{"id":4400,"date":"2022-01-29T15:08:09","date_gmt":"2022-01-29T15:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/?p=4400"},"modified":"2022-01-29T14:42:17","modified_gmt":"2022-01-29T14:42:17","slug":"ivory-coast-striker-bumps-into-hostile-nec-nijmegen-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/eritrea\/all-news\/ivory-coast-striker-bumps-into-hostile-nec-nijmegen-fans","title":{"rendered":"Ivory Coast striker bumps into hostile NEC Nijmegen fans"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Eritrea. <\/strong><\/span>Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony is back in football after more than a year without a club.<\/p>\n

The ex-Manchester City and Swansea City player has signed for Dutch Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen.<\/p>\n

The 33-year-old left Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad in November 2020, and has been training in Wales with League Two side Newport County since then.<\/p>\n

Bony had huge success when he last played in the Eredivisie, nearly 10 years ago.<\/p>\n

He was top scorer in the league in 2012-13 with 31 goals for Vitesse Arnhem.<\/p>\n

But his association with Arnhem, NEC’s great rivals, means not everyone has welcomed his arrival back in the Dutch top flight.<\/p>\n

Angry fans attached banners to the club’s stadium declaring their opposition to the move, with two messages declaring ‘Bony NEVER in our colours’ and ‘Bony NOT welcome’.<\/p>\n

However, the striker – who has not played for Ivory Coast since July 2019 – shrugged off the opposition in an interview released by his new club.<\/p>\n

Bony missed a penalty in Ivory Coast’s quarter-final shoot-out defeat by Algeria at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.<\/p>\n

“It’s normal, I expect that,” he said after signing a deal until the end of the season.<\/p>\n

“This is part of football. I am coming here to do what I love most, to play football. Most importantly, I want them to support the team.”<\/p>\n

He added he was aware of the sensitivity of the move for some and wanted to be given a chance to prove himself to NEC supporters.<\/p>\n

Bony’s success in the Eredivisie saw him move to Swansea City for \u00a312 million in 2013, and he scored 34 goals in 70 appearances for the Welsh club.<\/p>\n

He moved on to Manchester City in January 2015 in a deal worth up to \u00a328 million, but the Ivorian made a limited impact at Etihad Stadium and went on loan to Stoke City before returning to Swansea in 2017.<\/p>\n

His second stint with the Swans was less successful and he subsequently played in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, until he ended his contract with Al Ittihad in November 2020.<\/p>\n

Bony admitted he was not yet ready to play a full 90 minutes, having been out of the game for more than a year.<\/p>\n

But he said he was in good shape after training with Newport County, the League Two side near his home in Wales.<\/p>\n

“I want to thank them,” he told NEC’s website.<\/p>\n

“It was very important for me to keep fit until the moment I could play again. For the time being, I’m not able to play 90 minutes but I will be ready very soon.”<\/p>\n

NEC technical director Ted van Leeuwen was involved in bringing Bony to Vitesse in 2011 and says Bony had “unfinished business” in the Netherlands.<\/p>\n

He added Bony appeared to be “remarkably fit” and “highly motivated”.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Eritrea<\/a> Follow Africa-Press<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Eritrea. Ivory Coast striker Wilfried Bony is back in football after more than a year without a club. The ex-Manchester City and Swansea City player has signed for Dutch Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen. 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