Bruce Djite

Bruce José Djité (French pronunciation: /ˈdʒɪˈteɪ/ JI-tay; born 25 March 1987) is a former Australian association football (soccer) player, who is currently the Director of Football at Adelaide United. As a player, Djite is known for his speed, strength and good height with ball heading skills and previously played in Turkey for professional football team, Gençlerbirliği S.K. of the Spor Toto Süper Lig.[6]

Bruce Djite
Personal information
Full name Bruce José Djité[1]
Date of birth (1987-03-25) 25 March 1987[2]
Place of birth Arlington County, Virginia, U.S.[3]
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)[4][5]
Position(s) Forward[2]
Youth career
2003–2004 Northern Spirit
2005 NSWIS
2006 AIS
2004–2006 Marconi Stallions
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 Adelaide United 20 (6)
2008–2010 Gençlerbirliği 33 (6)
2010 → Diyarbakırspor (loan) 9 (0)
2010–2011 Gold Coast United 23 (10)
2011–2016 Adelaide United 113 (29)
2011 → Jiangsu Sainty (loan) 13 (4)
2016–2017 Suwon FC 39 (11)
2018 PSM Makassar 9 (0)
Total 259 (66)
National team‡
2006 Australia U-20 13 (5)
2007–2008 Australia U-23 13 (2)
2008–2015 Australia 9 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 June 2017
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 26 September 2015

Djite plays internationally for the Australia national team, debuting in 2008, and played in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification followed by the 2011 AFC Cup qualification as Australia qualified for their third FIFA World Cup and second consecutive AFC Cup. Djite was named Australia League Young Footballer of the Year for 2008, scoring 10 goals in 22 matches. Djite made a name for himself playing in the AFC Champions League, reaching the 2008 AFC Champions League final. Djite is the Gold Coast United all-time second highest goal scorer and Adelaide United all-time highest goal scorer.

Djite scored an important equalizer for Süper Lig club and 2008 Turkish Cup finalist Gençlerbirliği S.K. in the 90th minute of the match against Denizlispor, which ended in a 2–2 draw, and assisted an important goal in the 90th minute of the match against Kocaelispor in a 1–1 draw during the 2008–09 season.[7][8] Djite was bought by business magnate and Gold Coast United owner Clive Palmer from Turkish Süper Lig club Gençlerbirliği to re-play in the A-League in 2010–11 season, Djite had scored 10 goals and registered three assists in 23 matches for Clive Palmer's Gold Coast United.[9]

During the 2012 AFC Champions League, Djite scored an important headed goal and last-gasp winner in the 90th minute of the match for Adelaide United against the South Korea K-League three-time AFC Champions League title holder Pohang Steelers, which ended in a 1–0 victory sending Adelaide United to the top of the 2012 AFC Champions League Group E and into the last round of 16 of the 2012 AFC Champions League knockout stage, Djite helped Adelaide United defeat Japan J.League club Nagoya Grampus 1–0 to advance to the quarter-final of the AFC Champions League.[10]

Early life

Djite was born in Arlington County, Virginia, United States and moved to Sydney, Australia, with his parents when he was three years old.[11] Djite's father, Paulin Djite is a professor at the University of Western Sydney.[11] Djite's father was born in Ivory Coast and his mother was born in Togo and has two brothers.[11][3] Djite is a multilingual, speaking French,[12] English and Turkish.[13]

Djite joined the Marconi Stallions in 2004 at the age of 16, after the demise of Northern Spirit FC whom Djite signed for in 2002–03 National Soccer League season and continued to play with Marconi Stallions until the end of the 2005–06 season (August 2006).[11] Djite had also trained at the NSW Institute of Sport in Sydney. In 2006, Djite attended the AIS in Canberra on a football scholarship with Nikita Rukavytsya.[11]

