Djibril Konaté
Encyclopedia
Djibril Konaté is a Malian/French association footballer who is currently playing for Championnat National
side Chamois Niortais. He usually plays as a right-back, but can also play as a centre-half and a defensive midfielder.
He has played his entire career in France, with Mantes
, Fontenay
and Chamois Niortais and he was part of the Niort side which won the Championnat National
in the 2005–06 season. Standing at a height of 1.94 metres, Konaté was the tallest player to play for Chamois Niortais during their professional era, between 1985 and 2009.
an city of Kayes
, but his family moved to France whilst he was young. He has a brother, named Youssouf, who also played semi-professional football for Mantes
, making two appearances in the Championnat de France amateur in the 2004–05 season.
. In the 2001–02 season the team celebrated promotion
to the Championnat de France amateur after finishing third in their division. In a higher division, Konaté found his first-team opportunites limited, making just three league appearances in the 2002–03 season as the team narrowly avoided relegation, finishing in 15th position in the CFA Group A.
. Konaté played a major role in the next two seasons for Fontenay, attracting interest from higher division clubs. At the end of the 2004–05 season, Fontenay were demoted
from the CFA, despite finishing 11th in their group and this signalled the end of Konaté's time with the club.
side Chamois Niortais. He was mostly a bit-part player during his first season with the club. He made his début for the Deux-Sèvres
club on 4 March 2006, coming on as a substitute replacing Vincent Durand
in the 3–1 victory over AS Cherbourg Football
, and went on to make two starts in the league, as well as four further substitute appearances, as the team comfortably finished top of the division, gaining promotion to Ligue 2
. In his second season, Konaté became an integral part of the Chamois Niortais first-team thanks to his ability to play in a number of positions, his pace, and his accurate corner kicks. Niort finished 16th in their first season back in Ligue 2, avoiding relegation by four points.
The 2007–08 season was a mixed affair for both Konaté and Niort. Despite reaching the last 16 of the Coupe de France
, the club performed poorly in the league and were eventually relegated on the final day of the season after conceding a 93rd minute goal after a mistake by goalkeeper David Klein
. Konaté scored the first of his two goals in three seasons for the club on 7 March 2008 in a 2–2 draw with SC Bastia
. At the end of the season, because of the relegation
Konaté was one of a number of players not offered a new deal by Niort, and he was released in July 2008.
in August 2008, but he played poorly as the team lost 0–2 to Jagiellonia Białystok and was not awarded a contract. Konaté was unable to find a new club in the summer transfer window, and played the first few months of the season alongside other out-of-contract players with the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP). He had to wait until the January transfer window in 2009 to return to his former team, Fontenay-le-Comte
. Konaté signed a six-month contract and made thirteen league appearances, scoring two goals, the first of which came in the 3–1 win over SO Châtellerault
on 21 March 2009, as the side achieved a fourth-placed finish in the CFA Group C, missing out on promotion by twelve points.
at the first attempt. He played well in pre-season, scoring two goals in friendly matches, one each against SO Châtellerault
and his former club, Vendée Fontenay Foot
.
Championnat National
The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
side Chamois Niortais. He usually plays as a right-back, but can also play as a centre-half and a defensive midfielder.
He has played his entire career in France, with Mantes
FC Mantes
Football Club Mantois 78 are a French football club that was founded in 1994. The club is based in Mantes-la-Ville in the suburbs of Paris and is of the Yvelines department. The club's relatively late foundation is due to a merger between three other clubs from the region...
, Fontenay
Vendée Fontenay Foot
Vendée Fontenay Foot is a French football club based in Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée. It was founded in 1991 in a merger of two local teams. The club currently plays in the Championnat de France Amateurs, the fourth tier of the French football league system....
and Chamois Niortais and he was part of the Niort side which won the Championnat National
Championnat National
The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
in the 2005–06 season. Standing at a height of 1.94 metres, Konaté was the tallest player to play for Chamois Niortais during their professional era, between 1985 and 2009.
