 Enoh in 2008 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Eyong Tarkang Enoh[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 23 March 1986 | ||
| Place of birth | Kumba, Southwest Region, Cameroon | ||
| Height | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Ajax | ||
| Number | 26 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002 | Université de Buéa | ||
| 2002–2003 | Little Foot FC | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2003–2004 | Mount Cameroon FC | ? | (?) |
| 2004–2005 | Mağusa Türk Gücü | 36 | (1) |
| 2005–2006 | Türk Ocağı Limasol | 0 | (0) |
| 2006–2008 | Ajax Cape Town | 36 | (1) |
| 2008– | Ajax | 98 | (3) |
| 2013 | → Fulham (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| 2013– | Jong Ajax | 7 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2009– | Cameroon | 33 | (2) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 00:57, 14 October 2013 (UTC).
† Appearances (Goals).
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 17 Novemner 2013 | |||
Eyong Tarkang Enoh (born 23 March 1986 in Kumba, Southwest Region, Cameroon) is a Cameroonianfootball midfielder who currently plays in the Dutch Eredivisie for AFC Ajax and the Cameroon national team.
Club career
Mount Cameroon FC
Raised in the Southwest Region of Cameroon, the son of a local government official, Enoh's football career began in the youth ranks of local club Little Foot FC from Tiko, he was picked up after garnering attention during the 2002 University Championship of Cameroon playing for the University of Buéa where he was studying medicine at the time. After one season playing for Little Foot FC, Enoh transferred toMount Cameroon FC, a club from Buéa, for the 2003–2004 season, playing in the Cameroon Premiere Division, the top flight of football in his homeland. While at Mount Cameroon he was given the nickname Verón, after the Argentinean midfielder Juan Sebastián Verón, due to their similar playing style. It was during his period in Buéa, that he also began playing for the Cameroon national football team's Cadet Lions, receiving his first caps for the national youth teams of Cameroon.[2][3]
Mağusa Türk Gücü
Following his debut at the top flight in Cameroon, Eyong Enoh transferred to Mağusa Türk Gücü S.K., a club from the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. He appeared in 36 matches and scored one goal for his new club, playing in the Kuzey Kıbrıs Süper Ligi. After just one season with the club however he transferred once more, this time to Türk Ocağı Limasol, remaining in Northern Cyprus. The transfer did not fare well with Enoh as he did not receive any playing time, and after six months terminated his contract with his new club.[4]
Ajax Cape Town
Having returned to Cameroon after his less successful stint in Northern Cyprus, Enoh was signed to South African Ajax Cape Town in the summer of 2006, playing in the South African Premier Soccer League for the Cape club. In his first season in Cape Town, Enoh made a mere nine appearances during the regular season. A year he would also help Ajax Cape Town to win the ABSA Cup. While leaving a lasting impression after his first season, Enoh became a valuable player to Ajax CT the following season, when he was made team captain and was awarded the Ajax Cape Town Player of the Year award at the end of the 2007–2008 season.[5]
In the summer of 2008, Enoh travelled to Europe for many trials in France, Denmark, Sweden and England but was not offered a contract. He was on the brink of signing with Maccabi Haifa from Israel but the two parties could not come to terms.[6] Harry Redknapp made an attempt to sign the young midfielder toPortsmouth but Enoh could not get a work clearance on time to play in the U.K.[7]
AFC Ajax
In August 2008 he signed a contract at AFC Ajax Amsterdam until 30 June 2010 with a 2-year option. Enoh was the first Cameroonian that ever played for Ajax. After making a stunning Eredivisie debut against Feyenoord on 21 September 2008, he quickly became a regular starter in Marco van Basten's team. He scored his first UEFA Cupgoal against Olympique Marseille on 18 March 2009 in the Amsterdam ArenA and has become a popular figure with the fans for his workman-like performances. He was a regular starter under new manager Martin Jol. Enoh along with many other Ajax regulars spent a good portion of the 2011–12 season injured. He returned to the Ajax first team in an important 2–0 win against PSV Eindhoven. When Frank de Boer was appointed manager, Enoh had fewer starting opportunities, and was used more as a substitute player.
