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Strengths & Weaknesses
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HonoursPlayer Info Signed for the now and the future Boumsong wasn't just bought to plug the gaps in Newcastle's leaky rearguard but to have a defence built around him. Here we profile the man armed with filling the shoes of a defender classed by many as the best they had ever seen in a Toon shirt. Starting out Born in Douala a large City in Cameroon, Boumsong - one of 5 sons - always wanted to be a footballer from an early age. Inspired by Roger Milla and the Indomitable Lions of Italia '90 fame, he like most Cameroonians had an affinity with the round ball game pretty much the moment he could stand up straight. Growing up playing district football with his brothers the Newcastle defender was convinced he would one day become a professional footballer. However his hopes were dealt a cruel blow when at the age of 12 he was deemed too frail to play the game at any real professional level in his homeland even though he showed he had potential. "You're wasting your time", the coach of the Brewery school side would tell him. Distraught at being told he wasn't good enough and discouraged by many because of his then physical limitations, Volleyball was the next best thing for a sport mad kid eager to keep active. Especially given how his whole family were renowned names in the sport with his father having represented Cameroon on the international stage when he was a young man. Yet despite enjoying it immensely, football was always Boumsong's true love and he practiced with his "buddies" whenever and wherever he could. The skinny, small youngster initially wanted to be a goalkeeper after his big heroes Joseph-Antoine Bell and Thomas Kono but showing a calculated mind even at such a young age, Boumsong decided if he was to make it he'd have to become an outfield player. With only one place in a team available for a 'keeper, what chance would he have he thought. So he started to play outfield in a number of positions without ever settling in any given one. But it wasn't until he and his family - in search of a better life - moved to France to live with his Uncle, did the opportunities to take his passion for the game to a higher level, arise. US Palaiseau Moving to a foreign country at the age of 14 was a daunting prospect for a teenager low on self esteem but Boumsong soon started to fill out physically and drew confidence from this. His mother and father, both influential in his life, would often promise their son that he would grow into a man. With a close nit family and 4 brothers to play with, Jean-Alain loved France and soon settled down quickly, finding a good boarding school to be educated at. Boumsong was one of those kids who loved reading and loved to learn and study. Back home in Cameroon education standards weren't as high as they were in France and he reveled in that side of his growing up. But football was always on his mind and when the football academy US Palaiseau asked him to have a series of trials, he jumped at the chance. Quick and very athletic he fitted their criteria. Boumsong didn't really have a position as such at the time, he didn't mind where he played, but the coach at Palaiseau - Christophe Samoyaul - saw him as a central defender and in his first few 'test' matches for them, he impressed and quickly developed a liking for the role. Samoyaul later become firm friends with Boumsong and today the two are often in communication via telephone and e-mail. It was the coach who showed the most faith and trust in him as a youngster and with good reason, he had a special player on his hands. Boumsong not only excelled on the pitch but he showed a maturity beyond his years off it. "A few weeks after his arrival with the club, he had become a leader in the group.", Christophe revealed. Further going on to say: "We all knew physically he was rather impressive and technically, he progressed to become a complete player placed at the centre of defence." Such attributes and progress hadn't went unnoticed and celebrated national academy Clairefontaine soon invited him to a mini-training course with other promising youngsters and it was there that Boumsong's future became mapped out for him - he was on his way to becoming a professional, as he had always dreamed of. Le Havre While at Clairefontaine, Boumsong had impressed a whole host of watching clubs including Sochaux, Auxerre, Caen and Le Havre who were all eager to sign the highly promising centre-back. Jean-Alain - wanting to make the right decision - had decided he would hear each club out and speak with them all. And having spoke to each, he eventually decided on Caen but at the last minute opted to sign for Le Havre instead because along with their academy, they also had a first-class education department and more importantly to Boumsong, a science faculty. Football was important but equally so too was his education and science along with maths and business economics were fields that interested him just as much as the game. At 17 Boumsong was already showing he was better than most in the academy, even much older lads and he was soon made Captain - earning the nickname 'The Lawyer'. The defender had become the figurehead of the academy, the one who would help new arrivals settle, who would stick up for others and who would always speak up on behalf of his team-mates whenever they had a problem. He was very well liked and made many friends. One, Mounir Jalliti, says of Boumsong: "I arrived after him at the center of formation of Le Havre and he was the first to come towards me. He presented the center to me and took me on visits to the city. It really helped me to integrate me into the club. He is very friendly. "If his rise was very fast, it did not really surprise me. Indeed, Jean-Alain is somebody of very extreme tough mentally. It is really one of his great qualities. "At times when others were low, he always knew to keep their heads held high. Being that he had a great physical force, the only stage