Tonton Zola Moukoko Explained

Tonton Moukoko
Fullname:Tonton Zola Moukoko
Birth Date:22 December 1983
Birth Place:Kinshasa, Zaire
Position:Central midfielder
Youthyears1: - 1999
Youthclubs1:Djurgårdens
Youthyears2:1999 - 2000
Youthclubs2:Derby County
Years1:2000 - 2002
Years2:2004 - 2006
Years3:2007 - 2008
Years4:2009
Years5:2009
Years6:2011–2014
Clubs1:Derby County
Clubs2:Carlstad United
Clubs3:Sleipner
Clubs4:Syrianska
Clubs5:Atlantis
Clubs6:Lidingö
Caps1:0
Goals1:0
Caps2:43
Goals2:6
Caps3:8
Goals3:0
Caps4:11
Goals4:1
Caps5:22
Goals5:0
Pcupdate:23:03, 6 August 2010 (UTC)
Caps6:13
Goals6:0
Years7:2015–2016
Clubs7:Kongo United FC
Caps7:20
Goals7:3
Totalgoals:10
Totalcaps:117

Tonton Zola Moukoko (born 22 December 1983) is a Swedish former footballer who played as a midfielder. He is renowned for being a legendary figure in the Championship Manager video game series.

Career

Early career

Moukoko arrived in Sweden aged seven[1] or nine with his brother Fedo, after they were orphaned.[2] He began playing with Djurgårdens's youth teams and came to be considered one of the most talented young players in Sweden.[2] Moukoko was granted Swedish citizenship in autumn 1998 and was immediately called into the Sweden U16 squad.[3]

At the time, many of Europe's leading clubs were interested in signing Moukoko,[1] [3] and in April 1999, he trained with Bologna[4] and Empoli.[5]

Derby County

Moukoko joined Derby County as a 15-year-old[1] and featured in the 1999 - 00 FA Youth Cup.[6] When he signed a professional contract upon turning 17 in December 2000, it was reported that he turned down a competing offer from AC Milan.[7] With Moukoko playing in the youths and reserves at Derby it was thought likely by fans[8] and Moukoko himself[1] that he would break into the first team. However, early in the 2002 - 03 season[9] he returned to Sweden after suffering family problems[2] and falling out with club management over his study arrangements.[1]

Moukoko trained with Hammarby and then spent summer 2003 on trial with Falkirk. After he scored in a 3-0 pre-season friendly win over Queen's Park on 7 July 2003, the Scottish club's manager John Hughes was reported to have said: "I thought Ton Ton [sic] was brilliant, absolutely brilliant, if you had caught him in training the other day, you couldn't kick his backside, and he's a flying machine. Ton Ton [sic] lightens the place up, he is a great wee smiler and takes pelters from the boys for his hairstyles, but he is a really good kid."[10]

Return to Sweden

England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson and his assistant Tord Grip helped Moukoko to get a contract with Carlstad United in the Swedish football Division 2.[1] [2] After a period of inactivity, he then signed a two-year contract with Sleipner ahead of the 2007 season.[2] After the two years, Moukoko began the 2009 season with Syrianska in Norrköping.

Atlantis

Moukoko moved to the Finnish club Atlantis during the 2009 season. He played in ten games and failed to score, as the club were relegated from the Ykkönen.[11]

Lidingö

In 2013 Moukoko began playing for Lidingö[12] and coaching one of the club's youth teams.[13]

Moukoko retired aged 28, affected by the death of his brother, who had been his manager/agent.[14]

Personal life

Moukoko was born in Zaire (now DR Congo).[15]

When interviewed for the BBC Radio series Sporting Witness in 2022, Moukoko revealed that he was working as a sports agent in Sweden. Among his notable clients is his cousin's son R. Sasikumar of Kampung Rawa (currently in the 7th Division of Malaysian League).[16]

Championship Manager

Moukoko achieved fame through his depiction as one of the best players in Championship Manager, a video game developed by Sports Interactive.[1] [17] He was frequently telephoned by fans of the game,[18] who have also set up dedicated Facebook groups.[19] [20] [21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Life is for real. Niels Sørensen. Derbycounty.dk. 8 June 2010.
  2. Web site: Tonton Zola Moukoko senast i raden nyförvärv. Swedish. IK Sleipner fotboll. 8 June 2010. 13 December 2006.
  3. Web site: Jag tänker ofta på mina döda föräldrar. Nicklas Brunzell. Swedish. Aftonbladet. 8 June 2010. 5 February 1999.
  4. Web site: Han kan bli näste svensk i Bologna . Nicklas Brunzell. Swedish. Aftonbladet. 8 June 2010. 23 April 1999.
  5. Web site: Ungdomsproffs . Bjorn Sjodin. Swedish. Svenskafans.com. 8 June 2010. 25 October 2007.
  6. News: FOOTBALL: WAYNE'S BRAVE EFFORTS IN VAIN FA YOUTH CUP ROUND FOUR; DERBY COUNTY 2 VILLA YOUTH 0. https://web.archive.org/web/20121104052554/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-60894067.html . dead . 4 November 2012 . Birmingham Evening Mail. 55. 8 June 2010. 19 January 2000.
  7. News: FOOTBALL: CHATZONE . Sunday Mirror. 60. 8 June 2010. 24 December 2000.
  8. News: Football: Nationwide League: The New Season: Division One: Up, down or bust? The Observer fans' network on their clubs' prospects: Derby County . The Observer. Nick Calvert. 10. 4 August 2002.
  9. Web site: Rams clear-out continues with Tonton Moukoko leaving for Sweden. Derby County Mad. 21 August 2002. 8 June 2010.
  10. News: FOOTBALL: Yogi Czechs out new Bairns . Anthony Haggerty. Daily Record. 45. 8 June 2010. 9 July 2003.
  11. Web site: Tonton Zola Moukoko. Soccerway. 8 June 2010.
  12. Web site: Tonton Goes To London . Afton Bladet. 9 March 2013. 13 August 2012. Erik. Niva. Swedish.
  13. Web site: Ungdomsrapport . IFK Lidingö FK. 9 March 2013. Swedish.
  14. Web site: Tonton Zola Moukoko: 'If you say his name, faces will light up immediately' . . 8 November 2022.
  15. Web site: Då: Världskänd Nu: Grillar korv. 8 October 2021. www.aftonbladet.se. sv.
  16. News: Sporting Witness, Tonton Zola Moukoko: The best Championship Manager player ever . Endurance Info . 2022-11-03 . 2022-11-08.
  17. News: 5 Championship Manager Stars Who Really Burned Out . Dan Fitch. Betfair.com. 8 June 2010. 4 June 2010.
  18. News: What happened to... Champ Man legends?. https://web.archive.org/web/20110629123916/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/feature?id=716854&cc=5739. dead. 29 June 2011. Jon Carter. ESPN Soccernet. 8 June 2010. 23 December 2009.
  19. News: The Joy of Six: great Championship/ Football Manager players. Rob Smyth. The Guardian. 8 June 2010. 14 November 2008.
  20. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/ Football Manager at 25: From Tonton Zola Moukoko to Premier League club tool
  21. Web site: Archived copy . 28 November 2022 . 16 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221116104131/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/stories-63520299 . live .