Young Doumbe following in his brother’s footsteps

Sports Writer

Thursday 3 November 2011

ONE of the few men in recent times capable of providing a tangible link between Celtic and tonight's Europa League opponents Rennes is Jean-Joel Perrier-Doumbe.

Yoann Doumbe-Kingue is in Scotland with a number of young French players. Picture: Martin Shields

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stewart fisher stewart.fisher@heraldandtimes.co.uk

The French-born Cameroon internationalist was on-loan from the Breton club when he became one of the less likely cup heroes in the Parkhead club’s history, nudging in a late deflected winner against Dunfermline Athletic to win the 2007 Scottish Cup.

The player would become no stranger to the treatment room after signing the two-year deal he subsequently earned at the club, but as the two teams meet at Parkhead again tonight, it is coincidental to find another member of the Doumbe clan embarking on his UK football career somewhere in Lanarkshire.Yoann Doumbe-Kingue, Jean-Joel’s 19-year-old kid brother, is one of a job lot of French teenagers enrolled in the Edusport Academy, a football coaching and education programme run by former Motherwell trainee Chris Ewing and current Fir Park youth coach Chris Hillcoat.Like his older sibling, he dreams of relaunching his career in Scotland. The French kids have beaten Dunfermline’s under-19s and drawn against Hamilton and Queen’s Park at that age group, while a number of the players have been getting extra sessions at the likes of Stranraer, Albion Rovers and junior side Lanark United.“I think I can have a professional career like him,” said Yoann, a striker or midfielder who played for Paris FC and Boulogne when he was younger, and spent two months on trial with Brentford last year. “I work hard every day, that is why I am here. I would like to win a contract here or in England.”These days Jean-Joel is studying his coaching badges in Toulouse, the club where he ended his playing days. But a part of him will always reside at Parkhead.“Jean-Joel loved it here,” Yoann said. “I remember coming over one time to watch him play against Manchester City in pre-season. He had a good relationship with Gordon Strachan, but he is disappointed he didn’t play for Celtic more often. He got injured playing against Milan in the Champions League but that is life. He has finished his career now and he is studying his coaching badges to be a manager in France. He only scored one goal in his career but it was important because he won the cup.“I speak to him pretty much every day and when I talked with him before I came to Scotland he told me there were good opportunities here and I would have to take my chance. French football is very difficult to break through, there are so many players coming through there so why not come here? The football here is more physical with more body contact, while over in France it is more technical -- if you don’t play quickly, then you get smashed. But for me here in Scotland and the UK is the best football, I just love it because people play all out for the win.”Jean-Joel told Herald Sport last night that his younger brother can be a success in Scotland. “Yoann is more technical than I was and I think he has a great chance to become a professional,” he said. “I don’t know so much about either team any more but I watched the last game between Rennes and Celtic, and I thought it was a very good result for Celtic. I think Rennes will play a stronger side than they did in the last game. But they will find it difficult to play at Celtic Park. For that reason I think Celtic will win.”

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Young Doumbe following in his brother’s footsteps

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