Club career

2006–07 season

In November 2006 at age 19 years old, Djite unsuccessfully trialled for two weeks at SV Werder Bremen of the Bundesliga in Germany. Upon his return to Australia, Djite signed for Adelaide United for the remainder of the 2006–07 A-League season, scoring three goals with an assist in thirteen matches.[11]

2007–2008 season

Djite signed a three-year contract with Adelaide United in March 2007 and Djite scored his first goal for Adelaide United in a competitive fixture on 11 April 2007 in AFC Champions League against South Korea K-League champions Seongnam Ilhwa, deftly controlling the ball in the penalty box to volley it into the back of the goal net.[11] Djite scored his first goal in the A-League for Adelaide United against Brisbane Roar in a 2–2 draw on 25 August 2007 at Suncorp Stadium in 2007–2008 A-League followed by Adelaide United reaching 2008 AFC Champions League final and Djite scoring an increased strike ratio of 10 goals in 22 matches.[11]

2008–09 season

On 15 May 2008, it was reported that Djite had been released from his contract with Adelaide United to sign for an unnamed European club. On 21 May 2008, Djite agreed to a three-year contract with Turkcell Super League club Gençlerbirliği in Turkey for the 2008–09 season.[7] Djite made his debut in the Turkcell Süper Lig on 24 August 2008 in a 1–1 draw with Kocaelispor. Djite scored his first league goal for Gençlerbirliği in the 45th minute against Denizlispor on 25 October 2008. Fellow Australian James Troisi also got off the mark in a game which ended in a 2–2 draw. Djite consistently displayed his lethal acceleration, footspeed and strength in the penalty area and finished 2008–2009 Turkcell Süper Lig season with 6 goals and two assists in twenty-eight matches played.[8]

2009–10 season

In the 2009–10 Süper Lig off-season, Djite revealed in an interview with FourFourTwo reporter Ben Somerford, the club Hajduk Split in Croatia were interested in his services but he rejected the move.[8] Djite appeared on nine occasions on loan to Turkish club Diyarbakırspor and on five occasions for Gençlerbirliği with an assist in 2009–10 Süper Lig.[8]

2010–11 season

On 28 August 2010, it was announced by billionaire tycoon Clive Palmer that Djite would return home to Australia to play in the 2010–2011 A-League with Gold Coast United for 3 years, replacing New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz who had joined Gençlerbirliği.[9] Djite was given the squad number 11 and Djite would unanimously be key to the success of Gold Coast United's attack utilizing his lightning footspeed, physical strength and aerial ability in the last third of the football pitch to score 10 goals and 3 assists in 23 matches including a fine hat-trick in the 37th, 80th and 87th minutes of Gold Coast's 5–1 win and 24th match of the 2010–2011 season at Skilled Park Stadium in Gold Coast against Newcastle Jets on 22 January 2011.[14]

2011–12 season

On 23 March 2011, it was announced that Djite had signed a two-year contract until April 2013 for two seasons, the 2011–12 and the 2012–13 seasons with the club that gave him his first A-League contract, Adelaide United.[15]

Djite was given the squad number 11 and scored his first goal for Adelaide United in the 2011–12 A-League on 19 November 2011 by showing his exceptional footspeed and physical strength in the penalty area before sharply shooting past the goalkeeper Tony Warner and into the back of the goal net in the 44th minute of the 1–1 match draw against Wellington Phoenix at Westpac Stadium in New Zealand.[16] Djite's five goals and two assists in twenty-four matches helped Adelaide United in qualifying for the 2012 AFC Champions League with the fifth and final goal being on 12 February 2012 at Skilled Park Stadium in the 42nd minute of Adelaide United's 20th 2011–12 season match and 2–1 win over Gold Coast United.[17]

Loan to Jiangsu Sainty

In March 2011, due to the long 2011–2012 A-League off season Adelaide United agreed for Djite to be loaned to Chinese Super League club Jiangsu Sainty.[6]

