Where are they now- Liverpool’s Djimi Traore (Video)
Djimi Traore was often portrayed as something of a scapegoat during his time at Liverpool. Despite making 88 appearances for Liverpool, the left-back is often remembered most for an embarrassing own-goal that led to Liverpool’s exit of the Champions league against lower league Burnley.
Traore appeared to attempt a drag-back in his own box, but a poor touch diverts the ball into Liverpool’s goal. Errors such as this led to the defenders name becoming used in an infamous Liverpool chant “blame it on Traore” to the tune of the Jackson Five’s ‘Blame it on the Boogie’. Traore didn’t condemn the Liverpool fans though, instead blaming the media for his reputation.
Although often prone to an error, Traore developed his defending and attacking abilities under Rafa Benitez, and became an important player for the side in the 2004-05 season. Yes, it was Traore who started at left-back for Liverpool in the Champions League final against AC Milan, and despite conceding the free-kick that led to the opening Milan goal, Traore cleared an Andrey Shevchenko shot off the line to allow Liverpool to come back into the game. Liverpool may not have got to the final at all had Traore not scored this important goal in a qualifying round against Steaua Bucharest.
Traore, despite being born in France, opted to play for Mail, the country of his father’s birth, and made 6 appearances between 2004 and 2006, the year he left Liverpool to play for Charlton. Spells at Portsmouth, Rennes and Birmingham followed, before Traore established himself at Monaco and later Marseilles. After being released by the latter in 2012, Traore was left without a club, before moving to Seattle Sounders in January 2013, where at the age of 33 he still plays. Seattle, a club which has an average attendance of over 45,000, is by far the most supported MLS side and former players have included Freddie Ljungberg. Traore has settled in nicely in his new surroundings and could prove to be a key-player for the greens. It is unfair to summarise Traore’s whole career into one embarrassing gaff, and he should be given credit for moving on and not letting the terrace banter affect him.
Will Mata
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