Radanfah Abu Bakr

Radanfah Abu Bakr (born 12 February 1987 in Port of Spain) is a Trinidadian professional footballer who plays as a Defender for Indian club Churchill Brothers.[1]

Radanfah Abu Bakr
Personal information
Full name Radanfah Abu Bakr
Date of birth (1987-02-12) 12 February 1987
Place of birth Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Height 1.98 m (6 ft 6 in)
Position(s) Central defender
Club information
Current team
 Churchill Brothers
Youth career
2002–05 Queen's Royal College
2005 Caledonia AIA
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2009 Caledonia AIA 22 (0)
2009 Swansea City 0 (0)
2010–2011 Joe Public 3 (0)
2011 Olympic Charleroi 4 (0)
2012–2013 Caledonia AIA
2013 Vostok 27 (1)
2014–2015 Kruoja Pakruojis 23 (2)
2015–2016 HB Køge 19 (1)
2016 Sillamäe Kalev 15 (1)
2017 Sūduva Marijampolė 22 (2)
2018 PS TIRA 16 (1)
2019- Churchill Brothers 11 (1)
National team‡
2009– Trinidad and Tobago 36 (2)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 December 2018
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 24 January 2017

Career

Club

Abu Bakr went to Queen's Royal College in Trinidad[2] and began his career in Trinidad and Tobago side Caledonia AIA, before signing for Swansea City on 30 August 2009, in a short-term loan deal until 1 January 2010. He has been signed to help relieve the injury crisis at the club.[3] He previously had two trial spells at the club, in 2007 and in 2008, but was unable to sign for the Swans after they were denied a work permit.[4] Bakr started his career at a relatively late age which he has put down to him deciding to put his head down and study, he took a degree in business management in Kingston University in London.[5]

In August 2009, a work permit was arranged for the UK, and Radanfah signed a three-month contract with Swansea on 1 September 2009.[6][7] After this deal expired he was not offered terms to extend his stay and so returned to Trinidad to sign for Joe Public. On 21 July 2011, he was signed by Belgium club Olympic Charleroi after a successful trial.[8] He left Olympic Charleroi and returned to Caledonia AIA during the 2012 season. Abu Bakr helped Caledonia AIA win the 2012 CFU Club Championship on 21 June 2012. He scored his side's goal in a 1–1 draw after extra time against W Connection, with Caledonia AIA winning 4–2 on penalty kicks.[9]

In February 2013 Abu Bakr moved to Kazakhstan Premier League side Vostok.[10] He played 28 league games for Vostok before moving to Lithuanian A Lyga side Kruoja a year later.[11]

On 2 February 2015, he signed a contract with Danish club HB Køge.[12]

In July 2016, Abu Bakr signed with Estonian top division club JK Sillamäe Kalev.[13]

On 25 February 2017, he joined Lithuanian A Lyga side Sūduva Marijampolė.[1]

On September 6, 2019 Abu Bakr penned deal with I-League side and is currently playing for Churchill Brothers S.C.[14]

International career

Abu Bakr made his debut for the Trinidad and Tobago national team on 30 July 2008, coming on as a substitute in a friendly against Haiti. Another substitute appearance followed two weeks later in a friendly against El Salvador.[15]

He would have to wait until June 2009 for his next international; making his first start and competitive appearance in a World Cup qualifier against Mexico, losing 2–1. Abu Bakr scored his first international goal a month later in a 3–2 friendly win against Saint Kitts and Nevis.[15] He went on to play in a further four of Trinidad and Tobago's qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup, but lost his place in the side after that.[15]

Abu Bakr returned to the international side in June 2013 as part of Trinidad and Tobago's build up to the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup, playing in friendlies away against Romania and Estonia.[15] He was selected for his nation's squad for the tournament, and helped them reach the quarter-finals where they lost narrowly to Mexico.[16]

Career statistics

Club
Club statistics
Season Club League National Cup League Cup Other Total
App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals App Goals
2009–10[17] Swansea City 0000000000
2010–11[18] Joe Public F.C. 2000005272
2011–12[18] Olympic Charleroi 4000000040
2011–12[18] Caledonia AIA ?10000424+3
2012–13[18] Caledonia AIA ?10000303+1
2013[19] Vostok 281100000291
2014[19] Kruoja 232100000242
2014–15[19] HB Køge 8100000081
Total 65+ 6 2 0 0 0 12 4 79+ 10

International
Trinidad and Tobago football team
YearAppsGoals
200820
200961
201390
201410
201581
201670
201720
Total352

Statistics accurate as of match played 8 January 2017[15][20]

International goals
Updated to games played 8 June 2014
#DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetitionRef.
112 July 2009Warner Park, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis4 Saint Kitts and Nevis1–03–2Friendly[21]
28 October 2015Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama23 Panama2–02–1Friendly

Personal

His brother Ayinde is former Manager of Caledonia AIA and over the years trained his brother here.[22] Ayinde Abu Bakr is former goalkeeper.[23]

References
  1. ""Sūduvos" gynybos grandyje – du naujokai" (in Lithuanian). FK Sūduva. 25 February 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  2. Player Profile – Radanfah Abu Bakr: Soccer Warrirors
  3. "Swansea capture Trinidad defender". BBC Sport. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  4. Radanfah Abu Bakr gets Swansea trial.
  5. "Swans snap-up Radanfah". Swanseacity.net. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 1 September 2009.
  6. "Swansea capture Trinidad defender". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  7. "Abu Bakr secures Swansea contract". www.socawarriors.net. socawarriors. 30 August 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  8. "ABU BAKR PENS 2-YR DEAL". ttffonline.com.
  9. "Caledonia pips Connection for CFU Club Championship title". TTProleague.com. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  10. "Caledonia duo leads European exodus with Kazakhstan move". Wired868. Retrieved 5 November 2013.
  11. Mohammed, Inshan (19 March 2014). "Abu Bakr joins FK Kruoja Pakruojis". SocaWarriors. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  12. Helmin, Jesper (2 February 2015). "HB Køge henter eksotisk stopper". bold.dk. Retrieved 9 February 2015.
  13. "Sillamäega on liitumas mängijad Itaaliast ning Trinidad ja Tobagost". soccernet.ee. Retrieved 30 July 2016.
  14. "I-League: Churchill Brothers sign Radanfah Abu Bakr, Joaquin Garcia".
  15. "Matches Played by Radanfah Abu Bakr". SocaWarriors. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  16. "Match Report". SocaWarriors. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  17. "Bakr: Swansea experience helped me". Guardian Media. 29 April 2010. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  18. "Radanfah Abu Bakr – Results, fixtures, tables and statistics". Live.sportlive.co.za. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  19. "Trinidad and Tobago – R. Abu Bakr – Profile with news, career statistics and history – Soccerway". Uk.soccerway.com. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
  20. "Radanfah Abu Bakr". National-Football-Teams.com. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  21. "Baptiste's goal gives T&T 3–2 win over St Kitts". www.socawarriors.net. socawarriors. 13 July 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  22. Radanfah Abu Bakr is back
  23. Naps tame Tigers
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