Temuri Ketsbaia

Temuri Ketsbaia

Ketsbaia as manager of Anorthosis in 2008
Personal information
Date of birth	(1968-03-18) 18 March 1968 (age 49)
Place of birth	Gali, Georgia
Height	1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Midfielder
Youth career
1986	Dinamo Sukhumi
1987	Dinamo Tbilisi
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1987–1992	Dinamo Tbilisi	104	(23)
1992–1994	Anorthosis	76	(36)
1994–1997	AEK Athens	84	(24)
1997–2000	Newcastle United	78	(8)
2000–2001	Wolverhampton Wanderers	24	(3)
2001–2002	Dundee	22	(6)
2002–2006	Anorthosis	100	(39)
Total		488	(139)
National team
1990–2003	Georgia	52	(17)
Teams managed
2004–2009	Anorthosis
2009	Olympiacos
2009–2014	Georgia
2015–2016	APOEL
2016	AEK Athens
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.

Temuri "Temur" Ketsbaia (Georgian: თემურ ქეცბაია; born 18 March 1968) is a Georgian retired footballer and a current manager.

As a player, he represented the Georgian national team and played for Dinamo Tbilisi, Anorthosis, AEK Athens, Newcastle United, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Dundee.

After beginning his professional career in 1987 in his native Georgia with Dinamo Tbilisi, Ketsbaia then played for Cypriot side Anorthosis, and Greek giants AEK Athens. He ran down his contract in the Greek capital and arrived at St James' Park and Newcastle United on a free transfer in 1997. Early in his career with The Magpies, Ketsbaia scored a goal in extra time against Croatia Zagreb, ensuring a place for Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.

In England, he is remembered for his celebration after scoring a last-minute winner against Bolton Wanderers in 1998, in which he took off his jersey and kicked the advertising hoardings. He stated that this was to relieve his frustration at being kept out of the Newcastle starting line-up.

Although he was considered something of a 'cult hero' by Newcastle fans, he was sold to Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2000, and also played for Dundee, among others.