Djite was given the squad number 19 and debuted for Jiangsu Sainty in the 2011–2012 Chinese Super League season on 3 April 2011 in the match against Beijing Guoan and Djite scored his first goal in the 18th minute of the match, an equalizer for Jiangsu Sainty in a 1–1 draw against Henan Jianye on 30 April 2011,[18] followed by the winning goal in the 55th minute of the match for Jiangsu Sainty with Djite's speed and strength proving too much for Chinese Super League defenders in a 1–0 win against Chengdu Blades on 18 June 2011 at Nanjing Olympic Sports Stadium.[19] Djite scored 4 goals with an assist in thirteen Chinese Super League matches and helped Jiangsu Sainty to 4th place in the Chinese Super League, scoring the fourth goal for Jiangsu Sainty in the 53rd minute of a 4–0 win against Dalian Shide on 2 July 2011,[20][21] and played his fourteenth and last Chinese Super League match in Jiangsu Sainty's 15th 2011–12 Chinese Super League match and 1–0 win against Shanghai Shenxin on 6 July 2011.[6][22]

2012–13 season

Djite decisively scored a headed goal in the 90th minute and 1–0 match winner in the 2012 AFC Champions League for Adelaide United against South Korea K-League club and three-time AFC Champions League winners Pohang Steelers showing his great aerial ability and physical strength in the penalty area to out-muscle two Pohang Steelers defenders then powerfully heading the ball past the Pohang Steelers goalkeeper Shin Hwa-Yong,[10] the goal helped Adelaide United to top of 2012 AFC Champions League Group E on 4 April 2012 and into the 2012 AFC Champions League Round of 16 where Djite led the Adelaide United attack to defeat Japan J.League club Nagoya Grampus 1–0 on 29 May 2012,[23] and into 2012 AFC Champions League Quarter-finals on 3 October 2012.[24]

On 1 December 2012, Djite scored for Adelaide United to lead 1–0 against reigning A-League champions Central Coast Mariners in the 17th minute by a spectacular and unstoppable left-footed shot from 51.5 metres distance past the Central Coast Mariners goalkeeper Justin Pasfield and into the left-hand corner of the goal net at Central Coast Stadium.[25]

On 3 February 2013, Djite once again scored a miraculous goal for Adelaide United against Western Sydney Wanderers on 61 minutes by splendidly dribbling three Western Sydney Wanderers defenders and then unleashed an unstoppable left-footed shot from 60.2 metres distance past the Western Sydney Wanderers goalkeeper Ante Čović and into the right-hand corner of the goal net.[26] Djite finished two-years and two seasons playing in Australia for Adelaide United in 2012–13 season with two goals, two assists in seventeen 2012–13 A-League appearances and played ten times scoring once with two assists in the 2012 AFC Champions League.[27]

Suwon FC

On 26 July 2016, after showing good form in Adelaide United's championship winning season, Djite signed with Korean club Suwon FC, joining countryman Adrian Leijer.[28]

International career
Bruce Djite playing for the Australia national football team.

Djite is an American Australian and chose to play for Australia, although he would also have been eligible for the Ivory Coast national football team, United States national football team and Togo national football team.[11]

Australia U20 national team

Djite was a star striker for the Young Socceroos during their 2006 tournament in South America scoring five goals in thirteen caps and was also chosen in the Australia Under-20 squad to compete at the 2006 AFC Youth Championships, in India.[29]

Australia Olympic team

Djite was the key striker and a mainstay in the Australia Olympic football team qualification matches for the 2008 Olympics and helped the Australia Olympic football team, the Olyroos squad, to qualify for the Beijing Olympics contributing thirteen caps and scoring two goals.[30]

Australia national team

Three days before his 21st birthday, on 22 March 2008, Djite received his first international cap for the Australia national team, the Socceroos, against Singapore,[31] courtesy of national coach Pim Verbeek, as the replacement for, and heir apparent to Mark Viduka for the Australia national football team.[30] Djite was substituted on at half-time and his best chance to score a goal for Australia came when he rounded the Singapore goalkeeper but his shot in the penalty area was blocked by Lionel Lewis, the ball going out for a corner kick.[31]

