Jonathan Kodjia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia - 01/2017
Personal information
Full name
Jonathan Kodjia
Date of birth
22 October 1989
Place of birth
Saint-Denis, France
Height
1.89 m (6 ft 2 1⁄2 in)
Playing position
Forward
Club information
Current team
Aston Villa
Number
26
Aston Villa Season 2016
Senior career
Reims
2008-2014
9x apps / 0x goals
→ Cherbourg (loan)
2012
16x apps / 3x goals
→ Amiens (loan)
2012-2013
32x apps / 9x goals
→ Caen (loan)
2013-2014
27x apps / 5x goals
→ Caen B (loan)
2013-2014
2x apps / 0x goals
Angers
2014-2015
28x apps / 15x goals
Bristol City
2015-2016
49x apps / 19x goals
Aston Villa
2016-
19x apps / 9x goals
National team
Ivory Coast
2016-
5x apps / 4x goals
(* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 01:21, 27 December 2016 UTC - National team caps and goals correct as of 12 January 2017)
Jonathan Kodjia is an Ivorian professional footballer who plays as a forward for English club Aston Villa.
Kodjia represents the Ivory Coast at international level.
Career
Bristol City
Kodjia joined Bristol City on a three-year deal, with the option of a further year on 20 July 2015.
He scored his first competitive goal for Bristol City on 15 August 2015 in a 4:2 defeat to Brentford, converting a pass from Luke Ayling to give City a 1:0 lead.
Aston Villa
On 30 August 2016, Kodjia signed with Aston Villa on a four-year contract for an initial fee of £11 million, that could potentially rise to £15 million.
He scored his first league goal for the club, on his debut, against Brentford.
Kodjia's next goal came in a 1:1 draw against Wolverhampton Wanderers from the spot after Jack Grealish was fouled in Steve Bruce's first game in as Aston Villa manager.
He then scored the opener in a 2:1 win away at Reading just 3 days later.
His late acrobatic goal against Fulham on 22 October won the game 1:0 for Villa, making it 3 goals in 3 games and back to back wins for the club.
Kodjia started November in top form bagging 2 goals against a struggling Blackburn Rovers on side on Bonfire night to help Villa come from 1:0 down to win the game 2:1.
His 7th goal of the season then came later in the month with a fine header in a 3:1 win over Cardiff City at Villa Park.
Kodjia scored 6 goals in Steve Bruce's first 7 games in charge and his form helped propel Villa from the relegation zone up to 11th within Bruce's first month at the club.
Kodjia's performances won him the PFA Championship player of the month for November.
International career
Kodjia was born in France to Ivorian parents.
He was contacted first by the Benin Football Association as his surname has origins in that country but was not eligible.
He was later called up by the Ivory Coast national football team and made his debut in a friendly 0:0 tie with Hungary in May 2016.
He scored his first international goal against Gabon on 4 June 2016, volleying home to score the first goal of the game.
Ivory Coast would go on to win 2:1.
However he was sent home from the African Nations after a bust up.
Kalou, scored 23 goals in 67 appearances for Ivory Coast - He has proved his class in the Premier League, Champions League and with his national team.
Toure faced racist taunts when the clubs met in the Champions League a year ago and the two sides will cross swords again this season.
Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia has been coaxed out of international retirement by coach Herve Renard and named in the squad for September's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
This weekend's fixtures
GROUP A
• Real Bamako vs Coton Sport 1:1
• AC Leopards (CGO) vs ASEC Mimosas 4:1
GROUP B
• Sewe San Pedro vs Nkana 3:0
• Al Ahly vs Etoile Sahel 0:0
Sierra Leone have climbed 14 places in the Fifa world rankings for August, lifting them into the top 50 for the fist time in their history.
A second-half hat-trick from Kader Bidimbou and a Cesaire Gandze strike gave Leopards the victory which helps them close the gap on leaders Coton Sport to just two points with one round of group matches remaining.
Frenchman Herve Renard has been appointed coach of Ivory Coast. The 45-year-old had two spells as Zambia coach and led them to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012.
Toure, who signed a new four-year deal last season, also wants to see more signings in the coming weeks to help establish City as a "massive" club.
Group A
• 27 July: Coton Sport vs Asec Mimosas 2:1
• 27 July: AC Leopards vs Real Bamako 1:2
Group B
• 27 July: Al Ahly vs Sewe Sports 1:0
• 27 July: Nkana vs Etoile du Sahel 4:3
The Ivory Coast international was voted Chelsea's greatest ever player in a poll of fans in 2012 and has spoken of his close ties to the Blues. His 34 goals for Chelsea in European competition remains a club record, as do his nine strikes in nine cup finals.
