Varney Kallon

Varney Kallon
Personal information
Full name Varney Kallon Kiatamba Junior
Date of birth (1993-04-24) 24 April 1993 (age 31)
Place of birth Liberia
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Center-back
Team information
Current team
 Calcutta Customs
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
Haja
Karn United
2012 LPRC Oilers
2013–2015 Chin United
2015–2016 Vasco
2016–2019 NEROCA 35 (3)
2019 → Peerless (on loan) 6 (0)
2021– Calcutta Customs 2 (0)
International career
2017 Liberia 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Varney Kallon Kiatamba Jr. (born 24 April 1993) is a Liberian professional footballer who plays as a center-back for Calcutta Customs.

Career

Born in Liberia, Kallon began his career with Liberian Second Division League side Haja Football Club before moving to Karn United.[1] He soon then moved to first division side LPRC Oilers.[1] In 2013, Kallon decided to move abroad to Myanmar and signed for MNL-2 side Chin United.[2] While with Chin United, Kallon helped the club earn promotion to the Myanmar National League.[2]

After helping Chin United earn promotion, Kallon travelled to Kerala in India on the request of footballer Eric Brown to renew his visa.[2] He soon then moved to India permanently and signed for Vasco of the I-League 2nd Division and Goa Professional League.[3] He spent a season with Vasco before fellow African footballer Chika Wali recommended Kallon to I-League 2nd Division club NEROCA. He soon then signed for the club in 2016.[2]

While with the club, Kallon participated in the Durand Cup and the Manipur State League.[4] In May 2017, Kallon helped NEROCA earn promotion to the I-League.[1][5]

On 1 December 2017, Kallon made his professional debut for NEROCA in the I-League against Minerva Punjab.[6] He started and played the whole match as NEROCA lost 2–1.[7] Two weeks later, Kallon scored his first goal in the league for the club against Chennai City. His goal was the first in a 2–1 victory.[8] Kallon then scored the only goal for NEROCA in a 1–0 victory over Gokulam Kerala.[9] At the end of the season, after leading NEROCA to a second-place finish in their debut season, Kallon was adjudged as the I-League's Best Defender of the Season.[2] After the season ended, it was announced that Kallon had signed a new contract with NEROCA, keeping him with the club till 2020.[10]

International

On 5 June 2017, Kallon made his international debut for Liberia in a friendly against Sierra Leone. He started the match as Liberia won 1–0.[11]

Professional career statistics

As of 19 April 2018[12]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
NEROCA 2017–18 I-League 18 2 2 0 — — 20 2
2018–19 I-League 0 0 0 0 — — 0 0
Career total 18 2 2 0 0 0 20 2

International

As of 5 June 2017
Liberia national team
Year Apps Goals
2017 1 0
Total 1 0

Honors

Chin United

Peerless

Individual

References

  1. ^ a b c "Varney Kallon Kiatamba win championship with NEROCA FC". Liberia Sports Online. 30 May 2017. Archived from the original on 17 September 2017. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e Pathak, Manasi (11 April 2018). "The unexpected Indian sojourn of Varney Kallon". Goal.com. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  3. ^ "Vasco SC hammer Curtorim Gymkhana". Herald Goa. 26 October 2015. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  4. ^ "NEROCA FC Announces Squad For Durand Cup & MSL". The Indian League. 11 July 2016. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  5. ^ "I-League: Neroca FC win thriller against Indian Arrows". India Today. 1 February 2019. Archived from the original on 13 May 2021. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  6. ^ "I-League 2017-18: Minerva Punjab presented with winners' trophy; NEROCA's Gift Raikhan named season's best coach". 22 March 2018. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2023.
  7. ^ "Minerva Punjab 2-1 NEROCA". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  8. ^ "NEROCA 2-1 Chennai City". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  9. ^ "NEROCA 1-0 Gokulam Kerala". Soccerway. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  10. ^ "Varney Kallon re-signs with NEROCA". NEROCA F.C. (Twitter). Archived from the original on 9 November 2020. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  11. ^ Kokoi, Anthony (6 June 2017). "Liberia Defeats Sierra Leone in International Friendly". Liberian Observer. Archived from the original on 20 April 2018. Retrieved 19 April 2018.
  12. ^ Varney Kallon at Soccerway
  13. ^ "Chin United won first ever MNL-2 title". Myanmar Football Federation. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 27 March 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2023. (in Burmese)
  14. ^ "CALCUTTA PREMIER DIVISION A 2019/20". Indianfooty.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  15. ^ "we have proved. Kromah leaded [sic] the team from the front :Jahar Das ,Peerless coach". Kolkata Today. Archived from the original on 16 April 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2021.
  16. ^ "I-League 2017–18: Minerva Punjab presented with winners' trophy; NEROCA's Gift Raikhan named season's best coach". firstpost.com. Chandigarh: The FirstPost News. Press Trust of India. 22 March 2018. Archived from the original on 23 March 2018. Retrieved 23 March 2018.