Francis Dickoh

{{short description|Danish-born Ghanaian footballer (born 1982)}}

{{infobox football biography

| name = Francis Dickoh

| image = Francis Dickoh.jpg

| image_size =

| alt =

| caption = Dickoh, while with FC Utrecht

| fullname = Francis Dickoh

| height = 1.87m

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1982|12|13}}

| birth_place = Copenhagen, Denmark

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| position = Centre-back

| youthyears1 = 1999–2000

| youthclubs1 = B.93

| youthyears2 = 2001–2003

| youthclubs2 = Farum

| years1 = 2003–2006

| caps1 = 103

| goals1 = 6

| clubs1 = Nordsjælland

| years2 = 2006–2010

| caps2 = 93

| goals2 = 5

| clubs2 = Utrecht

| years3 = 2010–2011

| caps3 = 28

| goals3 = 2

| clubs3 = Hibernian

| years4 = 2011–2012

| caps4 = 15

| goals4 = 1

| clubs4 = Aris

| years5 = 2013–2014

| caps5 = 6

| goals5 = 0

| clubs5 = Cercle Brugge

| years6 = 2014–2016

| caps6 = 24

| goals6 = 0

| clubs6 = Midtjylland

| years7 = 2016

| caps7 = 5

| goals7 = 1

| clubs7 = SønderjyskE

| years8 = 2016–2017

| caps8 = 0

| goals8 = 0

| clubs8 = Lillestrøm

| totalcaps = 274

| totalgoals = 15

| nationalyears1 = 2005–2009

| nationalteam1 = Ghana

| nationalcaps1 = 14

| nationalgoals1 = 0

}}

Francis Dickoh (born 13 December 1982) is a former professional footballer who played as a centre-back. Born in Denmark, he represented Ghana at international level. He works as an expert for Viaplay,{{cite web | url=https://bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/viaplay-henter-francis-dickoh-som-ekspert/ | title=Viaplay henter Francis Dickoh som ekspert | date=2 February 2023 }} covering both Premier League and the Danish Superliga. He previously featured as an expert in the sports media Mediano{{cite web |title=Mediano |url=https://www.mediano.nu/oversigt/tag/Francis+Dickoh |website=www.mediano.nu |publisher=Mediano |accessdate=1 August 2020}} and the Danish public broadcaster Danmarks Radio.

Club career

Born in Copenhagen, Dickoh started his career in his native Denmark, playing for Farum BK, B.93 and FC Nordsjælland. He moved to the Netherlands in 2006, signing for FC Utrecht. Dickoh played 93 times in four seasons with Utrecht, but lost his place in the first team after suffering a calf injury early in the 2009–10 season. Dickoh claimed after leaving the club that he had a poor working relationship with the club's head coach Ton du Chatinier.{{cite news |url=http://www.scotsman.com/hibernianfc/Dickoh-raring-to-go-after.6513292.jp |last=Strachan |first=Colleen |work=Edinburgh Evening News |date=4 September 2010 |accessdate=4 September 2010 |title=Dickoh raring to go after a miserable year at Utrecht}}