Djite's first cap for Australia in a competitive match was when he came on as a substitute for Harry Kewell in Australia's 2010 World Cup Qualifier against Iraq on 1 June 2008.[32] Djite then again appeared in the Socceroos next match on 15 June 2008 against Qatar, coming on as a Super-sub for the 2010 World Cup Qualifier in Doha, Qatar.[33][34]

Playing style
"Bruce Djité is a fine football player, powerful and quick, intimidating and sharp around the penalty area. "Djité is a future Socceroo star, himself and many of his football colleagues are now multi-millionaires, playing in the most taxing of the world's professional football leagues."

Les Murray, Order of Australia and FFA's Football Hall of Fame (Australia) speaking on Bruce José Djité.[35]

Djité is a quick bustling left forward or striker with great footspeed and acceleration who kicks and shoots the ball well with either foot.[36] Used his extreme physical strength and footspeed to out-run defenders in an A-League 2007–08 season where Djité was crowned and awarded with the Rising-Star-award, after scoring 10 goals in his first full season and then followed by registering six goals and two assists in his first Süper Lig 2008–09 season in Turkey.[8] In 2011, Djité was among the top-goalscorers in the league, registering 10 goals and three assists in twenty-three matches.[15]

Post-playing career

On 3 June 2019 he returned to his former club, A-League side Adelaide United FC taking up the role of Director of Football.[37]

Statistics
As of 29 February 2016
Club Season League1 Cup Continental2 Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Adelaide United 2006–07 A-League 802051151
2007–08 12653312010
Total 20673823511
Genclerbirligi 2008–09 Süper Lig 2860000286
2009–10 50000050
Total 3360000336
Diyarbakırspor (loan) 2009–10 Süper Lig 90000090
Gold Coast United 2010–11 A-League 231000002310
Jiangsu Sainty (loan) 2011 Chinese Super League 1341000144
Adelaide United 2011–12 A-League 2450000245
2012–13 19200101293
2013–14 2150000215
2014–15 2364300279
2015–16 251120102111
Total 112296311112933
Career Total 2105563193 23561

1 – includes A-League final series statistics
 2 – includes AFC Champions League statistics.

Honours

Club
Adelaide United

Individual

Personal life

Bruce is an ambassador for All Together Now, Australia's only national charity with the sole focus of erasing racism.[38]

Bruce is also an ambassador for Little Heroes Foundation, a South Australian charity that supports seriously ill children and their families.[39]