Personal life
Konaté was born on 2 September 1980 in the MaliMali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
an city of Kayes
Kayes
Kayes is a city in western Mali on the Sénégal River, with a population of roughly 100,000 people. Kayes is the capital of the administrative region of the same name. The name "Kayes" comes from the Soninké word "karré", which describes a low humid place that floods in rainy season...
, but his family moved to France whilst he was young. He has a brother, named Youssouf, who also played semi-professional football for Mantes
FC Mantes
Football Club Mantois 78 are a French football club that was founded in 1994. The club is based in Mantes-la-Ville in the suburbs of Paris and is of the Yvelines department. The club's relatively late foundation is due to a merger between three other clubs from the region...
, making two appearances in the Championnat de France amateur in the 2004–05 season.
Early career
Konaté started his senior career in 1997 playing for amateur outfit Mantes in the Championnat de France amateur 2, the fifth tier of the French football league systemFrench football league system
The French football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in France. At the top two levels of the system is the Ligue de Football Professionnel, which consists of two professional national divisions, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Below that are a number of leagues run by the...
. In the 2001–02 season the team celebrated promotion
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
to the Championnat de France amateur after finishing third in their division. In a higher division, Konaté found his first-team opportunites limited, making just three league appearances in the 2002–03 season as the team narrowly avoided relegation, finishing in 15th position in the CFA Group A.
Fontenay-le-Comte
At the end of that season, Konaté's contract came to an end and he was released by Mantes. In the summer of 2003, he signed for semi-professional CFA group D side Fontenay-le-ComteVendée Fontenay Foot
Vendée Fontenay Foot is a French football club based in Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée. It was founded in 1991 in a merger of two local teams. The club currently plays in the Championnat de France Amateurs, the fourth tier of the French football league system....
. Konaté played a major role in the next two seasons for Fontenay, attracting interest from higher division clubs. At the end of the 2004–05 season, Fontenay were demoted
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
from the CFA, despite finishing 11th in their group and this signalled the end of Konaté's time with the club.
Chamois Niortais
In July 2005, Konaté signed his first professional contract with then Championnat NationalChampionnat National
The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
side Chamois Niortais. He was mostly a bit-part player during his first season with the club. He made his début for the Deux-Sèvres
Deux-Sèvres
Deux-Sèvres is a French département. Deux-Sèvres literally means "two Sèvres": the Sèvre Nantaise and the Sèvre Niortaise are two rivers which have their sources in the department.-History:...
club on 4 March 2006, coming on as a substitute replacing Vincent Durand
Vincent Durand
Vincent Durand is a French football midfielder currently playing for Chamois Niortais.-Career:In July 2007, Durand left then Ligue 2 side Chamois Niortais after playing with them for three seasons and subsequently joined FC Martigues in January 2008. He played for Martigues for just five months...
in the 3–1 victory over AS Cherbourg Football
AS Cherbourg Football
AS Cherbourg or the Association Sportive de Cherbourg Football is a French football club currently playing in the Championnat National, which is the third division in France...
, and went on to make two starts in the league, as well as four further substitute appearances, as the team comfortably finished top of the division, gaining promotion to Ligue 2
Ligue 2
Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division...
. In his second season, Konaté became an integral part of the Chamois Niortais first-team thanks to his ability to play in a number of positions, his pace, and his accurate corner kicks. Niort finished 16th in their first season back in Ligue 2, avoiding relegation by four points.
The 2007–08 season was a mixed affair for both Konaté and Niort. Despite reaching the last 16 of the Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
, the club performed poorly in the league and were eventually relegated on the final day of the season after conceding a 93rd minute goal after a mistake by goalkeeper David Klein
David Klein (footballer)
David Klein is a retired French goalkeeper.- Career :His previous clubs include RC Strasbourg, FC Toulouse, AC Ajaccio and FC Metz.- References :* *...
