Jimma Aba Jifar F.C.

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Jimma Aba Jifar
Full nameJimma Aba Jifar Football Club
Nickname(s)The Westerns
Founded1983
GroundJimma Stadium
Jimma, Ethiopia
Capacity15,000
ManagerEthiopia Zemariam Damtew
LeagueEthiopian Higher League
2020-21Premier League 12th of 13

Jimma Aba Jifar Football Club (Amharic: ጅማ አባ ጅፋር; Afaan Oromo: Jimmaa Abbaa Jifaar) is a professional football club based in Jimma, Ethiopia. They play in the Ethiopian Higher League, the second division of Ethiopian football. The club, who was formally known as Jimma City, was promoted to the Ethiopian Premier League for the first time after the end of the 2016–17 season.[1]

History[edit]

The club was founded in 1983 (1975 E.C.). The club finished first in the Ethiopian Higher League (second division) Group B after the 2016/17 season, by virtue earning a promotion to the 2017/18 Ethiopian Premier League. The club has since signed some notable foreign players to the side, including Nigerian striker Okiki Afolabi and Ghanaian Goalkeeper Daniel Agyei.[2]

The club won the 2017/18 Ethiopian Premier League title.[3] Shortly after the 2017–18 season their manager, Gebremedin Haile, left the club to sign with another Premier League club, Mekelle City FC.[4]

The club participated in 2018-19 CAF Champions League as the only representative from Ethiopia. They defeated ASAS Djibouti Télécom 5-3 on aggregate in parliamentary round. However, they made their exit from the tournament in the next round courtesy of a 2-1 aggregate defeat to Egyptian giants Al-Ahly.[5]

FIFA imposed a transfer ban on club in 2020 for unpaid wages to Ghanaian goalkeeper Daniel Agyei.[6]

Stadium[edit]

The club plays its matches at Jimma Stadium located in Jimma, Ethiopia. In 2021, Jimma University Stadium was chosen to host matches from week 7 to 11 of the 2020-21 Ethiopian Premier League season.[7]

Honors[edit]

Domestic[edit]

Continental[edit]

Players[edit]

First-team squad[edit]

As of 14 January 2021[8]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
1 GK Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Jeko Penze
2 DF Ethiopia ETH Wondmagegn Markos
3 DF Ethiopia ETH Ibrahim Abdulkadir
4 DF Ethiopia ETH Kedir Heirdin
6 DF Ethiopia ETH Ashenafi Bira
7 FW Ethiopia ETH Sadik Secho
8 MF Ethiopia ETH Surafel Awol
10 FW Ethiopia ETH Muluken Tariku
11 MF Ethiopia ETH Bekam Abdella
12 DF Ethiopia ETH Amanuel Getachew
14 DF Ethiopia ETH Elias Ataro
16 DF Ethiopia ETH Melaku Wolde Fantahun
17 FW Ethiopia ETH Bezuayehu Endeshaw
18 MF Ethiopia ETH Abraham Tamirat
19 FW Ethiopia ETH Temesgen Derese
No. Pos. Nation Player
20 MF Ethiopia ETH Habtamu Negusse
21 MF Ethiopia ETH Negatu Gebreselassie
22 FW Ethiopia ETH Samson Kolicha
23 DF Ethiopia ETH Wubshet Alemayehu
25 DF Ethiopia ETH Endalamin Nassir
26 FW Ethiopia ETH Jeylan Kemal
27 DF Ethiopia ETH Roba Worku
28 MF Ethiopia ETH Tirtaye Demeke
91 GK Ethiopia ETH Abubeker Nuri
93 GK Ethiopia ETH Yohannes Shikur
MF Ethiopia ETH Amanuel Teshome
FW Ghana GHA Rahim Osumanu
DF Ghana GHA Alex Amuzu

Club Officials[edit]

Coaching Staff[edit]

  • Manager/Head Coach: EthiopiaZemariam Damtew
  • Assistant coach: EthiopiaYosef Ali
  • Goalkeeper coach: EthiopiaMohamed Jemal
  • Team Leader: EthiopiaJehud Kedir
  • Physiotherapist: EthiopiaSenay Yilma

Former Managers[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Tolesa, Dawit (July 22, 2017). "Jimma, Mekele, Welwalo earn EPL promotion". The Reporter Ethiopia.
  2. ^ David Quartey, Daniel (October 11, 2017). "Confirmed: Ghana's Daniel Agyei Joins Ethiopian Side Jimma Aba Jifar FC". Ghana Crusader. Archived from the original on July 16, 2018.
  3. ^ Taddele, Omna (July 16, 2018). "Jimma Aba Jifar FC Crowned Champions of Ethiopia". Soccer Ethiopia.
  4. ^ Hailemariam, Mathias (August 8, 2018). "መቐለ ከተማ ከገብረመድህን ኃይሌ ጋር በይፋ ተፈራረመ". Soccer Ethiopia.
  5. ^ Berhanu, Markos (December 23, 2018). "CAF Champions League: Jimma Aba Jifar Defeats Al Ahly 1-0". Ethiosports.
  6. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: FIFA bans Jimma Aba Jifar FC for three transfer windows over unpaid Daniel Agyei entitlements". Ghanasoccernet. August 11, 2020.
  7. ^ Tadesse, Dawit (January 14, 2021). "የጅማ ስታዲየም ዝግጅትን በተመለከተ". Hatricksport.
  8. ^ "Jimma Aba Jifar". Soccer Ethiopia.