Kamel Ghilas Explained

Kamel Ghilas
Fullname:Kamel Fathi Ghilas[1]
Birth Date:9 March 1984
Birth Place:Marseille, France
Height:1.77 m
Position:Forward
Years1:2001–2003
Clubs1:Vitrolles
Caps1:6
Goals1:1
Years2:2003–2006
Clubs2:Cannes
Caps2:86
Goals2:22
Years3:2006–2008
Clubs3:Vitória Guimarães
Caps3:59
Goals3:18
Years4:2008–2009
Clubs4:Celta Vigo
Caps4:33
Goals4:13
Years5:2009–2012
Clubs5:Hull City
Caps5:13
Goals5:1
Years6:2010–2011
Clubs6:Arles-Avignon (loan)
Caps6:19
Goals6:2
Years7:2011–2012
Clubs7:Reims (loan)
Caps7:35
Goals7:14
Years8:2012–2014
Clubs8:Reims
Caps8:24
Goals8:0
Years9:2013
Clubs9:Reims II
Caps9:8
Goals9:4
Years10:2014
Clubs10:Charleroi
Caps10:5
Goals10:0
Totalcaps:288
Totalgoals:75
Nationalyears1:2007–2012
Nationalteam1:Algeria
Nationalcaps1:19
Nationalgoals1:3

Kamel Fathi Ghilas (born 9 March 1984) is an Algerian former professional footballer who played as a forward.

Club career

Early years

Born in Marseille, France,[1] Ghilas started his career in amateur football, with ES Vitrolles. At the age of 19 he joined AS Cannes in the Championnat National, quickly breaking into the first team and featuring mostly as a winger.

Ghilas established himself as a starter in the 2004–05 season, going on to lead the team in scoring by netting seven times in 31 appearances. The following year he contributed with 13 as the French Riviera club narrowly missed out on promotion to Ligue 2, finishing two points behind FC Libourne-Saint-Seurin for the third and final spot.

Vitória Guimarães

Ghilas signed for Vitória S.C. from Portugal in the summer of 2006, penning a two-year contract.[2] In his first year he ranked first in goals scored in his team, helping to a return to the Primeira Liga after one year out.[3]

Ghilas made his debut in the competition on 19 August 2007, starting in a 1–1 home draw against Vitória de Setúbal.[4] He scored six times in a further 20 league appearances to help the side finish a best-ever third and qualify to the UEFA Champions League; however, following a contract dispute, he left the Minho Province club as a free agent.[5]

Celta

On 12 July 2008, RC Celta de Vigo announced the signing of Ghilas from Vitória,[6] with the player penning a three-year contract worth 300,000 a year.[7] He scored his first goals for the Galicians on 28 September in a 2–1 home win over CD Tenerife, in what was the season's first win.[8]

On 28 July 2009, a fee of £1.7 million was agreed for Ghilas to transfer to Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League – the move was set to be completed pending on the player agreeing personal terms and passing a medical. However, the transfer broke down in the 11th hour, with conflicting reports on the grounds: the English claimed he had failed the medical, whereas the Spaniards claimed that Blackburn had attempted to renegotiate the transfer fee and player's wages at the last minute; they attempted to disprove Rovers' claims by playing him in a friendly the following day.[9]

Hull City

On 13 August 2009, Ghilas agreed terms with Hull City, signing a four-year deal for which Celta was paid roughly £2 million.[10] He made his debut for his new team nine days later, scoring in a 1–0 victory over Bolton Wanderers in the 61st minute after being fed a through ball from Jozy Altidore.[11]

However, Ghilas failed to perform for the East Yorkshire side subsequently, being loaned to French clubs AC Arles-Avignon[12] and Stade de Reims.[13] He made his debut for the latter on 15 August 2011, netting in a 2–1 win over AS Monaco FC.[14]

Late career

After scoring 14 goals in the 2011–12 campaign, being an essential offensive unit as Reims returned to Ligue 1 after more than three decades, Ghilas joined the club on a permanent deal.[15] On 30 January 2014, he moved teams and countries again, joining Belgian Pro League's R. Charleroi S.C. for six months.[16]

International career

Although born in France, Ghilas opted to represent Algeria, making his international debut on 2 June 2007 in an 2008 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Cape Verde. Five months later he scored his first goal, in a 3–2 friendly win over Mali.