Fulham (loan)
Enoh signed for Premier League side Fulham on loan until the end of the season on 31 January 2013, with Fulham having the option to sign the player on a permanent deal.[8] At Fulham, Enoh was rejoined with his former Ajax manager Martin Jol. He made his début for Fulham when he came on as a substitute in their 1–0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at White Hart Lane on 17 March 2013.[9]
Return to Ajax
Following his loan spell at Fulham where he made 9 regular season appearances for the Cottagers, Enoh returned to Ajax on 11 July 2013 where he was given the number 26 shirt.[10] Having lost his starting position at Ajax, and with Fulham opting not to purchase the defensive midfielder at the end of their season, Enoh was granted permission by Ajax to negotiate with other clubs, and weigh out alternative options, since his contract runs until mid-2015.Kasımpaşa and Olympiacos had been mentioned as clubs interested in signing the midfielder.[11] Unable to secure a transfer however Enoh remained in Amsterdam. Playing time for the first team was bleak due to emerging talent coming from Sportpark De Toekomst, such as Thulani Serero and Lucas Andersen, and newly arrived Lerin Duarte. While registered by manager Frank de Boer to play in the clubs 2013–14 UEFA Champions League campaign if necessary, Enoh was given minutes in the Dutch Eerste Divisie for the reserves team Jong Ajax in the meantime, where he made his debut on 15 September 2013 against Willem II in a 1–1 draw at home.[12]
International career[edit]
Enoh made his debut for Cameroon on 7 June 2009 against Morocco during their 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. The match in Yaoundé ended in a 0–0 draw, with Enoh playing the full 90' minutes.[13] He played in several more World Cup qualifiers and was called up for the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola as well. Drawn into Group D of the tournament, Cameroon played their first match of the tournament against Gabon. Wearing shirt number 18, Enoh was substituted on in the 76' minute for Henri Bedimo in the 0–1 loss at the Estádio Alto da Chela in Lubango.[14] Enoh remained on the bench for the duration of the teams next fixture, a 3–4 win against title holders Zambia, and on 21 January 2010 played the full 90' minutes against Tunisia in a 2–2 draw, concluding the group stage, and helping Cameroon to a 2nd place finish and placement in the Quarter-finals of the tournament.[15] In the next stage Cameroon faced Egypt in the Complexo da Sr. da Graça in Benguela on 25 January 2010. Cameroon went on to loose this fixture against the eventual champions Egypt, in a 3–1 loss after extra time, with Enoh again playing the entire match, thus ending Cameroons 2010 African Cup of Nations campaign.[16]
Having secured a berth at the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in South Africa in a 0–2 victory against Morocco on 14 November 2009, Cameroon were drawn into Group E of the tournament, together with Denmark, Japan, and the Netherlands. Enoh played the full 90' minutes in the teams first fixture against Japan, a match that ended in a 0–1 loss at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.[17] He started in the next match against Denmark, but was substituted off in the 46' minute for Jean Makoun in the 1–2 loss in Pretoria.[18] The teams final fixture in the group stage would be against eventual group winners the Netherlands on 24 June 2010 at the Cape Town Stadium. Enoh spent the duration of their final fixture on the bench, as Cameroon lost 1–2 against the eventual runners-up of the tournament, leaving Cameroon at the bottom of their group table eliminated at the group stage.[19]
On 26 August 2010 Eyong Enoh was declared the vice-captain of the Cameroon national team, alongside his teammate Nicolas N'Koulou who played for AS Monaco at the time of the announcement. Both vice-captains deputise Samuel Eto’o who is maintained as the skipper for the Indomitable Lions.[20] On 17 November 2013 Eyong Enoh helped the Cameroon national team to their seventh appearance in the FIFA World Cup finals of all-time, when they defeatedTunisia 4–1 at home, helping to secure placement for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Enoh played the full 90' minutes of the deciding game at home inYaoundé, having played a vital role for his national teams qualifying campaign in the central defensive midfield