to be crossed remained the technical field of his game. "He worked much to progress. In the group, Jean-Alain had much influence. He expresses himself very well and often spoke up for the team." Boumsong quickly stepped up a level to the under-21s and in coach Jean-Marc Nabilo he found another who had liked what he saw in the youngster. Nabilo was a tough, uncompromising coach who's job was to instill discipline into his players and to improve their technical ability, ready for first-team football. The two today stand as firm friends and Boumsong calls him his 'mentor'. Yet the United man didn't initially see eye to eye with his coach at first. He saw Nabilo as too "authoritative" and "pushy" but he soon learned that his way was the best way. Nabilo told Boumsong "I do not want to make of you a good professional, but a very good professional", and it is those words that struck a chord with Jean-Alain who now sees this as the most important aspect of being a footballer. Boumsong was making good progress at Le Havre and was pleased with his decision to join their academy. He always felt he would get the chance to make it with the small French club and true enough in March 1998 he made his first-team debut. With an injury crisis manager Denis Troch put Boumsong on the bench for a League match between Le Havre and Cannes and with 5 minutes to go, the now powerfully built defender was told to "strip" and to "get on". Shaking with nerves and with hundreds of thoughts spinning through his head, Boumsong slotted in at right-back and won his first tackle of his career within moments of coming on, the first of many. The following season in 1998-99 Boumsong, not yet 20, become a professional player, signing pro terms and went on to leave an indelible mark on his club. With 10 games to go Le Havre were fighting to stay up after a long hard campaign against relegation and with star defender Ludovic Pollet out injured, their fight looked a doomed one. But new coach Joel Beaujouan's decision to switch Boumsong to the centre of defence to replace him proved to be an inspirational move for the club and player. A string of impressive performances at the back with numerous clean-sheets along the way, saw Le Havre cling onto their 1st Division status on the last day of the season with their new defensive star being awarded man of the match. It had been a great 10 games for Boumsong and he was singled out for praise by the President of the club. Using him as an example to all others who hadn't gave their all that season. His performances were of such a high standard many clubs including Bordeaux, Marseille, Juventus and Liverpool all courted his signature in the close-season. But it was the then Reds manager Gerrard Houllier who was most keen to sign Boumsong and Le Havre, a traditional feeder club in France, gave the Scouse team permission to speak to their rising star. Terms were agreed and Boumsong looked all set to join the French revolution at Anfield but Le Havre were asking for too much money (£4.5m) and Liverpool wouldn't return the ball. A dream move to the Premiership would have to wait. In season 1999-2000 Boumsong had a topsy-turvy time of it, starting the campaign at the back he was dropped from the side by the new manager Francis Smerecki, without an explanation. Boumsong, aware that others weren't doing their all for the team argued that at least he cared and played with 100% commitment but Smerecki didn't want to know. He also picked up an injury to the groin and missed important periods of the season, eventually making just 23 appearances in a campaign that he had hoped to play his full part in. Worse still, Le Havre were relegated to Division 2. However while they were going down, Boumsong was on his way up. Auxerre Legendary manager Guy Roux had liked what he had seen in Boumsong and snapped him up in 2000 in the hope that he and golden boy of France - Philippe Mexes - would form a formidable defensive partnership as the club looked to win Le Championnat and make progress in the Champions League. Boumsong left Le Havre with a heavy heart, he had made many friends there and although he didn't trust Smerecki he knew he was highly rated at the club and he was very grateful for both his football and academic education they had provided him. But Auxerre were a big club and a great chance for him to establish himself in the top-flight. His first season went well for him, and although Mexes was getting all the attention and praise from the media, it was Boumsong who was performing the better of the two. In his first season at the club he made 31 appearances. Having made a further 34 appearances in 2001-02 the following campaign was an even better one for Bousmong, Auxerre had qualified for the Champions League and in particular, the defender excelled at that level, playing every minute of ever match to go with the 34 League games he had played. Season 2003-04 would prove to be Boumsong's last in French football though. With his contract running out he exorcised his option to move on a free at the end of the campaign. Again many clubs were interested in his services and it was Liverpool once more who showed the most desire but the terms of the deal were complicated and in the end the defender signed a pre-contract agreement with Glasgow Rangers. A move which shocked many. Despite knowing he would move on at the end of the season, Boumsong still gave his all for Auxerre in the time he was still registered as one of their players and although his final season with the club was dogged by injuries, he was still one of their better performers and left with the good will of all. Rangers News that Boumsong was Ibrox Park bound was met with confusion in many quarters. People questioned the defender's ambition and wondered whether he had signed just for the huge signing on fee he was entitled to. Rangers manager Alec McLeish wasn't concerned however. Having met the centre-half back in October of 2004 and talked at length with him he was very impressed and true to Boumsong's word, he signed for Rangers in the Summer