Years Team Apps (Gls) Weight 72 kg | Playing position Team Apps Height 1.82 m Children Kevin N'Doram | |
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Date of birth (1966-02-27) 27 February 1966 (age 51) Similar Nicolas Ouédec, Jean‑Claude Suaudeau, Reynald Pedros, Patrice Loko, Kevin N'Doram | ||
Japhet N'Doram (born 27 February 1966) is a Chadian retired footballer who played as a striker and attacking midfielder. He is the father of the footballer Kevin N'Doram.
His 14-year senior career was mainly spent with Nantes, which he represented in several capacities. He was nicknamed The Wizard.
Football career
Born in N'Djamena, N'Doram begun his career with local Tourbillon FC, then spent three seasons in Cameroon with Tonnerre Yaoundé, one of the biggest clubs in Sub-Saharan Africa. In 1990 the 24-year-old signed for FC Nantes in France, scoring two goals in 19 games in his first season in Ligue 1; his first professional contract arrived as Argentine Jorge Burruchaga was recovering from injury and accepted to be given an amateur licence on behalf of his teammate.
N'Doram became something of a cult hero at Stade de la Beaujoire, scoring important goals as the club's 2000th in the top division, through a penalty against Lille OSC (1–0 win) or the second in a 3–2 home triumph against Juventus F.C. in the 1995–96 UEFA Champions League semifinals (3–4 aggregate loss). In 1994–95, he netted 12 goals as Les Canaris won their seventh national championship – the first in 12 years – bettering to a career-best 21 in the 1996–97 campaign (second-best in the competition).
Aged 31, N'Doram left Nantes and signed for fellow league club AS Monaco FC, but retired at the end of the season following a persistent injury sustained during a match against his former team. He then joined his last club's technical staff, working as a scout.
On 28 June 2005 N'Doram returned to Nantes, replacing Robert Budzynski as director of football. In February 2007 he was appointed team manager, leaving his post in July as the season ended in relegation.