Joseph-Désiré Job
Encyclopedia
Joseph-Désiré Job is a French
-born Cameroon
ian football striker
. He also plays for the Cameroon national team
.
and began training with the Olympique Lyonnais youth academy
at the age of ten. He made his debut for the club in the Intertoto Cup
when he was nineteen years old in 1997, scoring a hat-trick as the club beat Polish
club Odra Wodzisław 5-2.
on 1 August 1999.
He scored a number of goals for Lens in the UEFA Cup 1999–2000 as they reached the semi-final stage.
then manager Bryan Robson
signed Job in 2000 for £3million where he scored 19 goals in 94 appearances for the club. After struggling to hold down a regular place in the team, he was sent on loan to French Ligue 1 club FC Metz
in December 2001, until the end of the season.
On 31 December 2002 Job cracked his skull in a clash of heads with West Bromwich Albion
player Darren Moore and he was knocked unconscious on the pitch. On 29 September 2003 Job twisted his knee in training and was expected to be out of action for four months, just after scoring the clubs winning goal against Everton
with then Middlesbrough manager, Steve McClaren
saying, "It's a huge blow for Joseph because he has been playing well lately and he also got our winner against Everton. We'll miss him. The highlight of his career at Middlesbrough came in the 2004 Football League Cup Final
on 29 February 2004 when he scored a second minute goal to help the club to win their first ever major trophy, in a 2–1 win over Bolton Wanderers
at the Millennium Stadium
, Cardiff
, a result which also saw the club qualify for the UEFA Cup
.
On 15 December 2004 Job scored Middlesbrough's second goal in a 3–0 UEFA Cup Group E win over Serbia
n club FK Partizan
at the Riverside Stadium
as they qualified, as winners of the group, for the knockout stages.Middlesbrough went out of the competition in the Round of 32 to Portuguese
club, Sporting Clube de Portugal with Job again scoring in the home leg on 10 March 2005.
In the 2005-06 season he was again sent on loan, this time to Saudi Arabia
on 31 August 2005, where he played for Al-Ittihad on a season-long loan. He helped the club win the AFC Champions League
in 2005
, scoring in the second leg of the final against United Arab Emirates
club, Al Ain FC
on 5 November 2005 in Jeddah
. Job's struggle to win a first-team place became even more difficult following the signings of established Premiership striker
s Mark Viduka
, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
and Yakubu. His contract with Middlesbrough expired after his loan spell with Al-Ittihad. He spent part of the 2006/2007
pre-season training with Watford
but was not offered a contract.
on 19 September 2006 on a one year contract. He capped 28 times and scored 10 goals.
in summer 2007, signing a two-year contract.On 22 June 2008 the Sunday Mirror
newspaper reported that Job was set to sign for English Football League Championship
club Blackpool
on a free transfer from Nice.
Job signed a new contract for Lierse for 2 seasons on 21 June 2010.
player, however he instead accepted a call-up to the Cameroon national team, and made his debut in a 2-0 defeat to England
at Wembley Stadium in 1997. He has played at two FIFA World Cup finals, in 1998
and 2002
. He also played in the FIFA Confederations Cup
in 2001
and 2003
. He also played for Cameroon at the 2002 African Cup of Nations. However, his next call up to the Camerood squad came five years later in March 2007 when he was called up to the squad for a 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia
. In January 2008 he scored three goals in two games, scoring once as Cameroon beat Sudan
2–0 in a friendly match and he then scored twice as Cameroon beat Zambia
5–1 in a 2008 AFrican Cup of Nations qualifying match.He was also in the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
-born Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
ian football striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
. He also plays for the Cameroon national team
Cameroon national football team
The Cameroon national football team, nicknamed Les Lions Indomptables , is controlled by the Fédération Camerounaise de Football and is Africa's most successful side in FIFA world cup; having qualified for the FIFA World Cup six times – in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2010– more than any...
.
