Omar Koroma

Omar Koroma

Omar Koroma playing for Forest Green Rovers in the 2012/13 season.
Personal information
Full name Omar Alieu Koroma[1]
Date of birth (1989-10-22) 22 October 1989[2]
Place of birth Banjul, Gambia
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[2]
Playing position Striker
Club information
Current team
 FC Kyzyl-Zhar SK
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
2007–2008 Banjul Hawks ? (?)
2008–2010 Portsmouth 0 (0)
2008–2009 → Norwich City (loan) 5 (0)
2012–2014 Forest Green Rovers 23 (0)
2014–2015 Dulwich Hamlet 7 (2)
2015–2016 Thróttur Reykjavík 18 (2)
2016– FC Kyzyl-Zhar SK
National team‡
2008 Gambia 4 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:08, 31 January 2015 (UTC).
† Appearances (goals)

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 20:48, 27 January 2010 (UTC)

Omar Alieu Koroma (born 22 October 1989) is a Gambian footballer who currently plays for FC Kyzyl-Zhar SK in the Kazakhstan First Division.[3] He is the first ever Gambian to be signed by an English Premier League club. He plays as a striker and has previously represented Portsmouth, Norwich City and Forest Green Rovers.

Career

Koroma trained with English side Watford in October 2007. He impressed, but was unable to secure a contract due to work permit issues. He also trained with Southampton[4] but again, could not sign a professional contract with the club.

In July 2008 he was then offered a two-week trial with Premier League side Portsmouth, featuring in some of their pre-season friendlies and impressing enough to be offered a contract. He was eligible for a work permit after recently marrying a British partner.

On 4 August 2008 Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp confirmed that a two-year contract for Koroma had been completed from Banjul Hawks, and confirmed that the striker would be spending the 2008–09 season at then Championship side Norwich City on loan.[5][6][7] He made his debut for Norwich on 9 August 2008 as a substitute in a 2–0 defeat at Coventry City.[8]

In late December 2008, Koroma suffered a serious ankle injury, which necessitated surgery. This took place in January 2009, leaving him a likely recovery period of 10 to 12 weeks.[9] He returned to Portsmouth at the end of January[10] but was released the following summer.[11]

He trialed in Denmark, trialing for Brondby IF.[12] He impressed Brondby and Denmark striker Peter Madsen when on trial with the Danish Superliga club.[13]

He then went on trial with Conference Premier side Forest Green Rovers. He scored a brace in a 2–1 reserve team victory over Crawley Town on 23 April 2012.[14] After a lengthy trial period with Forest Green, Koroma agreed to a three-year contract at the club in May 2012.[15]

He made his Forest Green debut on 27 August 2012 although was sent off after 34 minutes in an away game against Kidderminster Harriers.[16] After making 20 league appearances for the club, he left on 23 January 2014 by mutual consent.[17]

Following a brief trial, he joined Dulwich Hamlet of the Isthmian League Premier Division in November 2014, making his debut against Maidstone United on 12 November 2014, before going on to score his first goal for the club in a 3-1 away win at Harrow Borough on 22 November 2014.

After leaving Dulwich Hamlet, he moved to Iceland to sign for Thróttur Reykjavík[18] on a one-year contract with an option to extend.

On 1 March 2016, he signed a one-year contract with the club after impressing in their test matches.

International

In September 2008, Koroma was called up to the Gambia senior squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Liberia and Senegal, making his international debut as a late substitute for Njogu Demba as the Gambian's ran out 3–0 victors.[19][20]

References

  1. ↑ "Omar Alieu Koroma – correction". Norwich City F.C. 1 August 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  2. 1 2 "First Team Profiles". Norwich City F.C. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  3. ↑ Gambia striker Omar Koroma joins FC Kyzylzhar
  4. ↑ OJ Krumah off to Southampton Academy
  5. ↑ "Pompey seal Koroma deal". Sky Sports. 4 August 2008. Retrieved 27 January 2010.
  6. ↑ "Norwich complete Koroma loan deal". BBC Sport. 4 August 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
  7. ↑ "Portsmouth sign Banjul Hawks Omar Koroma". The Telegraph. 4 August 2008.
  8. ↑ "Coventry 2–0 Norwich". BBC Sport. 9 August 2008. Retrieved 9 August 2008.
  9. ↑ http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/Sport/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=Sport&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=Sport&itemid=NOED02%20Jan%202009%2011%3A26%3A41%3A643
  10. ↑ "Team news ahead of Doncaster". Norwich City F.C. 29 January 2009. Retrieved 29 January 2009.
  11. ↑ "Pompey offer contracts to quartet". BBC News. 19 May 2010.
  12. ↑ Omar Koroma silent over Brondby trial - The Point Newspaper, Banjul, The Gambia. Thepoint.gm (2010-12-30).
  13. ↑ "Brondby ace impressed with trialist Omar Koroma". Gambian Daily Observer. 23 November 2010.
  14. ↑ "Rovers eye Gambian star". Stroud News & Journal. 24 April 2012.
  15. ↑ "Omar Koroma joins Forest Green on three-year deal". BBC Sport. 21 May 2012.
  16. ↑ "Kidderminster 0–1 Forest Green". BBC Sport. 27 August 2012.
  17. ↑ "Omar Koroma leaves Forest Green Rovers". Gambia Sports Online. 27 January 2014.
  18. ↑ OJ Koroma moves to Thróttur Reykjavík
  19. ↑ "Gambia – Liberia". FIFA. Retrieved 12 November 2008.
  20. ↑ ""Proud to play for the Gambia" – OJ Koroma". The Point. 4 September 2008.

External links

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