Related Quotes
"When I came back for training I didn't know what was going to happen. I didn't know if I was staying at Liverpool or going. Then I spoke to the boss and he told me I would be playing more and he wanted me to stay. Every summer I have been here, all I have heard is clubs want to buy me and I may be leaving.
I don't think I'm a different player except I have more confidence in myself now because I know I will have a chance to play for the first team. At the moment I'm playing at left back, although my position is centre- half. I think that's my position of the future. But it's okay because in my view the best centre-halves in the world are Sami Hyypia and Stephane Henchoz. I spent a year at Lens and that helped me. I played 19 games in a side which did very well, coming second in the league and going close to the championship. It was a good year for me to learn from top players at a high level. I received good advice there."
Djimi Traore, pre-season 2002
"We only had about 15 minutes training on the pitch yesterday, and Djimi scored the exact same goal from the same spot at the same end in our practice match."
Houllier after Traore's first goal 06.11.2003
"Jimbo is the last person you want marking you in training - he's got the longest legs in football and is a great tackler."
Neil Mellor in February 2005 on Traore
"Houllier did a lot of work - he built a great training centre. He was much appreciated by the Englishmen and I can see why. But a lot of the French players didn't have a chance to play and express themselves. We had to work twice as hard to play. So, I have a mixed view on Houllier. Today I proved that it is not down to him that I was there - I deserve to play for Reds. Personally, in the end, I didn't trust him anymore. I was upset.
So many times I knocked on his door saying I wanted to leave the club. It was frustrating because I didn't play. And nothing changed. If he would have stayed then I would not be at Liverpool anymore. We, the Frenchmen, were frustrated because we saw how it worked at Arsenal."
Djimi Traore in June 2005
"I think it was the right time for me to move. I enjoyed my seven years at Liverpool but I want to play more regular football. It's a good move for me because when you've been at a club for a long while you get into a routine. Especially in the situation that I was in where sometimes I played and sometimes I didn't, which caused some frustration. And that's one of the reasons why I decided to move.
I'm very proud of what I achieved at Liverpool, especially winning the Champions League, but it wasn't difficult for me to leave that behind. I'd prefer to go somewhere where I can play football rather than be in the Champions League with Liverpool and sit on the bench."
Traore explains his Anfield exit