Radhi Jaïdi

Radhi Jaïdi
Jaïdi in 2019
Personal information
Full name Radhi Ben Abdelmajid Jaïdi[1]
Date of birth (1975-08-30) 30 August 1975 (age 49)
Place of birth Gabès,[1] Tunisia
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position(s) Centre back
Youth career
1988–1992 Stade Gabèsien
1992–1993 Espérance de Tunis
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–2004 Espérance de Tunis 288 (20)
2004–2006 Bolton Wanderers 43 (8)
2006–2009 Birmingham City 86 (6)
2009–2012 Southampton 58 (4)
Total 475 (38)
International career
1996–2009 Tunisia 105 (7)
Managerial career
2017–2019 Southampton U-23
2019–2020 Hartford Athletic
2021 Cercle Brugge (assistant)
2021–2022 Espérance de Tunis
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Tunisia
Africa Cup of Nations
Winner 2004 Tunisia
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Radhi Ben Abdelmajid Jaïdi (Arabic: راضي بن عبد المجيد الجعايدي; born 30 August 1975) is a Tunisian former footballer who played as a centre back. He was previously head coach of the under-23 team at Southampton, head coach of USL Championship team Hartford Athletic, assistant coach at Belgian side Cercle Brugge and head coach at Espérance de Tunis.

Club career

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Espérance

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Before coming to England, Jaïdi was the only player at the time to have won all four of Africa’s annual cup competitions – all with Espérance.[2]

Bolton Wanderers

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Jaïdi signed for Bolton Wanderers on a free transfer in July 2004 from Espérance Sportive de Tunis, who won the Tunisian league title the season before. Jaïdi became the first Tunisian player to play in the Premier League with Bolton.[3]

Birmingham City

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Jaïdi joined Birmingham City in the summer of 2006 for £2 million. He made his debut in a 1–0 win over Crystal Palace in the early stages of the season although he almost scored an own goal in this match. After three years with the club, he was not offered another deal when his contract expired at the end of June 2009.[4]

Southampton

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In August 2009, Jaïdi passed a medical and agreed personal terms with Football League One club Southampton, but the transfer stalled when doubts arose over the player's eligibility for a work permit.[5] However, on 2 September 2009, the club confirmed that Jaïdi had signed a two-year contract, subject to work-permit clearance.[6] He received his international clearance on 10 September, and made his debut as a 77th-minute substitute at Charlton two days later.[7] He scored his first goal for the Saints in a 1–1 draw away to Carlisle United on 26 September; the 95th-minute goal came from a free kick which earned his side the draw.[8] His first goal in the 2010–11 season came in a 4–1 victory over Huddersfield Town.

He retired at the end of the 2011–12 season, having failed to make a first team appearance as he struggled with injury[9][10] but remained at Southampton in an international development role.[11]

International career

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Jaïdi was also a regular in the Tunisia line-up and was selected by coach Roger Lemerre for the 2006 World Cup. He scored the goal which secured a 2–2 draw in their opening game against Saudi Arabia. He had previously been part of Tunisia's 2004 African Nations Cup-winning squad,[12] and played in the 2006 World Cup. He captained the Tunisian national team in the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations, where they went out in the quarter finals to Cameroon.

Coaching career

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Radhi Jaidi in charge of Espérance de Tunis

Following the culmination of his playing career at Southampton, Jaïdi became head coach of Southampton under-23’s.[13]

In August 2019 he was linked with the vacant Tunisia national team manager job.[14]

On 7 November 2019 American team Hartford Athletic announced that Jaidi has been named the club's head coach for the 2020 USL season, subject to the completion of relevant documentation.[15][16][17] He said he hoped the job would allow him to return to coach in Europe in the future.[18]

In February 2021, Jaidi was hired as an assistant coach for Belgian First Division A club Cercle Brugge until August 2021.[19]

In August 2021, he joined his former club Espérance de Tunis as a head coach.[20] On 25 September 2021, he won his first prize with his team by beating CS Sfaxien in the supercup. On 8 June 2022, he was sacked due to poor results after the elimination from Tunisian Cup against CS M'saken.

Personal life

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Jaïdi was born in Gabès.[21] His mother raised him on her own after his father died when he was eleven years old.[22] He currently resides in England.