Lyon
Job was born in the French city of LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
and began training with the Olympique Lyonnais youth academy
Olympique Lyonnais Reserves and Academy
The Olympique Lyonnais Reserves & Academy are the reserve team and academy of French club Olympique Lyonnais. The reserves squad play in the Championnat de France amateur division, the fourth division of French football and the highest division the team is allowed to participate in. Lyon have won...
at the age of ten. He made his debut for the club in the Intertoto Cup
UEFA Intertoto Cup
The UEFA Intertoto Cup, also abbreviated as UI Cup and originally called the International Football Cup, was a summer football competition for European clubs that had not qualified for one of the two major UEFA competitions, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. The competition was discontinued...
when he was nineteen years old in 1997, scoring a hat-trick as the club beat Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
club Odra Wodzisław 5-2.
RC Lens
Job joined LensRC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
on 1 August 1999.
He scored a number of goals for Lens in the UEFA Cup 1999–2000 as they reached the semi-final stage.
Middlesbrough F.C.
MiddlesbroughsMiddlesbrough F.C.
Middlesbrough Football Club , also known as Boro, are an English football club based in Middlesbrough, who play in the Football League Championship. Formed in 1876, they have played at the Riverside Stadium since August 1995, their third ground since turning professional in 1889...
then manager Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson
Bryan Robson OBE is an English football manager and a former player. He is best known for playing in midfield for Manchester United, where he was the longest serving captain in club history. He was the manager of Sheffield United, being relieved of his first team duties at the club in February 2008...
signed Job in 2000 for £3million where he scored 19 goals in 94 appearances for the club. After struggling to hold down a regular place in the team, he was sent on loan to French Ligue 1 club FC Metz
FC Metz
Football Club de Metz, commonly referred to as simply Metz , is a French association football club based in Metz. The club was formed in 1932 and has spent most of its history in the Ligue 1, though they currently play in Ligue 2, the second level in French football league system. Metz plays its...
in December 2001, until the end of the season.
On 31 December 2002 Job cracked his skull in a clash of heads with West Bromwich Albion
West Bromwich Albion F.C.
West Bromwich Albion Football Club, also known as West Brom, The Baggies, The Throstles, Albion or WBA, are an English Premier League association football club based in West Bromwich in the West Midlands...
player Darren Moore and he was knocked unconscious on the pitch. On 29 September 2003 Job twisted his knee in training and was expected to be out of action for four months, just after scoring the clubs winning goal against Everton
Everton F.C.
Everton Football Club are an English professional association football club from the city of Liverpool. The club competes in the Premier League, the highest level of English football...
with then Middlesbrough manager, Steve McClaren
Steve McClaren
Stephen "Steve" McClaren is an English football manager and former player.McClaren was previously manager of VfL Wolfsburg in Germany between May 2010 and February 2011, having left his post at Dutch side FC Twente, with whom he won the club's first Eredivisie championship in the 2009–10 season...
saying, "It's a huge blow for Joseph because he has been playing well lately and he also got our winner against Everton. We'll miss him. The highlight of his career at Middlesbrough came in the 2004 Football League Cup Final
2004 Football League Cup Final
The 2004 Football League Cup Final was played between Bolton Wanderers and Middlesbrough at the Millennium Stadium on 29 February 2004. Middlesbrough won the game 2-1 to clinch their first major trophy...
on 29 February 2004 when he scored a second minute goal to help the club to win their first ever major trophy, in a 2–1 win over Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers F.C.
Bolton Wanderers Football Club is an English professional association football club based in the area of Horwich in the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester. They began their current spell in the Premier League in 2001....
at the Millennium Stadium
Millennium Stadium
The Millennium Stadium is the national stadium of Wales, located in the capital, Cardiff. It is the home of the Wales national rugby union team and also frequently stages games of the Wales national football team, but is also host to many other large scale events, such as the Super Special Stage...
, Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
, a result which also saw the club qualify for the UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
.
