Djite not planning on A-League return

Bruce Djite has no plans to return to the A-League and is treating his Korean stint as the start of an extended period spent playing overseas.

Bruce Djite

Bruce Djite during an Adelaide United training session in April this year Source: Getty Images

Djite's club, Suwon FC, has been relegated from the top tier of Korean football, the K League Classic, to the K League Challenge for next season, but that doesn't change his arrangement with them.

The former Adelaide United striker is having an off-season break in Australia and said he would be returning to Korea early in January to start pre-season training.

He said he was contracted to Suwon for next season, with an option to stay on for the following season, and was enjoying his football there.

Asked if he would consider a return to the A-League Djite told The World Game: "You never say never in football, because the nature of the game is that things can change very quickly.

"But at the moment, if I'm honest, I played the last five seasons consecutively in the A-League and in terms of developing as a footballer and a person in general it would be good to do five years abroad consecutively as well.

"Whether that happens or not, I don't know. I've got a young family and with that factor to be considered everything becomes more complicated.
"But something I've come to realise as I've gotten older is that it's important to try to take every opportunity... When you edge close to 30 time is of the essence and you've got to take every opportunity and enjoy every moment you get on the pitch.

"I could be in Korea for the next five years, or in another country a lot sooner. I might end up not playing back in Australia again, it just depends. I'm not looking to come back at the moment."

Djite, 29, is naturally keeping a close watch on his old team, with whom he won the A-League Premier's Plate and championship double last season.

He is impressed by the player who has succeeded him at the top of the attack - Sergi Guardiola.

"I think he's a very talented player and that he'll be rated one of the top strikers in the league come the end of the season," Djite said.

"He does a lot of things that go unnoticed on the outside, but the boys in the team appreciate it. I speak to the players regularly and they're very complimentary about him."
Djite said he was convinced Adelaide would make the finals, but that it would be very hard for them to make it back-to-back titles because of the club's added commitment to the Asian Champions League.

"It's going to be a challenging year in that respect," he said.

"But once you make the A-League finals - and I've got no doubt Adelaide have the quality and experience to do that - anything can happen."


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3 min read
Published 7 December 2016 8:31pm
Updated 8 December 2016 2:32pm
By Greg Prichard

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