from Salif Sané. He would undergo a surgery and was a success but however, a series of physical problems with a hamstring injury that relapse many times. Unable to play between two-halves in the match, his performance was could be produced, like in the first half of the season and couldn't score in the second half of the season. After taking his injury take time completely be heal, he managed to return to training at the end of July, ahead of the new season.[9]

Kembo Ekoko in a match between match Stade Rennais-Stade Brestois.

In his sixth season, Kembo Ekoko come on as a substitute for Razak Boukari and ten minutes, he scored the only goal in the game against French giant Marseille. Since then, he have been on a goalscoring form, making him one of the most effective strikers in Ligue 1, but soon in the second half of the season, he lost forms although in the final game of the season, he scored twice in a 5–0 win over Dijon. That win relegated Dijon after one season. In the qualifying round of the Europa League, he scored his first Europa League goal and set up in a 4–0 win over Red Star Belgrade. That win earned the club advanced to the Group Stage. He scored 13 goals (all included in league and cups) and was his best total of his career since turning professional. In the summer, Kembo Ekoko was in negotiations of signing a new contract as his contract expires the following month.[10] By early August, Antonetti announces Kembo Ekoko is close of signing a new deal.[11] After leaving Rennes for Al Ain, Antonetti says he was disappointed the departure of Kembo Ekoko and doesn't have a rise decision

Al Ain

After one appearance for Rennes against Lyon, he joined Al Ain FC on a four-year deal[12]

International career

Kembo Ekoko is eligible to play for Congo or France, since he got a French Citizenship in 2008, and was called up for the national's team U21 squad.

References

  1. ↑ "Jires Ekoko passe chez les pros" (in French). Stade Rennais Online. 31 May 2006. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  2. ↑ "" Kembinho " veut continuer à grandir" (in French). Stade Rennais Online. 21 November 2011. Retrieved 19 November 2012.
  3. ↑ "À l'heure de la confirmation" (in French). Stade Rennais Online. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  4. ↑ "Transferts : Kembo veut du temps de jeu" (in French). Stade Rennais Online. 12 June 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  5. ↑ "Jirès Kembo-Ekoko : " je veux m'imposer ici "" (in French). Stade Rennais Online. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  6. ↑ "Kembo-Ekoko : "Je prends ça comme une chance"" (in French). rennes.lemensuel.com. 15 October 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "" Kembinho " veut continuer à grandir" (in French). Stade Rennais Online. 21 November 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  8. ↑ "Jirès Kembo-Ekoko: " La sélection, c'est encore un peu trop tôt "" (in French). rfi.fr. 25 November 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "Kembo : " Optimiste pour la saison à venir "" (in French). nantes.maville.com. 1 August 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  10. ↑ "Kembo discute pour prolonger" (in French). Stade Rennais Online. 17 July 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  11. ↑ "Antonetti: "Le travail est inachevé"" (in French). lequipe.fr. 1 August 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  12. ↑ "After the Medical Test in Madrid, Ekoko Sign Four -year Contract for Al Ain". Al Ain Club News. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
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