Sofyane Cherfa (Arabic: سفيان شرفة; born 13 August 1984) is an Algerian professional football manager and former player. He is the current manager of Greek club AEK Athens U19.
 Cherfa in action for Omonia in 2012 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Sofyane Cherfa | ||
| Date of birth | 13 August 1984 | ||
| Place of birth | Toulouse, France | ||
| Height | 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | AEK Athens U19 (manager) | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Monaco | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2002–2005 | Monaco B | ||
| 2005–2007 | Louhans-Cuiseaux | 59 | (5) |
| 2007–2008 | Reims | 30 | (2) |
| 2008–2009 | Sedan | 15 | (0) |
| 2009–2011 | Châteauroux | 40 | (0) |
| 2011–2014 | Omonia | 49 | (3) |
| 2012–2013 | → Panthrakikos (loan) | 29 | (0) |
| 2014–2016 | Panthrakikos | 29 | (0) |
| 2016–2017 | Costantine | 33 | (1) |
| 2018 | Abano | 2 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Alki Oroklini | 20 | (0) |
| 2019–2020 | Akritas Chlorakas | 10 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2020–2021 | Omonia Aradippou (assistant) | ||
| 2021 | Doxa Katokopias (assistant) | ||
| 2021–2023 | Thonon Evian | ||
| 2023–2024 | Bourg-Péronnas U19 | ||
| 2024– | AEK Athens U19 | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Club career
edit
Early career
editBorn in Toulouse, France, Cherfa played youth football with AS Monaco FC, but only appeared for its reserve team as a senior. After playing with CS Louhans-Cuiseaux in the lower leagues he signed with Ligue 2 club Stade de Reims in the summer of 2007, before going on to represent also in the competition CS Sedan Ardennes and LB Châteauroux.[1]
Omonia
editIn 2011, Cherfa joined AC Omonia in the Cypriot First Division, after fellow league side Ermis Aradippou FC did not have the financial means to complete the transfer.[1] He scored his first goal as a professional on 29 October of that year in a 2–0 away win against Olympiakos Nicosia, and also contributed with six appearances in the season's Cypriot Cup, which ended in conquest as in the previous year.
In the 2012 summer transfer window, after being deemed surplus to requirements, Cherfa was loaned to Panthrakikos F.C. from Greece.[2][3] At the end of the campaign he returned to Omonia, who had just lost fellow stoppers Christos Karipidis and Savo Pavićević to other clubs, but Panthrakikos contested that the agreement ended sooner than it should have.[4]
After failing to negotiate a new contract with a smaller wage, due to Omonia's financial situation, Cherfa was made to train alone, and was eventually linked to OFI Crete F.C. even though the former stated it did not have the intention of releasing him.[5] After the team failed to perform in their UEFA Europa League campaign, both defensively and overall, a new round of talks started, and he eventually put pen to paper to a new three-year deal.[6]
Later years
editOn 15 January 2016, four days after being released by Panthrakikos,[7] Cherfa signed a two-year contract with Algerian club CS Constantine.[8] Two years later, the free agent agreed to a one-year deal at Italian amateurs Abano Calcio.
Cherfa returned to the Cypriot top level on 27 July 2018, joining Alki Oroklini for one season.[9] On 18 August 2019, he joined Akritas Chlorakas.[10]
International
editIn April 2005, Cherfa was called up to the Algerian under-23 team for a mini training camp in France.[11][12]
Personal life
editCherfa's younger brother, Walid, was also a footballer. A defender, he too played most of his career in France.[13]
Club statistics
edit- As of match played 2 January 2016
| Club | Season | League | Cup[a] | Europe[b] | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Louhans-Cuiseaux | 2005–06[14] | Championnat National | 29 | 2 | 1 | 0 | — | 30 | 2 | |
| 2006–07[14] | 30 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 32 | 3 | |||
| Total | 59 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 62 | 5 | ||
| Reims | 2007–08[14] | Ligue 2 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | — | 34 | 2 | |
| Total | 30 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 34 | 2 | ||
| Sedan | 2008–09[14] | Ligue 2 | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |
| Total | 15 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 16 | 0 | ||
| Châteauroux | 2009–10[14] | Ligue 2 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 8 | 0 | |
| 2010–11[14] | 32 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 35 | 0 | |||
| Total | 40 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 43 | 0 | ||
| Omonia | 2011–12[15] | Cypriot First Division | 22 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 30 | 3 |
| 2013–14[15] | 27 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 30 | 1 | |||
| Total | 49 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 60 | 4 | ||
| Panthrakikos | 2012–13 (loan)[15] | Superleague Greece | 29 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 37 | 1 | |
| 2014–15[15] | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 16 | 0 | |||
| 2015–16[15] | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |||
| Total | 58 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 68 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 251 | 10 | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 283 | 12 | ||
- ^ Includes the Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, Cypriot Cup, Cypriot Super Cup, Greek Football Cup
- ^ Includes the UEFA Europa League
Honours
editOmonia
References
edit- ^ a b "Oμόνοια: Σοφιάν Σερφά για το κέντρο της άμυνας (video)" [Agreement: Sofyane Cherfa for the center of the defense (video)]. Kathimerini (in Greek). 20 July 2011. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ "Στον Πανθρακικό ο Σοφιάν Σερφά" [Sofyane Cherfa to Panthrakikos] (in Greek). Pamesports. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ "Πανθρακικός : Ήρθε και υπέγραψε ο Σοφιάν Σερφά!" [Panthrakikos: Sofyane Cherfa arrived and signed!] (in Greek). Assist GR. 2 August 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ "Πανθρακικός: Καμία ανησυχία για Σερφά" [Panthrakikos: No worries about Cherfa] (in Greek). Onsports. 7 November 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ ""Κόκκινο" για Σερφά" ["Red" for Cherfa] (in Greek). Contra. 19 July 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
- ^ "Επανεντάσσεται στο ρόστερ της ομάδας μας ο Σοφιάν Σερφά" [Sofyane Cherfa reinstated in our squad] (in Greek). AC Omonia. 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
- ^ "Τέλος και επίσημα Σερφά – Σέτι από τον Πανθρακικό" [Finally official – Seti to Panthrakikos] (in Greek). Sport 24. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ "Transferts: Mellouli et S. Cherfa arrivent au CSC" [Transfers: Mellouli and S. Cherfa arrive at CSC] (in French). DZFoot. 15 January 2016. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
- ^ ""Κυανέρυθρο" καλωσόρισμα στον Σερφά" [Red-and-blue welcome to Cherfa] (in Greek). Goal. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 30 July 2018.
- ^ Με μεγάλη χαρά ανακοινώνουμε την απόκτηση του γάλλου ποδοσφαιριστή SOFYANE CHERFA, facebook.com, 18 August 2019
- ^ "Jeunes: regroupement des "pros"" [Youngsters: "pros" regroup] (in French). DZFoot. April 2005. Archived from the original on 12 February 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ "Présélection de joueurs Algériens de France" [Preselection of Algerian players in France] (in French). DZFoot. April 2005. Archived from the original on 27 August 2012. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
- ^ "Dupuis retrouve des amis" [Dupuis reunites with friends]. La Dépêche du Midi (in French). 18 November 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f "Sofyane Cherfa". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 9 December 2015.
- ^ a b c d e "S. Cherfa". Soccerway. Retrieved 8 December 2015.
External links
edit- Sofyane Cherfa – French league stats at LFP – also available in French (archived)
- Official website