El Kaddouri, Badr

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Fullname: Badr El Kaddouri
Born: 31 Jan 1981
Birthplace: Casablanca, Morocco
Signed: 31 Aug 2011 (short loan from Dynamo Kyiv)
Left: 1 January 2012
Position: Defender, Left-back
Debut: Celtic 4-0 Motherwell, 10th September 2011
Squad No.: 4
Internationals: Morocco
International Caps: 46
International Goals: 0

Biog

Badr joined the club on a 6 month loan deal from Ukrainian club Dynamo Kiev as cover for the injured left back Emilio Izzaguirre. Celtic had the option to make it a permanent contract at the end of the loan spell, so if it was what he wanted then he had to really make his mark.

Debut was against Motherwell where he was little tested in a 4-0 win, but then in only his second match, Badr scored his first Celtic goal in rather spectacular fashion against Rangers on the 18th September 2011. Badr hit a rather tame shot from long distance outside the box, only for Rangers’ ‘keeper McGregor to make one of the worst on-field mistakes in his career as he allowed the ball to go straight through his legs and into the net to put the Hoops 2-1 up. Despite this, Celtic went on to lose the match 4-2. The general consensus was that he had a poor game and was taken off in the second half as he was run ragged by the Rangers’ attackers down his corner. The speed & pressure of the game likely got to him and he just could not manage it.

Confidence diminished in him fast, and he was given few chances from there on in. In total, he played just six league games and one cup game, and never really impressed. Having played in the nightmare 3-3 game v Kilmarnock (Oct 2011) where Celtic were 3-0 down at half-time didn’t help and he was cut from the first side after the match. In fairness, his place in the team coincided with a collapse in morale in the side and the support as Rangers began to build a commanding position in the league, so some poor luck in timing for him.

The emergence of Ledley as a utility/replacement left-back was the preferred option to El Kaddouri, and Mulgrew was also used in his place. Taking in that Celtic had a stream of injuries and juggled the defence regularly yet the manager still didn’t make a place for him says it all. Never even given a chance in one of the UEFA Cup/Europa League group matches. The coaching staff had lost confidence in him.

Into Dec 2011, Celtic had hit a purple patch of form and the defence was functioning well (especially with the introduction of Wanyama). El Kaddouri was simply completely forgotten and written out.

His loan was definitely not to be renewed, he was surplus to the squad’s needs, and sadly he left with few noticing. Good to have the cover but not much was gained from it. However, scoring against Rangers will mean that he’ll stand out from amongst the other short-term loan signings of recent years, some of whom had more illustrious reputations than El Kaddouri had.

He left with a swipe at the Scottish game that was uncalled for. The support had nothing against him on a personal level and not all achieve in Scotland (and he is one in that class). It’s not always the most challenging of leagues for some players, and for El Kaddouri his swipe at the game was really more just trying to deflect attention away from the truth of his own situation. His criticism of “no skill” is a nonsense and marks him down, especially at Celtic where the First Team had a number of talented players (although in fairness he wasn’t questioning Celtic but talking more generally on other teams in the league). He simply wasn’t matching up himself.

Still he seemed to appreciate the club & the support in some ways:

“I loved the fans. The supporters really impressed me.” Badr El Kaddouri

In any case, after Celtic, his career stalled with few appearances on his return back at his parent club. It appeared that Celtic was his last chance to stay in the top tiers of football, but if the SPL wasn’t good enough for him then it seems nowhere was. He was in the tail-end of his career, and appears to have wrapped up his playing career in 2013, a year after leaving Celtic.

We wish him the best.

Playing Career

APPEARANCES LEAGUE SCOTTISH CUP LEAGUE CUP EUROPE TOTAL
2011-2012 5 (1) 0 1 0 6 (1)
Goals 1 0 0 0 1
2011/12 Statistics
TEAM Competition GS SB G A SH SG FC FS YC RC
Celtic League Cup 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Celtic SPL 5 1 1 0 0 0 5 4 1 0

GS: Games Started, SB: Used as Substitute, G: Goals, A: Assists, SH: Shots, SG: Shots on goal,
YC
: Yellow Cards, RC: Red Cards, FC: Fouls Committed, FS: Fouls Suffered, SV: Saves, OF: Offsides,
W: Wins, D: Draws, L: Losses

Honours with Celtic

Scottish League

Pictures

KDS

Badr El Kaddouri: I’m delighted to have joined Celtic

El Kaddouri, Badr - Pic

BADR El Kaddouri became Celtic’s newest recruit when he signed for the club on transfer deadline day. The Moroccan internationalist has joined the Hoops on loan from Dinamo Kiev until January, and will provide defensive experience to Neil Lennon’s squad.

The left-back, who has played over 30 times for his country, is delighted at the move and is looking forward to meeting up with his new team-mates when they all reconvene at Lennoxtown next week after the international break.

Speaking exclusively to the official Celtic website, El Kaddouri said: “It was a move that I was delighted to make and I am looking forward to playing for Celtic.

“They are a very big club, and everyone has heard of Celtic. Now, I just want to get to know my new team-mates and show what I can do, and try to help the team do well.

“I will work hard every day in training and do my best for the manager and the team. I know it will be hard to get in the team because Celtic are a top side with a lot of really good players, but I am coming to Scotland to play football and I would love to get into the side.

“And I am also looking forward to playing in front of the Celtic supporters. I know the stadium holds 60,000 and that will be an incredible feeling to play in front of all these people.”

Celtic flop Badr El Kaddouri takes parting shot at ‘unskillful’ Scottish game

Daily Record

Jan 21 2012

CELTIC flop Badr El Kaddouri has taken a parting shot at Scottish football by claiming there is no skill in our game.

The defender has returned to the Ukraine following his loan spell at Parkhead.

The Moroccan moved from Dynamo Kiev as cover for Hoops full-back Emilio Izaguirre, who broke his ankle in August.

However, El Kaddouri never looked comfortable in the SPL and made just six appearances.

And although the 30-year-old loved his time at Celtic he wasn’t impressed with the standard of football.

He said: “After nine years at Kiev I wanted to try something different so I took the chance to go to Celtic.

“But it’s a completely different type of football in Scotland.

“It’s a constant struggle. They play the long ball game and there is virtually no skill at all.

“You could not rest on the pitch for a minute.

“The Scots love this type of football but it is not for me.

“But I loved the fans. The supporters really impressed me.”