On 30 August 2010, Utrecht announced Dickoh was to sign for Scottish Premier League side Hibernian, pending a medical.{{cite news|url=http://fcutrecht.nl/nieuws/actueel/3017/dickoh-naar-hibernian |title=Dickoh naar Hibernian |date=30 August 2010 |accessdate=4 September 2010 |publisher=FC Utrecht official website |language=nl |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724152214/http://fcutrecht.nl/nieuws/actueel/3017/dickoh-naar-hibernian |archivedate=24 July 2011}} The deal was confirmed by Hibs the next day.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/h/hibernian/8955187.stm |title=Hibernian signed Utrecht defender Francis Dickoh |publisher=BBC Sport |date=31 August 2010 |accessdate=4 September 2010}}{{cite news |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20100831/dickoh-signs-with-hibernian_2262950_2140793 |title=Dickoh Signs With Hibernian |publisher=Hibernian F.C. official website |date=31 August 2010 |accessdate=31 August 2010 |archive-date=3 September 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903121936/http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/20100831/dickoh-signs-with-hibernian_2262950_2140793 |url-status=dead }} Dickoh made his debut in a 1–1 draw against Inverness CT.{{cite news |url=http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/John-Hughes-hails-39fantastic39-Francis.6536518.jp |title=John Hughes hails 'fantastic' Francis Dickoh debut |work=The Scotsman |date=17 September 2010 |accessdate=17 September 2010 |last=Bathgate |first=Stuart}} Hibs manager John Hughes praised the performance of Dickoh, who had replaced club captain Chris Hogg in the starting line up. Dickoh scored his first Hibs goal in a 3–0 win over defending Scottish Premier League champions Rangers at Ibrox Stadium on 10 November 2010.{{cite news |url=http://sport.scotsman.com/sport/Hibs-goal-hero-Dickoh-was.6623581.jp |title=Hibs goal hero Dickoh was equally pleased by clean sheet |work=Edinburgh Evening News |last=Hardie |first=David |date=12 November 2010 |accessdate=12 November 2010}}

On 20 August 2011, he signed for Aris Thessaloniki FC. His contract ran out in 2013. He scored his first goal for Aris against Panathinaikos.

Dickoh signed for Danish club FC Midtjylland on 30 January 2014. It was reported on 11 December 2015 that Dickoh would leave Midtjylland at the end of the year.{{cite news |url=http://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/fcm-tager-afsked-med-dickoh/ |title=FCM tager afsked med Dickoh |work=bold.dk |date=11 December 2015}}

Due to several injuries in the SønderjyskE squad, they signed a contract with Dickoh on 13 April 2016.{{cite news |url=https://soenderjyske.dk/fodbold/francis-dickoh-soenderjyske/ |title=Francis Dickoh til SønderjyskE |work=SønderjyskE |date=13 April 2016 |access-date=14 April 2016 |archive-date=2 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170202001914/https://soenderjyske.dk/fodbold/francis-dickoh-soenderjyske/ |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |last1=Blond |first1=Mikael |title=Transferfri Dickoh har fået blod på tanden |url=http://www.bold.dk/fodbold/nyheder/transferfri-dickoh-har-faaet-blod-paa-tanden/ |website=www.bold.dk |accessdate=1 August 2020 |date=6 June 2016}}

On 5 September, Dickoh signed for Norwegian club Lillestrøm.{{cite news |url=http://www.lsk.no/news/article/1l5en913u7vds1whewtb1ni9qo/title/francis-dickoh-signerte-for-lsk |title=Francis Dickoh signerte for LSK |work=lsk.no |date=5 September 2016 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160908103158/http://www.lsk.no/news/article/1l5en913u7vds1whewtb1ni9qo/title/francis-dickoh-signerte-for-lsk |archivedate=8 September 2016}} After his contract expired on 1 January 2017, he left the club.{{cite web|title=Alle Eliteserie-overgangene i januar|date=4 January 2017 |url=http://m.nettavisen.no/sport/alle-eliteserie-overgangene-i-januar/3423298621.html|publisher=m.nettavisen.no|accessdate=4 January 2017|language=Swedish}}

International career

Dickoh was born in Copenhagen to Ghanaian parents. He made his debut for the Ghana national football team on 14 November 2005 versus Saudi Arabia, and earned selection for the 2006 Africa Cup of Nations. As of 25 September 2017, he has played 13 times for the national team.

Honours

Midtjylland{{cite web |last1=Fjordside |first1=Jonas |title=Guldfest: FC Midtjylland vinder Superligaen 2014/2015 |url=https://sport.tv2.dk/fodbold/2015-05-21-guldfest-fc-midtjylland-vinder-superligaen-2014-2015 |website=sport.tv2.dk |publisher=Sporten TV2 |accessdate=1 August 2020 |date=21 May 2015}}