Bruce Djite is the director of football at Adelaide United.
Bruce Djite has a good football brain and is a quality person.
He has made some impressive signings already, particularly Riley McGree.
This interview with Bruce Djite was extremely intriguing and eye-opening as he will transcend the game. Find out why.
What motivates you?
My main motivation is myself and my family, especially my children. I want to be the best role model for the kids and teach them, through my actions, that they can achieve whatever they set their mind to, if they go about achieving their goals in the right way. Although I am retired, I will always possess the traits that helped me become a professional footballer. I have a will to win, to continually learn, I am always looking at ways to improve, work hard, enjoy being part of a team, embrace challenges and responsibility. I still have a burning ambition to be the best I can possibly be.
What do you look for when you recruit a player?
I look first and foremost at their character traits. How are they when things are going poorly? What are they like in the change room when the pressure is on? What is their personality on and off the field? How strong is their mentality? Football is a small world and it is not too difficult to get a good understanding from a range of people about how an individual generally conducts them self. For me, club culture is the most significant competitive advantage a club in a salary-capped league can possess. Aside from that it is also important that the player possess technical, physical and tactical qualities that fit with the style of play we wish to implement.
What is your most memorable moment in football?
Winning the double with Adelaide United in 2016 and playing for the Socceroos.
(AAP Image/Ben Macmahon)
What interests you outside of football?
My key interests and passions outside of football are financial markets, investing, politics and international relations. No doubt all of which will be of increasing interest to me with everything that is going on with COVID-19.
What would you do if you didn’t work in football and why?
I am not 100 per cent sure what I would do if I didn’t work in football. What I do know is that I would work in one of the aforementioned passions of mine. Therefore, I would either work in the world of finance (banking) or in the world of politics. I love dynamic and fast-paced working environments. These attributes are what make working in football so riveting and I believe the world of finance and politics are similar in the sense that no two days are the same. The highly scrutinised, fast-moving nature of those fields are appealing. I appreciate the great deal of responsibility and important decisions that are constantly made in those spheres and I would enjoy operating in such an environment.
What are your ambitions as a director of football?
My ultimate ambition for the club as Adelaide United’s director of football is to see Adelaide United win another grand final here in Adelaide. Having experienced it as a player myself, I want to see the next generation of Adelaide United players experience this same joy. I believe there is much work to do if we are to lay the foundations for that dream to become a reality. I would love to see the club invest and establish our own youth academy.
What made you want to become a director of football?
My love and passion for the game and investing. I believe as a football director I have the possibility to play a part in building something over a period of time. As a club, we have decided to invest in youth or younger players. We believe in them, we will give them the opportunity to play first-team football and if they are good enough, we will look to sell them in the future. There is also the opportunity to actually build a decent program for our female footballers. At this point in time, for that to come to fruition there needs to be a lot more collaboration from football stakeholders and much more investment from commercial partners, government, the club and most of all the general public. People are quick to jump on the women’s football wagon, but there is nowhere near enough people turning up to watch games in person or on TV and without that broader support, it is extremely difficult to create something better for the females.
(AAP Image/James Elsby)
What is your view on the future of Australian football?
I believe the immediate future of Australian football is precarious, as is the immediate future of many sports around the world at present. However, COVID-19 has presented Australian football with a unique opportunity to assess and make the necessary improvements to the current models, both in the professional game and at grassroots level. The medium and long-term future (especially if the game is well restructured) is bright. Everyone knows what we need to improve (cost of participation, development, pathways, football pyramid) and people are always willing and able to discuss what the issues are. However, now the debate needs to be focused on the many well thought out and expertly crafted solutions that will help repair the issues the game suffers.
What does football mean to you?
Football means a lot to me. It has provided me with so much, it is difficult to put it into words. Football is much greater than a game that lasts 90 minutes, where people kick a piece of leather around the field, trying to score a goal. Football is a powerful force and possesses global power. It is not by chance that FIFA is the sporting body that overwhelmingly has the greatest diplomatic and political influence on the world. Football, like many sports, levels the playing field and creates an environment where everyone belongs. Football is a conduit to better educational, health and social outcomes all over the world, it is a powerful tool and more than just a game.
Martyn50
Roar Rookie
The big names of soccer of the 1980's are pushing for playing football where it should be, in winter. Soccer in this country has had a good run of fresh air playing in the off season. Lets see how good and how much interest soccer in Australia has, playing in winter.
