Titi Camara
Encyclopedia
Aboubacar Sidiki Camara, more commonly known as Titi Camara (born November 17, 1972 in Conakry
), is the Sports Minister of Guinea
. He is a former football
player who was also the coach of the Syli National (National Elephant), the Guinean national team
, which he captained and played for.
(1996–98), Marseille
(1998–99, playing in the 1999 UEFA Cup Final
), Liverpool
(1999–2000), and West Ham United
(2000–03).
, Camara is remembered for playing at Anfield against West Ham in October 1999, the morning after the death of his father
, scoring the winning goal and then dropping to his knees in front of the Anfield Road stand with tears flowing.
He also managed to score in three successive Premier League games for the Reds in late autumn of 1999. On 13 February 2000, he scored the winner at Highbury, Arsenal
's ground, leading Liverpool to a 1-0 win.
Despite his short spell at Liverpool he was voted in 91st position in the 2006 poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop which was conducted by the official Liverpool Football Club web site. Camara's 91st spot made him the second highest placed African player behind Bruce Grobbelaar
.
on December 21, 2000, for a fee of £1.5 million which, depending on other factors, could have risen to £2.6 million Camara announced, "I've come to West Ham to play, play, play - and score, score, score. If it was a question of money, I could have stayed at Liverpool and picked it up. I need to play, and if I don't it is totally pointless." Making his West Ham debut on 23 December 2000 in a 2-1 away defeat to Leicester City
, Camara went on to play only fourteen games, in all competitions, without scoring at all.
after his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
team from the early 1990s until the early 2000s. He is regarded as a key protagonist in Guinea's return to respectability in African football and played for his country at the 2004 African Nations Cup.
. On 13 May 2009, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara
, the President of Guinea
publicly announced that he wanted him to manage the national team. At the end of May, 2009, Camara was named the National Technical Director (NTC). On 9 June 2009, Camara was named the Head Coach of the Syli National to succeed Robert Nouzaret. Camara was serving in dual capacities of NTC and head Coach of the Syli National. On 15 September 2009, three months following his nomination as head coach of the Syli National, Camara was replaced by Mamadi Souaré, a former Captain of the Syli National, following poor results, lack of cooperation/understanding with certain conspicuous members of the Guinean Football Federation (FGF), and absence of "cordial" relations with certain key elements of the Syli National.
Camara sued West Ham United. In 2006 West Ham successfully defended the High Court breach of contract claim brought by Camara.
making him the country's first ex-sportsman to hold a government post.
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
), is the Sports Minister of Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
. He is a former football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
player who was also the coach of the Syli National (National Elephant), the Guinean national team
Guinea national football team
The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli national , is the national team of Guinea and is controlled by the Fédération Guinéenne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals, and their best finish in the African Nations Cup was second in the 1976...
, which he captained and played for.
Club career
Camara was once a highly-touted prospect, spending time with 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...
(1996–98), Marseille
Olympique de Marseille
Olympique de Marseille is a French association football club based in Marseille. Founded in 1899, the club plays in Ligue 1 and have spent most of its history in the top tier of French football. Marseille have been French champions nine times and have won the Coupe de France a record ten times. In...
(1998–99, playing in the 1999 UEFA Cup Final
1999 UEFA Cup Final
The 1999 UEFA Cup Final a football match that took place at Luzhniki Stadium, Moscow, on 12 May 1999 between Parma A.C. of Italy and Olympique de Marseille of France. Parma won the match 3–0...
), Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
(1999–2000), and West Ham United
West Ham United F.C.
West Ham United Football Club is an English professional football club based in Upton Park, Newham, East London. They play in The Football League Championship. The club was founded in 1895 as Thames Ironworks FC and reformed in 1900 as West Ham United. In 1904 the club relocated to their current...
(2000–03).
Liverpool
A cult-hero and crowd favourite at AnfieldAnfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
, Camara is remembered for playing at Anfield against West Ham in October 1999, the morning after the death of his father
Father
A father, Pop, Dad, or Papa, is defined as a male parent of any type of offspring. The adjective "paternal" refers to father, parallel to "maternal" for mother...
, scoring the winning goal and then dropping to his knees in front of the Anfield Road stand with tears flowing.