. Konaté scored the first of his two goals in three seasons for the club on 7 March 2008 in a 2–2 draw with SC Bastia
SC Bastia
Sporting Club de Bastia is a French association football club based in Bastia on the island of Corsica. The club currently plays in the Championnat National, the third division of French football. Bastia previously had stints in both Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
. At the end of the season, because of the relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
Konaté was one of a number of players not offered a new deal by Niort, and he was released in July 2008.
Back to Fontenay
Konaté was given a trial at Polish Ekstraklasa side Legia WarszawaLegia Warszawa
Legia Warszawa is a professional football club based in Warsaw, Poland. It was founded in March 1916 in the area of Maniewicze in Volhynia as the football club of the Polish Legions...
in August 2008, but he played poorly as the team lost 0–2 to Jagiellonia Białystok and was not awarded a contract. Konaté was unable to find a new club in the summer transfer window, and played the first few months of the season alongside other out-of-contract players with the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP). He had to wait until the January transfer window in 2009 to return to his former team, Fontenay-le-Comte
Vendée Fontenay Foot
Vendée Fontenay Foot is a French football club based in Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée. It was founded in 1991 in a merger of two local teams. The club currently plays in the Championnat de France Amateurs, the fourth tier of the French football league system....
. Konaté signed a six-month contract and made thirteen league appearances, scoring two goals, the first of which came in the 3–1 win over SO Châtellerault
SO Châtellerault
Stade Olympique Châtellerault is a French association football team founded in 1914. They are based in Châtellerault, Poitou-Charentes, France and are currently playing in the Championnat de France amateur 2, Groupe G...
on 21 March 2009, as the side achieved a fourth-placed finish in the CFA Group C, missing out on promotion by twelve points.
Return to Niort
On 25 June 2009, Konaté returned to his recently relegated former club Chamois Niortais on a free transfer as one of a number of former players re-signed for the club as they aim to return to the Championnat NationalChampionnat National
The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
at the first attempt. He played well in pre-season, scoring two goals in friendly matches, one each against SO Châtellerault
SO Châtellerault
Stade Olympique Châtellerault is a French association football team founded in 1914. They are based in Châtellerault, Poitou-Charentes, France and are currently playing in the Championnat de France amateur 2, Groupe G...
and his former club, Vendée Fontenay Foot
Vendée Fontenay Foot
Vendée Fontenay Foot is a French football club based in Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée. It was founded in 1991 in a merger of two local teams. The club currently plays in the Championnat de France Amateurs, the fourth tier of the French football league system....
.
Career statistics
| Club | Division French football league system The French football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for club football in France. At the top two levels of the system is the Ligue de Football Professionnel, which consists of two professional national divisions, Ligue 1 and Ligue 2. Below that are a number of leagues run by the... |
Season | League | Cup Coupe de France The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation... |
Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | |||
| Mantes | CFA Group A | 2002–03 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Fontenay-le-Comte Vendée Fontenay Foot Vendée Fontenay Foot is a French football club based in Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée. It was founded in 1991 in a merger of two local teams. The club currently plays in the Championnat de France Amateurs, the fourth tier of the French football league system.... |
CFA Group D | 2003–04 | 32 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 34 | 0 |
| 2004–05 | 30 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 1 | ||
| Chamois Niortais | Championnat National Championnat National The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2... |
2005–06 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| Ligue 2 Ligue 2 Ligue 2 , formerly known as Division 2, is a French professional football league. The league serves as the second division of French football and is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel , the other being Ligue 1, the country's top football division... |
2006–07 | 26 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 28 | 0 | |
| 2007–08 | 24 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 29 | 2 | ||
| Fontenay-le-Comte Vendée Fontenay Foot Vendée Fontenay Foot is a French football club based in Fontenay-le-Comte, Vendée. It was founded in 1991 in a merger of two local teams. The club currently plays in the Championnat de France Amateurs, the fourth tier of the French football league system.... |
CFA Group C | 2008–09 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 2 |
| Chamois Niortais | CFA Group C | 2009–10 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| Total | 141 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 150 | 5 | ||
External links
- Djibril Konaté profile at chamoisfc79.fr