Eric Djemba-Djemba has the sort of rhythmically hypnotic name that casts all that come across it under its spell and requires them to record a few salsa dance tracks in its honor. I can back this up with a reference to this fine musical group that seems to have been named after today’s hero.

The great Eric Djemba-Djemba is a famed athlete in the great sport of football, as it is known in England, or fußball as it is known in Germany, or soccer as it is known in some other places. Mr Djemba-Djemba became a bit of a legendary figure in the sport when purchased as a young man by the master manager Sir Alex Ferguson in 2003. Ferguson figured he would eventually be the successor to the team’s feisty leader Roy Keane. Instead, Sir Alex ended up even more red-faced than usual as the newcomer turned out to be a bit of a dud. Djemba-Djemba is better remembered for his great name, his playboyesque lifestyle, and one pretty decent goal against Leeds.

Sir Alex, presumably telling someone to go over there instead of that place they were mistakenly standing.

He was soon sold to the very regal sounding team of  Aston Villa, where he played only once before moving on yet again. Since then he’s bounced around in various leagues from Denmark to Qatar to Israel to Serbia, eventually landing in Scotland where he currently wears number 99 for St. Mirren F.C.

I now unofficially dedicate today as Eric Djemba-Djemba Day here at the Blog of Funny Names, and suggest you all do a light jig in his hono(u)r.

Fancy digs.