A legend under the sticks, a benchmark as a goalkeeper coach. The legendary Tommy N’kono, Espanyol’s goalkeeper between 1982 and 1990 and coach for the last 14 years, is now history. The Cameroonian hangs up his gloves definitively at the age of 66, as La Grada announced, although he will continue at Espanyol, the club of his life, in a different role.
From now on, N’Kono will exercise institutional representation tasks and give his opinion on sports issues. The decision was made by mutual agreement in a meeting held last Tuesday between the affected person himself and the CEO of Espanyol, Mao Ye. Both parties understood that with his age he should not continue with the task that he had carried out until now in the first team. This decision would have nothing to do with the cut in the salary bill that the club has worked on after relegation and that could lead to the departure of another illustrious like Raúl Tamudo.
Born in Dizangué in 1956, N’Kono became known at the World Cup in Spain ’82, precisely in Sarrià, which would be his home until 1990. In the blue and white team he became a benchmark for an entire generation due to his agility and reflexes. He was the goalkeeper of the 1988/89 UEFA Cup, and after defending Cameroon in 1990 in the World Cup in Italy, he left the team with the third player with the most appearances in the club’s history (333), being the first foreigner.
Subsequently, starting in 2001, he alternated positions as goalkeeper coach in Cameroon and at Espanyol, until in 2009 he finally settled at the club. Among his successes is being the soccer father of Carlos Kameni and many other goalkeepers who have passed through his unforgettable hands.