On 15 December 2004 Job scored Middlesbrough's second goal in a 3–0 UEFA Cup Group E win over Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n club FK Partizan
FK Partizan
Fudbalski klub Partizan is a professional football club based in Belgrade, Serbia. In its long history, FK Partizan won as many as 37 trophies. The club is the holder of 23 national championships, 12 national cups and 1 national supercup, and has also won the Mitropa Cup in 1978...
at the Riverside Stadium
Riverside Stadium
The Riverside Stadium is a football stadium in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, England, which has been the home of Middlesbrough F.C. since it opened in 1995...
as they qualified, as winners of the group, for the knockout stages.Middlesbrough went out of the competition in the Round of 32 to Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
club, Sporting Clube de Portugal with Job again scoring in the home leg on 10 March 2005.
In the 2005-06 season he was again sent on loan, this time to Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
on 31 August 2005, where he played for Al-Ittihad on a season-long loan. He helped the club win the AFC Champions League
AFC Champions League
The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
in 2005
AFC Champions League 2005
The 2005 AFC Champions League was the 24th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament and the 3rd edition under the current AFC Champions League title....
, scoring in the second leg of the final against United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
club, Al Ain FC
Al Ain FC
Al-Ain Sports and Cultural Club is a professional association football and mult-sports club based in the city of Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates. The football section of Al Ain won the 2003 AFC Champions League competition with a 2-1 aggregate victory over BEC Tero Sasana of Thailand.Al Ain...
on 5 November 2005 in Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
. Job's struggle to win a first-team place became even more difficult following the signings of established Premiership striker
Striker
Forwards, also known as strikers, are the players on a team in association football who play nearest to the opposing team's goal, and are therefore principally responsible for scoring goals...
s Mark Viduka
Mark Viduka
Mark Anthony Viduka is a former Australian soccer player who played as a centre forward. He captained the Australian national team at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany to the last 16.-Melbourne Croatia:...
, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Jerrel Hasselbaink usually known as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is a Dutch former football striker who played for various clubs in the Netherlands, Portugal, England, and Spain, as well as the Dutch national team. He scored more than 200 career goals...
and Yakubu. His contract with Middlesbrough expired after his loan spell with Al-Ittihad. He spent part of the 2006/2007
2006-07 in English football
The 2006–07 season was the 127th season of competitive football in England.-Overview:* The number of divisions at Level 8 of the English football league system increased from four to five...
pre-season training with Watford
Watford F.C.
Watford Football Club is an English professional football club based in Watford, Hertfordshire. It is often referred to as Watford F.C., Watford, or by the team's nickname The Hornets . Watford Rovers, Founded in 1881, entered the FA Cup for the first time in 1886, and the Southern League a decade...
but was not offered a contract.
CS Sedan
Job joined Ligue 1 club CS SedanCS Sedan Ardennes
Club Sportif Sedan Ardennes, commonly referred to as CS Sedan or simply Sedan , is a French association football club based in Sedan. The club was formed in 1919 and currently play in Ligue 2, the second level of French football. Sedan plays its home matches at the Stade Louis Dugauguez located...
on 19 September 2006 on a one year contract. He capped 28 times and scored 10 goals.
OGC Nice
Job moved to Ligue 1 club NiceOGC Nice
Olympique Gymnaste Club Nice Côte d'Azur is a French association football club based in Nice. The club was founded in 1904 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top-tier of French football. Nice plays its home matches at the Stade Municipal du Ray located within the city. In 2013, the club is...
in summer 2007, signing a two-year contract.On 22 June 2008 the Sunday Mirror
Sunday Mirror
The Sunday Mirror is the Sunday sister paper of the Daily Mirror. It began life in 1915 as the Sunday Pictorial and was renamed the Sunday Mirror in 1963. Trinity Mirror also owns The People...
newspaper reported that Job was set to sign for English Football League Championship
Football League Championship
The Football League Championship is the highest division of The Football League and second-highest division overall in the English football league system after the Premier League...
club Blackpool
Blackpool F.C.