References
  1. "Bruce José Djite". Goal.com. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  2. Djite, Bruce at National-Football-Teams.com, "Bruce José Djite". Goal.com. Retrieved 27 January 2013.
  3. http://www.theaustralian.com.au/sport/football/bruce-djite-seeks-redemption-nine-years-after-grand-final-flogging/news-story/32dc66f75f0aa0466cd1dc1b2395fe8e
  4. "Bruce Djite". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 November 2016.
  5. "Bruce Djite". Adelaide United FC. Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 9 January 2016.
  6. "China's Reds Star Surprise". au.fourfourtwo.com.
  7. "Djite'den 3 yıllık imza" (in Turkish). Gençlerbirliği. Archived from the original on 28 February 2009. Retrieved 24 May 2008.
  8. "Djite: I'm Not Splitting". FourFourTwo. 10 July 2009. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  9. "Djite brought in to replace Smeltz". SBS The World Game. 28 August 2010. Archived from the original on 30 August 2010. Retrieved 28 August 2010.
  10. "Bruce Djite strikes late to grab ACL win for Adelaide". The Australian. 18 April 2012.
  11. Djite strikes out on his own and kicks career goal – Bruce Djite is a Young Socceroo with a difference, as Ray Gatt explain. The Australian
  12. "Rise Global Ambassador l Bruce Djite". rise-global.com. 28 March 2011. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 10 September 2012.
  13. Stamocostas, Con. "Socceroos still the goal for Djite". FourFourTwo. Archived from the original on 27 May 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  14. "Jets crash to Djite hat-trick". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 January 2011. Retrieved 23 January 2011.
  15. Prodigal son Djite returns to Reds. The Advertiser
  16. "Match Report: Adelaide United 1–1 Wellington Phoenix". Football Australia. Football Federation Australia. 19 November 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2011.
  17. "From silver spoon to likely wooden spoon for Gold Coast – Gold Coast United 1 Adelaide United 2". The Sydney Morning Herald. 12 February 2012. Retrieved 13 February 2012.
  18. "CSL Match Report: Jiangsu Sainty 1 – 1 Henan Jianye". Soccerway. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  19. "CSL Match Report: Jiangsu Sainty 1 – 0 Chengdu Blades". Soccerway. 18 June 2011. Retrieved 18 June 2011.
  20. Ben Somerford (2 July 2011). "Aussies Abroad Weekend Wrap". FourFourTwo. Retrieved 3 July 2011.
  21. "CSL Match Report: Jiangsu Sainty 4 – 0 Dalian Shide". Soccerway. 2 July 2011. Retrieved 2 July 2011.
  22. "CSL Match Report: Jiangsu Sainty 1 – 0 Shanghai Shenxin". Soccerway. 6 July 2011. Retrieved 6 July 2011.
  23. "Kosmina rides luck as Adelaide squeezes into ACL quarter-finals". The Australian. 29 May 2012. Retrieved 30 May 2012.
  24. "Bunyodkor ousts Adelaide in extra-time thriller". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 3 October 2012. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  25. "Match Report: Adelaide United – Central Coast Mariners". Soccerway. 1 December 2012. Retrieved 2 December 2012., "Match Summary: Adelaide United – Central Coast Mariners". Football Federation Australia. 1 December 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 2 December 2012.
  26. "Match Report: Adelaide United – Western Sydney Wanderers". Soccerway. 3 February 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013., "Match Summary: Adelaide United – Western Sydney Wanderers". Football Federation Australia. 3 February 2013. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 4 February 2013.
  27. "Australia – B. Djite". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
  28. "Djite's Korea move from A-League confirmed". The World Game. SBS. 26 July 2016.
  29. Arnie: Burns, Djite 'Too Young'. au.fourfourtwo.com.
  30. "Djite sacrifices the good life to thrive in Turkey". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  31. Adrian Warren (22 March 2008). "Australia and Singapore draw 0–0". theroar.com.au. Retrieved 23 March 2008.
  32. Anthony Raineri (1 June 2008). "Australia v Iraq as it happened". The Australian. Retrieved 22 June 2008.
  33. "Valeri, Djite set for Qatar action". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 16 June 2008.
  34. "Football Federation Australia – Player Profile". Football Australia.
  35. Les Murray. "Les Murray: "How Australia can win the World Cup". Johnny Warren Football Foundation. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.
  36. Chris Paraskevas (9 December 2009). "Exclusive Interview: Socceroo And Genclerbirligi Striker Bruce Djite". Goal.com. Retrieved 15 January 2010., Jason Dasey (10 October 2007). "Adelaide's Batman and Robin". ESPN FC. Retrieved 12 January 2008., Daniel Lato (11 January 2007). "Djite set to impress". Fox Sports (Australia). Retrieved 12 January 2007.
  37. https://www.ftbl.com.au/news/djite-returns-to-the-reds-in-new-role-526059
  38. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 30 August 2013. Retrieved 28 January 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  39. http://www.littleheroesfoundation.com.au/Ambassadors
Awards
Preceded by
Adrian Leijer		 A-League
Young Player of the Year Award
2007/08		 Succeeded by
Scott Jamieson
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