He also managed to score in three successive Premier League games for the Reds in late autumn of 1999. On 13 February 2000, he scored the winner at Highbury, Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
's ground, leading Liverpool to a 1-0 win.
Despite his short spell at Liverpool he was voted in 91st position in the 2006 poll 100 Players Who Shook The Kop which was conducted by the official Liverpool Football Club web site. Camara's 91st spot made him the second highest placed African player behind Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce Grobbelaar
Bruce David Grobbelaar is a former football goalkeeper and manager.He played for a number of clubs in a career which spanned for more than 20 years at professional level, most notably Liverpool during their dominant period in the 1980s and early 1990s.-Early years:In his teenage years, Grobbelaar...
.
West Ham United
Signed by manager Harry RedknappHarry Redknapp
Henry James "Harry" Redknapp is a former English footballer who has enjoyed a long career in football management starting in 1983 with Bournemouth. He is the current manager of Tottenham Hotspur....
on December 21, 2000, for a fee of £1.5 million which, depending on other factors, could have risen to £2.6 million Camara announced, "I've come to West Ham to play, play, play - and score, score, score. If it was a question of money, I could have stayed at Liverpool and picked it up. I need to play, and if I don't it is totally pointless." Making his West Ham debut on 23 December 2000 in a 2-1 away defeat to Leicester City
Leicester City F.C.
Leicester City Football Club , also known as The Foxes, is an English professional football club based at the King Power Stadium in Leicester...
, Camara went on to play only fourteen games, in all competitions, without scoring at all.
Al-Ittihad
In January 2003 Camara was sent out on loan to Al-Ittihad for the remainer of the 2002-03 season.Al-Siliya
Following West Ham's relegation in 2003 from the Premier League Camara left the club for Al-Siliyaafter his contract was terminated by mutual consent.
International career
Titi Camara was a stalwart of the GuineaGuinea national football team
The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli national , is the national team of Guinea and is controlled by the Fédération Guinéenne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals, and their best finish in the African Nations Cup was second in the 1976...
team from the early 1990s until the early 2000s. He is regarded as a key protagonist in Guinea's return to respectability in African football and played for his country at the 2004 African Nations Cup.
Coaching career
In December 2005, he was linked with the vacant manager's job with the Guinea national teamGuinea national football team
The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli national , is the national team of Guinea and is controlled by the Fédération Guinéenne de Football. They have never qualified for the World Cup finals, and their best finish in the African Nations Cup was second in the 1976...
. On 13 May 2009, Captain Moussa Dadis Camara
Moussa Dadis Camara
Captain Moussa Dadis Camara now called Moïse Dadis Camara is an ex-officer of the Guinean army who served as the President of the Republic of Guinea's National Council for Democracy and Development , which seized power in a military coup d'état on 23 December 2008 after the...
, the President of Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
publicly announced that he wanted him to manage the national team. At the end of May, 2009, Camara was named the National Technical Director (NTC). On 9 June 2009, Camara was named the Head Coach of the Syli National to succeed Robert Nouzaret. Camara was serving in dual capacities of NTC and head Coach of the Syli National. On 15 September 2009, three months following his nomination as head coach of the Syli National, Camara was replaced by Mamadi Souaré, a former Captain of the Syli National, following poor results, lack of cooperation/understanding with certain conspicuous members of the Guinean Football Federation (FGF), and absence of "cordial" relations with certain key elements of the Syli National.
Breach of contract
In September 2003, alleging breach of contractBreach of contract
Breach of contract is a legal cause of action in which a binding agreement or bargained-for exchange is not honored by one or more of the parties to the contract by non-performance or interference with the other party's performance....
Camara sued West Ham United. In 2006 West Ham successfully defended the High Court breach of contract claim brought by Camara.
Minister of Sport
In December 2010 Camera was made Sports Minister of Guinea by newly-elected president Alpha CondeAlpha Condé
Alpha Condé is a Guinean politician who has been President of Guinea since December 2010. He was a political science professor at the University of Paris and spent decades in opposition to a succession of regimes in Guinea, unsuccessfully running against President Lansana Conté in the 1993 and...
making him the country's first ex-sportsman to hold a government post.