Career statistics

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International goals

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Scores and results list Tunisia's goal tally first.[23]
No Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 27 February 1999 Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia  Uganda 2–0 6–0 2000 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2 3 February 2000 Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano, Nigeria  Congo 1–0 1–0 2000 Africa Cup of Nations
3 7 April 2000 Stade Olympique, Nouakchott, Mauritania  Mauritania 1–0 2–1 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
4 7 October 2000 Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia  Gabon 2–2 4–2 2002 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
5 14 June 2006 FIFA WM Stadion München, Munich, Germany  Saudi Arabia 2–2 2–2 2006 FIFA World Cup
6 15 June 2008 Prince Louis Rwagasore Stadium, Bujumbura, Burundi  Burundi 1–0 1–0 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
7 28 May 2009 Stade Olympique de Radès, Radès, Tunisia  Sudan 3–0 4–0 Friendly
Correct as of 13 January 2017[24]

Honours

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As player

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ES Tunis

Southampton

Tunisia

As manager

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ES Tunis

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Biographie". RadhiJaidi.com (in French). Retrieved 10 June 2014.
  2. ^ "Jaïdi achievements with Espérance before joining Bolton". ESPN. 6 July 2004. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  3. ^ Reed, Dave (21 August 2020). "Jaïdi becomes first Tunisian player in the Premier League". Sky Sports. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  4. ^ "Jaidi to leave Blues". Birmingham City F.C. 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 19 May 2009. Retrieved 15 May 2009.
  5. ^ Leitch, Adam (6 August 2009). "Jaidi deal in major doubt". Southern Daily Echo. Retrieved 6 August 2009.
  6. ^ "Saints Complete Radhi Good Deal!". Southampton F.C. 2 September 2009. Retrieved 2 September 2009.
  7. ^ "Charlton 1 Southampton 1". Southampton F.C. 12 September 2009. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
  8. ^ "Carlisle 1–1 Southampton". BBC. 26 September 2009. Retrieved 9 November 2009.
  9. ^ "Four Join First Team, But Eleven Released". Southampton F.C. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  10. ^ "Southampton release Lee Holmes, David Connolly and Radhi Jaidi". BBC Sport. 19 May 2012. Retrieved 19 May 2012.
  11. ^ "Radhi To Represent Saints Abroad". Southampton FC. 28 May 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
  12. ^ a b "Africa Cup 2004 Tunisia » Final » Tunisia - Morocco 2:1". irn.worldfootball.net. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  13. ^ "U23 Season Review: Radhi Jaïdi". Southampton F.C. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  14. ^ Khmira, Souhail (25 August 2019). "Radhi Jaidi: Former Tunisia captain dismisses national coach rumours". BBC Sport. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
  15. ^ USLChampionship com Staff (9 November 2019). "Hartford Athletic Introduces Radhi Jaidi as New Head Coach". USL Championship.
  16. ^ Athletic, Hartford (8 November 2019). "Hartford Athletic Announces New Head Coach Radhi Jaïdi of Premier League's Southampton Football Club". Hartford Athletic | Connecticut's Only Professional Soccer Team.
  17. ^ "Former Tunisia captain Radhi Jaidi to coach in USA". BBC Sport. 8 November 2019.
  18. ^ "Radhi Jaidi hopes coaching in the USA could lead to European jobs". BBC Sport. 21 November 2019.
  19. ^ "Yaya Toure and Radhi Jaidi secure European coaching roles". bbc.com. 11 February 2021. Retrieved 11 February 2021.
  20. ^ Tahiru, Fentuo (10 August 2021). "Ex-Tunisia captain Radhi Jaïdi appointed Esperance coach". Citi Sports Online. Retrieved 12 August 2021.
  21. ^ "Trotters' tale of beauty and the beast". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. 27 November 2004. Retrieved 26 January 2019.
  22. ^ "Together". From the Pitch. 3 June 2020. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
  23. ^ "Jaïdi, Radhi". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
  24. ^ "Radhi Ben Abdelmajid Jaidi - Century of International Appearances". RSSSF.
  25. ^ Shemilt, Stephan (28 March 2010). "Carlisle 1–4 Southampton". BBC Sport. Retrieved 15 December 2017.
  26. ^ "Esperance Sportive of Tunis has won the Tunisian Super Cup final for the 2020-2021 season".
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