Djimi Traoré

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Djimi Traoré
Personal information
Full name Djimi Traoré
Date of birth March 1, 1980 (1980-03-01) (age 28)
Place of birth    Laval, France
Height 1.91 m (6 ft 3 in)
Playing position Left back, Centre back
Club information
Current club Portsmouth
Number 3
Senior clubs1
Years Club App (Gls)*
1997–1999
1999–2006
2001–2002
2006–2007
2007–
2008		 Laval
Liverpool
→ Lens (loan)
Charlton Athletic
Portsmouth
→ Rennes (loan)		 05 (0)
88 (0)
19 (0)
11 (0)
12 (0)
15 (0)   
National team2
2004– Mali 05 (1)

1 Senior club appearances and goals
counted for the domestic league only and
correct as of 18:34, 12 May 2008 (UTC).
2 National team caps and goals correct
as of 20 April 2006.
* Appearances (Goals)

Djimi Traoré (born 1 March 1980 in Laval) is a French-born Malian football player, who can play as a left back or as a centre back. He currently plays for Rennes on loan from Portsmouth.

Contents

[edit] Club career

[edit] Liverpool

Traoré started his career at home club Laval before moving on to Liverpool, with Gérard Houllier paying £500,000 for him in February 1999. His career at Liverpool has had some ups and downs — he played for most of the 2002–03 season, deputising for the injured Stéphane Henchoz, having been on loan with French club Lens the previous season.

He spent the 2003-04 season, Houllier's last at the club, in the reserve team, of which he was captain, and almost left Liverpool for their Merseyside neighbours Everton on the 2004 transfer deadline day but remained at Liverpool. Traoré was a player whose career appeared to have been revitalised by Rafael Benítez. While the defender had been continually exposed for being poor positionally, and seemed reticent to attack, particularly during the 2004-05 season, he showed more willingness to support the left winger, as well as improving his positional play.

Nonetheless, his mistakes opened him up to a large amount of criticism. Memorably, Traoré scored a bizarre own-goal in the third round of the 2004–05 FA Cup against Championship side Burnley, as he attempted an ill-advised turn and drag-back within his own six-yard box. It turned out to be the only goal of the game and handed Burnley a 1-0 victory over their more illustrious Premiership opponents. Shortly after this Traore gained the nicknames Djimi 'crazy legs' Traore and Djimi 'Magic Feet' Traore.

Despite this, Traoré remained a regular at Liverpool, and eventually made the starting line-up as Liverpool qualified for the Champions League Final that season, against AC Milan. He was poor in the first half of the final, conceding the free kick that led to Paolo Maldini's goal in the opening minutes. However, he improved substantially in the second half, and his greatest moment was when a shot from Andriy Shevchenko hit his head and the ball was cleared off the goal-line. Traoré then became the first Malian to win a UEFA Champions League winners medal as Liverpool eventually beat Milan on penalties.

In the 2005-06 season, Traoré found his first team appearances limited, with John Arne Riise and Stephen Warnock also starting regularly at left back. It was to be his last season with Liverpool, and, although he had played some part in Liverpool's pre-season in 2006, he was sold to Charlton Athletic for £2 million on 8 August 2006.[1]

[edit] Charlton

Traore was sent off on his Addicks debut on August 19, 2006, after receiving two yellow cards, the latter of which was for hauling down West Ham's Marlon Harewood. This was the fifth time in eight seasons an Addick player had been sent off on the first game of the season. He later suffered a double leg break and was out for most of the season.[citation needed] After only half a season at the Valley, Traoré was allowed to leave the club by new manager Alan Pardew, joining Harry Redknapp's Portsmouth F.C. for a fee believed to be in the region of £1m.[2]

he signed a two-and-a-half year contract.

[edit] Portsmouth

On January 13, 2007, he played his first Premier League game with Portsmouth against Sheffield United. He played nine more games that season, but only played three the following season. On January 18th 2008, he joined Rennes on loan.He wears the number 12 for Rennes

[edit] Statistics

Club Performance
Club Season Premiership FA Cup League Cup Europe Others Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Portsmouth 2006-07 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 0
Charlton Athletic 2006-07 11 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 13 0
Liverpool 2005-06 14 0 2 0 1 0 5 0 1 0 23 0
2004-05 26 0 1 0 5 0 10 0 0 0 42 0
2003-04 7 0 0 0 2 0 2 1 0 0 11 1
2002-03 32 0 2 0 3 0 11 0 1 0 49 0
Club Season Ligue 1 French Cup Ligue Cup Europe Others Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Lens Loan 2001-02 19 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 20 0
Club Season Premiership FA Cup League Cup Europe Others Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Liverpool 2001-02 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0
2000-01 8 0 0 0 1 0 3 0 0 0 12 0
1999-00 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
1998-99 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Club Season Ligue 2 French Cup Ligue Cup Europe Others Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
Laval 1998-99 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
1997-98 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 125 0 6 0 16 0 32 1 2 0 181 1

[edit] Career Honours

[edit] Flag of England Liverpool

Winner

Runner Up

[edit] Flag of France Lens

Runner Up

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Charlton snap up Faye and Traore BBC News
  2. ^ Traore seals Pompey switch.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Stade Rennais FC – current squad

1 Catherine • 2 Echiéjilé • 3 Traoré • 4 Borne • 5 Mensah • 6 Wiltord • 7 Leroy • 9 Pagis • 10 Moreira • 11 Thomert • 12 Fanni • 13 Hansson • 14 Cheyrou • 15 M'Vila • 16 Luzi • 17 Mbia • 18 Lemoine • 19 Briand • 20 Kembo Ekoko • 21 Estéban • 22 Didot • 23 Badiane • 24 Sorlin • 25 Katongo • 26 Marveaux • 27 Dembelé • 28 Oniangue • 29 Danzé • 30 Pouplin • Manager: Lacombe