Personal life

Ghilas' younger brother, Nabil, was also a footballer and a forward. He too played in France, Portugal and for Algeria.[17]

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Vitrolles2001–02CFA61
2002–03CFA 200
Total61
Cannes2003–04Championnat National180
2004–05317
2005–06[18] 3715
Total8622
Vitória Guimarães2006–07Segunda Liga2912
2007–08Primeira Liga30620
Total5918
Celta Vigo2008–09Segunda División3313003313
Hull City2009–10[19] Premier League1311020161
Arles-Avignon (loan)2010–11Ligue 11921000202
Reims (loan)2011–12Ligue 2351410003614
Reims2012–13Ligue 12301000240
2013–1410000010
Total2401000250
Reims II2011–12CFA 28484
Charleroi2013–14Belgian Pro League500050
Career total28875602029675

International

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Notes and References

  1. Book: Barry J.. Hugman. The PFA Footballers' Who's Who 2010–11. 2010. Mainstream Publishing. Edinburgh. 978-1-84596-601-0. 165.
  2. News: Ghilas assinou por 2 anos. Ghilas signed for 2 years. Record. Portuguese. 15 June 2006. 16 December 2013.
  3. News: Ghilas: "Não estou cansado". Ghilas: "I am not tired". Record. Portuguese. 28 March 2008. 16 December 2013.
  4. Web site: Vitória começa Liga Bwin com empate caseiro (1–1). Vitória start Bwin League with home draw (1–1). Guimarães TV. Portuguese. 20 August 2007. 9 April 2018.
  5. News: Direcção desiste da renovação de Ghilas. Board of directors give up on Ghilas renewal. Record. Portuguese. 20 May 2008. 16 December 2013.
  6. News: El Celta se adelanta al Arsenal y ficha a Kamel Ghilas. Celta get ahead of Arsenal and sign Kamel Ghilas. Marca. Spanish. 12 July 2008. 12 July 2008.
  7. News: Ghilas no Celta de Vigo para tentar a subida. Ghilas in Celta de Vigo to attempt promotion. Record. Portuguese. 13 July 2008. 16 December 2013.
  8. News: El Celta consigue su primera victoria. Celta get first win. Marca. Spanish. 28 September 2008. 10 October 2008.
  9. News: La venta de Ghilas se rompe. The sale of Ghilas breaks down. Atlántico Diario. Spanish. 31 July 2009. 31 July 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20090803182725/http://www.atlantico.net/noticia/84036/celtadevigo/fichajes/ghilas/blackburnrovers. 3 August 2009.
  10. Web site: Reading's Hunt signs for Hull, Ghilas follows. ESPN Soccernet. 13 August 2009. 12 July 2017.
  11. Web site: Hull City 1–0 Bolton Wanderers. https://web.archive.org/web/20090830053418/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/gamecast?id=269888&cc=5901&league=ENG.1. dead. 30 August 2009. ESPN Soccernet. 22 August 2009. 22 August 2009.
  12. Web site: Tigers offload Ghilas on loan. Sky Sports. 30 July 2010. 30 July 2010.
  13. Web site: Hull sign Austrian winger Martin Pusic following trial. BBC Sport. 10 August 2011. 10 August 2011.
  14. Web site: Verts: Première réussie pour Ghilas contre Monaco. Greens: First strike for Ghilas against Monaco. DZFoot. French. 15 August 2011. 16 December 2013.
  15. Web site: Ghilas leaves Hull for Reims. Yahoo Sports. 6 July 2012. 18 August 2012. dead. https://archive.today/20130105090633/http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/news/ghilas-leaves-hull-reims-164341297.html. 5 January 2013.
  16. Web site: L'international Algérien Kamel Ghilas attaquant au Sporting.. Algerian international forward Kamel Ghilas at Sporting.. Sporting Charleroi. French. 30 January 2014. 31 January 2014.
  17. Web site: Nabil Ghilas: "Je veux faire mieux que mon frère". Nabil Ghilas: "I want to do better than my brother". Le Buteur. French. 28 August 2012. 16 December 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20131218112334/http://www.lebuteur.com/international/actualites/nabil-ghilas%C2%A0-%C2%A0-je-veux-faire-mieux-que-mon-frere. 18 December 2013.
  18. Web site: K. Ghilas. Soccerway. 5 August 2022.
  19. Web site: Kamel Ghilas » Club matches . worldfootball.net . 4 August 2022.