of that year amid speculation that he would negate on his 'golden handshake'. It was a massive coup for Rangers and Boumsong soon showed he was a class above the Scottish League putting in many outstanding displays for the 'Gers and winning the admiration of fellow team-mates and fans. His stay was a short one though. As the year came to an end intense speculation had begun that the Frenchman would be Premiership bound come the new year. Despite Rangers insisting their man was going nowhere, they were powerless to prevent a move across the Border. Having made just 28 appearances for the Glasgow club, Boumsong was on his way. Newcastle Desperately needing a replacement for Jonathan Woodgate who was sold to Real Madrid at the beginning of the season, Newcastle's new manager Graeme Souness didn't have many options open to him at the time and when he turned to Boumsong, the defender arrived at a price - £8m in a News Years Day signing. "Woodgate is a fabulous footballer and we hope Boumsong is in that same bracket," the Scot said on completing the deal. Questions were raised at the size of the transfer fee and Boumsong arrived on the back of a mini-backlash from a few Rangers fans who branded the defender a mercenary. Yet the deal suited all parties concerned. £80m in debt Rangers made a huge profit on a player who signed on a Bosman, Newcastle 'replaced' Woodgate and the player himself got to fulfil a dream move to play in "the best League in the world". Thrust into the spotlight from the off United's new man immedietly settled on Tynside and established himself in the side. Making his debut in the FA Cup 3rd round tie away to Non League Yeading, Boumsong went on to make a total of 18 appearances for Newcastle in the remaining months of 2004-05 and quickly showed he had a lot of ability as a footballer and a defender. Those who have performed alongside him, Titus Bramble in particular, have shone and the centre-back seems to bring the best out of his fellow team-mates. Voiciferous, commanding and composed, Boumsong Captained the side in Alan Shearer's absence at Craven Cottage in a 3-1 win and again at Goodison Park in a 2-0 defeat to Everton. "To captain a club as big as Newcastle United is a massive honour. It is something nobody can ever take away from me and it made me so proud", beamed a delighted Boumsong. With season 2005-06 upon us, big things are expected of United's big money signing and if the first few months of his move are anything to go by, he'll more than exceed those expectations. France Boumsong could have played for Cameroon the country of his birth but chose to represent France to repay the nation for giving him such a good football and academic education. Cameroon's loss has been France's gain. He made his debut for the under-21s against England in February 1999, scoring in a 2-1 defeat and also Captained the side all the way to the Semi-Finals of the 2002 UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Switzerland. A year later he was rewarded with a full cap for Les Bleus in a 2-1 FIFA Confederations Cup victory against Japan on 20 June 2003 and since then he has made over 10 appearances for his adopted country, Captaining them once. Along with William Gallas, Boumsong is considered the future of France's defence and has been likened to Marcel Desailly who recently claimed the Newcastle man would be his ideal replacement. With the 2006 World Cup coming up, the defender is expected to be a regular in the side. Boumsong the man Boumsong is no ordinary footballer or person for that matter, especially considering his relatively poor upbringing. He likes classical and gospel music, likes to read and study and counts science, maths and business economics as his main areas of interest, recently achieving a diploma in Finance. The United man has also took up a keen interest in politics and is an avid reader of books about historical world figures such as former American President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, our own Sir Winston Churchill and others. Furthermore Boumsong is also into classic European films. Not your typical footballer then... As a person he's quite expressive, is well read and has a great sense of loyalty to family members and friends from his childhood and football academy days, keeping in touch with them regularly. He's a source of strength to his brothers too, with 3 of them involved in the game and his second youngest brother classes Boumsong as a second father. On the pitch he's a natural leader and assumes responsibility almost subconsciously. He's a dedicated sportsman and as evidenced in this profile, he has a huge streak of determination running through his veins. Once deemed too frail to play the game, as soon as he filled out he would top up his strength by lifting weights, running, cycling and swimming in order to become stronger. "Being physically impressive is important, but being physically impressive and strong with it is much better", Boumsong said of training. Acutely aware of his responsibilities as a role model too, on a recent visit to his homeland he talked of the need for education and football facilities to be improved, showing he is in tune with the plight of those less fortunate than him. In his short time at Newcastle he comes across very well in interviews, always polite around fans and willing to sign autographs, pose for pictures and chat, it would appear that he is a level headed, down to earth, top bloke. *This profile of Jean-Alain Boumsong is copyright of Newcastle-Online.com and may not be reproduced, rewrote or copied in part in any way, shape or form without prior written consent*
*Does not include this season - to be added at the end of the campaign. Notes: Please allow for any inaccuracies. If you do spot a mistake, then please report them and we will make the necessary changes. |
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NUFC Player Profiles - Jean-Alain Boumsong
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Name: Jean-Alain Boumsong
Jean-Alain Boumsong - Strengths & Weaknesses