Joseph Yobo
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| Joseph Yobo | ||
| Personal information | ||
|---|---|---|
| Full name | Joseph Ikpo Yobo | |
| Date of birth | September 6, 1980 (age 26) | |
| Place of birth | Kano, Nigeria | |
| Nickname | Yobocop | |
| Playing position | Defender | |
| Club information | ||
| Current club | Everton | |
| Senior clubs1 | ||
| Years | Club | App (Gls)* |
| 1998-2001 2001-2003 2001-2002 2002-2003 2003- |
Standard Liège Olympique de Marseille → Tenerife (loan) → Everton (loan) Everton |
46 (2) 23 (0) ? (?) 24 (0) 116 (4) |
| National team2 | ||
| 2001- | Nigeria | 47 (2) |
|
1 Senior club appearances and goals |
||
Joseph Ikpo Yobo (born September 6, 1980 in Kano, Nigeria) is a Nigerian football player currently with Everton F.C. He joined Everton on loan from Olympique Marseille in July 2002, with a £1M fee required to register the player, becoming the first signing of new manager David Moyes. An option to make the move permanent was taken up and completed in 2003 after a dispute between Yobo and Marseille was settled, with Everton agreeing a fixed additional fee of £4M.
Joseph's "libero" style of play has led to many questioning his maturity and concentration, at least in the blue of Everton, but for the national team he has shown outstanding composure and excellent leadership, important skills he appears to be lacking at Everton. However, many blues fans acknowledge Yobo's effortless grace on the ball, capable passing and excellent tackling skills and great pace and acceleration, as well as effortless heading of the ball. He is often seen as a brilliant player who has yet to live up to his potential and remove the errors from his game.
Yobo had previously played for Standard Liège of Belgium as well as a loan spell at CD Tenerife.
Yobo has represented Nigeria since 2001. He was on the Nigerian roster at the 2002 FIFA World Cup and played all three matches. At the 2006 African Cup of Nations he assumed the captain's role during the absence of Jay-Jay Okocha in the tournament's early stages, and has now assumed the captain's role full-time.
In 2006 delay in signing a new contract with Everton lead to rumours of a move to Arsenal, but on July 22 Yobo committed himself to Goodison Park until 2010.
[edit] External links
| Preceded by Steve Watson |
Bluekipper Starman 2004 |
Succeeded by Tim Cahill |
 |
Nigeria squad - 2002 FIFA World Cup | |
|---|---|---|
|
1 Shorunmu | 2 Yobo | 3 Babayaro | 4 Kanu | 5 Okoronkwo | 6 West | 7 Ikedia | 8 Adepoju | 9 Ogbeche | 10 Okocha | 11 Lawal | 12 Ejide | 13 Afolabi | 14 Udeze | 15 Christopher | 16 Sodje | 17 Aghahowa | 18 Akwuegbu | 19 Ejiofor | 20 Obiorah | 21 Utaka | 22 Enyeama | 23 Opabunmi | Coach: Onigbinde |
||
| Everton F.C. - Current Squad |
|---|
|
1 Wright | 2 Hibbert | 3 Naysmith | 4 Yobo | 6 Arteta | 7 Van der Meyde | 8 Johnson | 9 Beattie | 11 McFadden | 15 Stubbs | 16 Lescott | 17 Cahill | 18 Neville | 19 Valente | 21 Osman | 22 Vaughan | 23 Pistone | 24 Howard | 26 Carsley | 28 Anichebe | 30 Ruddy | 36 Boyle | 37 Fernandes | 38 Anderson | 41 Viðarsson | Manager: Moyes |
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This biographical article related to Nigerian football is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
Categories: Nigerian football biography stubs | 1980 births | Living people | Nigerian footballers | Nigeria international footballers | R. Standard de Liège players | CD Tenerife players | Olympique de Marseille players | Everton F.C. players | La Liga footballers | Premier League players | FIFA World Cup 2002 players | Football (soccer) defenders