Kewell
Roar Rookie
Of course it is, why FFA have no media department with the result we have no promotion or advertising of the game. We have no passionate media partners. (Note News Corp bought into NRL clubs to ensure the leagues viability. What did News Corp do for any ALeague clubs, nothing) The ABC Broadcasting these games is a joke. No pre and post game show. In fact some games were taken off the screen before the final whistle and the final result were not shown. The game needs to rebuild respect in the community and media. And get more people watching the game. Skills and tempo for most teams are not up to standard. We have to bust through the AFL, NRL, Cricket myth that they are the only true sports that real Australians should play. That’s my rant for now.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Well said and articulated. It takes somebody involved in the game to see through the smoke and mirrors and come forward with a realistic, well laid out plan. Unfortunately our previous FFA CEOs appeared not understand the wider football landscape. At least in James Johnson we have someone who understands the domestic and global football landscape. Here's hoping.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
I think Mauk was an astute signing and he has plenty of potential.
EJ
Roar Pro
I obviously don’t know all the details and inner workings of the club, but Yongbin Chen (which as a reds fan I haven’t been too happy with) seemed like a decision of the owners who also own Qingdao Red Lions a chinese third div team, the only person who made the announcement or made any comments at the time I believe were Piet van de Pol, seemed more his decision Also Bruce played a part in signing Stefan Mauk who did play his best football at the reds and may be able to replicate it Also on the point of not replacing Isaias young Louis Darrigo has done a very good job for an 18 year old to fill that void One of the thing Bruce stated was focussing on the best youth in the state and giving them a go which the club has with Darrigo, Toure bros, Brook and even Kusini Yengi
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
You make some constructive points!
Waz
Roar Rookie
Good post :thumbup:
Roberto Bettega
Roar Rookie
It's always a pleasure to hear what Bruce has to say, he's speaks with great clarity and argues his points very well. On more than one occasion I've heard him talking about needing to accept our place in the football world, and that is as a selling league (like 90% of all other leagues across the world, actually that percentage might be higher). Once we accept that we are a selling league, the way forward becomes clear. We do not need to be a prosperous league with big player salaries, playing in big stadiums with big crowds. WE don't need expensive marquees and big name recruits. We don't need gimmicks. We just need a proper football structure, a proper football pyramid, with lots of opportunities being provided to young players to prove their mettle at a quasi-professional standard, where opportunities to play in the top tier are won on footballing merit. And when the younger players prove their mettle, clubs should be looking for opportunities to sell them to the highest bidder, and bring the next ones through. That's the kind of league we need to be.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
That's the impression I got from your interview.
Doran Smith
Roar Guru
It was a written interview and Bruce was a thorough gentleman.
Jack George
Roar Guru
Interesting interview, Doran, with some great questions asked. I listened to him talking with Adam Peacock on the fox football podcast, and he seemed to be very strong about his opinions, saying that player agents were the worst thing in Australian football, if I remember correctly. How was he when you interviewed him?
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
You're probably being a bit rough on Bruce, there, Waz; the guy is articulate so interviews tend to reveal much more within the word-count than the average professional in the industry provides. His signings were not that bad given the budget AUFC operates with. That said, the signing of Youbing Chen was disappointing. That one of the visa spots was to be given to a young Chinese player from Qingdao Lions for their development was largely understood and accepted. What was disappointing was the choice of player. There are good, young kids in Qingdao who missed out from developing and adding value to the AUFC squad and AUFC's bottom line. The criteria that made Youbing Chen the choice needs to be questioned as footballing ability wasn't one of them; he hardly featured for the NPL side.
Waz
Roar Rookie
Bruce seems to care a lot about Bruce. The signings Adelaide made this year ranged from average to awful and produced a mediocre side that progressively got worse as the season went on. McGree is the exception but a failure to retain/replace Isais demonstrates a very limited signing strategy - highlighted by the signing of the Chinese kid. How much influence Bruce has on all this is debatable. It looks like Adelaide’s owners see the club as a selling club which, with the right approach and right coach, could be very attractive. Alas, the visa signings this year fell well short of what’s required
Waz
Roar Rookie
IOC has less political clout than football. That’s just an inconvenience for Australia and it’s general attitude towards the code.
Stevo
Roar Rookie
Enjoyed this. The passion and energy that Bruce has seems to jump off the page! Clearly a football person through and through and maybe somebody that could step up beyond AU and into a role at the national level at FFA or elsewhere. "It is not by chance that FIFA is the sporting body that overwhelmingly has the greatest diplomatic and political influence on the world." I would add the IOC as an organisation carrying a fair bit of clout.
Joshua Kerr
Roar Guru
Now is an ideal time to solve problems in any sport. Sport has to "restart" after the shutdown so why not "restart" the sports themselves? (if you get what I mean)