André Bikey

André Bikey
Personal information
Full name	André Stéphane Bikey Amugu
Date of birth	8 January 1985 (1985-01-08) (age 24)
Place of birth	Douala, Cameroon
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Playing position	Defender Defensive midfielder
Club information
Current club	Burnley
Number	21
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
2002–2003 2003 2003 2004 2005 2005–2007 2006–2007 2007-2009 2009–	Espanyol Paços de Ferreira C.D. Aves Deportivo Alavés Shinnik Yaroslavl Lokomotiv Moscow → Reading (loan) Reading Burnley	00 (0) 02 (0) 14 (0) 00 (0) 11 (1) 26 (0) 15 (0) 48 (6) 12 (1)
National team2
2006–	Cameroon	16 (2)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 17:57, 21 November 2009 (UTC). 2 National team caps and goals correct as of 22:15, 15 November 2009 (UTC). * Appearances (Goals)

André Stéphane Bikey Amugu (born 8 January 1985) is a professional football defender, able to play in the centre of defence or at right back. He began his career in Spain as a 15 year old before moving to join Russian team Lokomotiv Moscow. He eventually joined Reading on loan after impressing their manager while on trial. After three seasons at Reading he joined newly promoted Burnley in the Premier League, signing a three year deal. He represents Cameroon at international level.

Club career

Bikey started his professional career at Espanyol in Spain when he was 15 where he failed to make the grade and left without making a first team appearance. He then moved to Shinnik Yaroslavl in Russia, where he caught the eye of Lokomotiv Moscow, for whom he signed on 1 July 2005.^[1]

However, he failed to settle in the Russian capital later alleging racial abuse from the fans of rival teams. He joined Reading for an initial trial period during their pre-season trip to Sweden in 2006, where he impressed manager Steve Coppell. He was sent off in his final trial match for the club against Örgryte IS for head-butting an opponent,^[2] an incident that was thought to have ended Reading's interest in the player. Coppell however put the incident down to the player being "determined to impress" and after much negotiation with Lokomotiv, a season-long loan deal was agreed on 26 August 2006,^[3] with Reading having an option to purchase the player at the end of the loan.

Bikey expressed a desire to obtain a permanent deal,^[4] and following improving performances, it was announced on 24 April 2007 that Bikey had signed a three-year contract with Reading for a transfer fee in excess of £1 million, keeping him at Reading until the summer of 2010.^[5]

Bikey scored his first league goal for Reading on 15 August 2007, in Reading's 2-1 home defeat to Chelsea afterwards performing his trademark triple summersault,^[6] followed by two more on 22 March 2008 against Birmingham City.^[7] He had been linked with a move away from Reading but has since dismissed speculation by signing a new contract until 2011. Bikey was a member of Reading's towering central defence with Bikey, Michael Duberry, Ivar Ingimarsson and Alex Pearce all measuring six foot and 1 inch or above.

On 9 May 2009, he was sent off for stamping on Robbie Blake during the play-off semi-final first leg at Burnley. He had earlier conceded the winning penalty taken by Graham Alexander. He suffered violent conduct by ripping off his shirt, and stamping around the pitch, resulting in the extension of his ban to five games and was charged for improper conduct. He later apologised on the Reading website. ^[8] Despite these actions, Reading received a transfer bid from the aforementioned Burnley in August 2009. Andre subsequently signed a three-year deal with Burnley on 18 August 2009.^[9] He scored his first goal for Burnley in a 2-1 win over Birmingham City on 3 October 2009.^[10]

International career

Bikey represents Cameroon at international level. Bikey was named in Cameroon’s squad for the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations^[11]. Bikey, who was scouted by Reading at the 2006 African Cup of Nations, said "I'm ready for the Cup of Nations though it is difficult to leave my obligations with Reading. I have a contract with Reading which I appreciate, but my country will always come first."^[12].

On 7 February 2008 Bikey was sent off in the semi final win over Ghana after a bizarre incident where he pushed a medic watching over injured team mate Rigobert Song in the dying seconds of the match. It seems Bikey took offence when the Ghana stretcher team, keen to get the 'injured' Cameroon player off the field, with their team behind and time running out, began pushing back the doctor attending to Song, so that they could load him on the stretcher and the game could continue. Bikey reacted by pushing one of the offending stretcher bearers (Samuel Ashia) back with considerably more force, which sent him tumbling. Right on the scene, referee Abderahim El Arjoune instantly distributed the red card, alongside the bemused medic and some astounded Ghana players.^[13]

Personal

Andre is married to his Catalan wife, Marina, with whom he has a recently born daughter.

References

External links

• André Bikey profile at readingfc.co.uk
• André Bikey career stats at Soccerbase

v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2008 Africa Cup of Nations Runners-up 1 Kameni • 2 Binya • 3 Tchato • 4 R. Song • 5 Atouba • 6 Angbwa • 7 M'bami • 8 Geremi • 9 Eto'o • 10 Emana • 11 Makoun • 12 N'Kong • 13 N'Guémo • 14 Epalle • 15 A. Song • 16 Hamidou • 17 Idrissou • 18 Tomou • 19 Mbia • 20 Essola • 21 Job • 22 Mbarga • 23 Bikey • Coach: Pfister

v • d • e Cameroon squad – 2008 Summer Olympics 1 Tignyemb • 2 Baning • 3 Ghomsi • 4 Bikey • 5 Song • 6 Mbia • 7 Mboua • 8 Mandjeck • 9 Songo'o • 10 Bekamenga • 11 Bebbe • 12 Bebey • 13 N'Koulou • 14 Chedjou • 15 N'Gal • 16 Mayebi • 17 Ollé Ollé • 18 Enam • Coach: Ntoungou