Blackpool Football Club are an English football club founded in 1887 from the Lancashire seaside town of Blackpool. They are competing in the 2011–12 season of the The Championship, the second tier of professional football in England, having been relegated from the Premier League at the end of the...
on a free transfer from Nice.
Lierse
On 15 March 2010 Lierse SK signed the Cameroonian 32-year old forward as free agent. At the start of the 2009-2010 Season, Lierse SK were the major favorites to win the championship in the Belgian second division (EXQI League) but when Job arrived, they were struggling in the deciding moments. Job played his first game against KV Turnhout. He entered the game in the second half, when Lierse was behind 0-1 at home and playing bad. He scored 2 goals and gave 1 assist to help Lierse win the match 3-1 and ultimately helped them win the championship, as he also scored the second goal in the deciding match at home against Red Star Waasland (2-0 win).Job signed a new contract for Lierse for 2 seasons on 21 June 2010.
International career
Job was tipped early on to be a future French InternationalFrance national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
player, however he instead accepted a call-up to the Cameroon national team, and made his debut in a 2-0 defeat to England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
at Wembley Stadium in 1997. He has played at two FIFA World Cup finals, in 1998
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
and 2002
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
. He also played in the FIFA Confederations Cup
FIFA Confederations Cup
The FIFA Confederations Cup is an association football tournament for national teams, currently held every four years by FIFA. It is contested by the winners of each of the six FIFA confederation championships , along with the FIFA World Cup winner and the host nation, to bring the number of teams...
in 2001
2001 FIFA Confederations Cup
-Group B:---------------------Knockout stage:-Semi-finals:-----Third place play-off:-Final:-Awards:-Top scorers:2 goals Shaun Murphy Éric Carrière Robert Pirès Patrick Vieira Sylvain Wiltord Takayuki Suzuki Hwang Sun-Hong...
and 2003
2003 FIFA Confederations Cup
The 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup football tournament was the sixth FIFA Confederations Cup, held in France in June 2003. France retained the title they had won in 2001, but the tournament was overshadowed by the death of Cameroon player Marc-Vivien Foé, who died of heart failure in his side's...
. He also played for Cameroon at the 2002 African Cup of Nations. However, his next call up to the Camerood squad came five years later in March 2007 when he was called up to the squad for a 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Liberia
Liberia national football team
The Liberia national football team, nicknamed the Lone Stars, is the national team of Liberia and is controlled by the Liberia Football Association. Although the country produced the 1995 FIFA World Player of the Year, George Weah, they have never reached the World Cup finals...
. In January 2008 he scored three goals in two games, scoring once as Cameroon beat Sudan
Sudan national football team
The Sudan national football team represents Sudan in association football and is controlled by the Sudan Football Association, the governing body for football in Sudan. Sudan's home ground is Al Merreikh Stadium in Omdurman and their head coach is Mohammed Abdullah Mazda...
2–0 in a friendly match and he then scored twice as Cameroon beat Zambia
Zambia national football team
The Zambia national football team represents the country of Zambia in the sport of association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia. Before independence they were known as the Northern Rhodesia national football team. The side is nicknamed Chipolopolo as copper is one of...
5–1 in a 2008 AFrican Cup of Nations qualifying match.He was also in the Cameroon squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations.
Honours
- Club
- Middlesbrough
- Football League CupFootball League CupThe Football League Cup, commonly known as the League Cup or, from current sponsorship, the Carling Cup, is an English association football competition. Like the FA Cup, it is played on a knockout basis...
winner: (1) 20042004 Football League Cup FinalThe 2004 Football League Cup Final was played between Bolton Wanderers and Middlesbrough at the Millennium Stadium on 29 February 2004. Middlesbrough won the game 2-1 to clinch their first major trophy...
- Football League Cup
- Middlesbrough
-
- Al-Ittihad
- AFC Champions LeagueAFC Champions LeagueThe AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
winner: (1) 2005AFC Champions League 2005The 2005 AFC Champions League was the 24th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament and the 3rd edition under the current AFC Champions League title....
- AFC Champions League
- Al-Ittihad