- Birthdate: 2 November 1982
- Birthplace: Bobigny, France
- Other clubs: Red Star 93 (1997-2001), Lens (2001-07), Kavala (loan 2009-10), Atromitos (2011-13), PAOK Salonika (2013-15), Torku Konyaspor (loan 2013-14), Caykur Rizespor (2015-16), Gazientepspor (2016-17), Adanaspor (2017)
- Signed from: Lens
- Signed for LFC: 09.08.2007
- International debut: 23.03.2013 vs. Togo
- International caps: Cameroon 12/0 - 23.06.2014
- Liverpool debut: 25.09.2007
- Last appearance: 16.02.2008
- Contract expiry: 08.12.2010
- Win ratio: 57.14% W:4 D:1 L:2
- League games / goals / assists: 0 / 0 / 0
- Total games / goals / assists: 7 / 0 / 0
- League clean sheets: 0
- Total clean sheets: 1
Player Profile
Itandje is born in France but his parents are from Cameroon. He was Lens' main goalkeeper from 2003-2007 and played 170 matches in the french first division. He featured three times for the French u-21 team and was known for his dance steps to put opponents off in penalties. Although he arrived at Anfield with a good reputation in France, Itandje knew when he signed a contract that his chances of first-team football would be very limited as understudy to Reina after Jerzy Dudek joined Real Madrid and Scott Carson went out on loan to Aston Villa. Perhaps there was a clause in his contract guaranteeing that he would play in certain cup matches as Liverpool played in seven FA Cup and League Cup ties during the 2007/08 season and Itandje was in goal for all of them. He conceded eight goals in those seven games and never seemed to instill a lot of confidence in the defenders in front of him. Certainly Reina might have been expected to do better with the two goals that went past Itandje as Liverpool were humbled by championship side Barnsley in the FA Cup.
Itandje was made available for transfer after Liverpool signed Diego Cavalieri in the summer of 2008 but he turned down a move to Turkish club Galatasaray. He didn't appear in Liverpool's first team at all in 2008/09 but he did manage to attract the wrong sort of attention by snickering and bothering Damien Plessis, who sat next to him, during the twentieth anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster service at Anfield in April 2009. He was disciplined by the club for this incident and it was clear that his future lay elsewhere. In December 2010 Itandje joined Greek club Atromitos on a free transfer.
Itandje made twenty-one first-team appearances for Atromitos in 2012/13, including playing twice against Newcastle United in the play-off round of the Europa League. He moved on to PAOK Salonika at the end of January 2013; and PAOK then loaned him to Turkish club Torku Konyaspor shortly before the start of the 2013/14 season. He only missed one of Konyaspor's 34 Süper Lig matches in the 2013-14 season as his loan-club finished the season in 11th place comfortably clear of the relegation places. In 2014/15 Itandje was back at PAOK and became their first-choice keeper for the second half of the season, but in the summer he headed back to Turkey, joining Caykur Rizespor. After a season there Itandje spent half of 2016/17 with Gaziantepspor and the second half with Adanaspor, before retiring from the game.
Internationally, Itandje featured in three U-21 appearances for France, but applied to play for Cameroon and made his international debut for his parents' homeland in March 2013. He grabbed this chance with both hands with some outstanding performances and was Lions' main 'keeper in the World Cup in Brazil where Cameroon lost all their games, conceding nine goals.
Appearances per season
Season |
League |
FA |
LC |
Europe |
Other |
Total |
Totals |
0 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
2007-2008 |
0 |
4 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
A more detailed look at the player's appearances
Apps |
Minutes |
Opponent |
2 |
180 |
Luton Town |
1 |
90 |
Chelsea |
1 |
90 |
Barnsley |
1 |
90 |
Reading |
1 |
90 |
Havant |
1 |
90 |
Cardiff City |
Total |
Started/substitutions |
7 |
Started |
47 |
On the bench |
0 |
Substitute |
0 |
Substituted |
Total |
Venue |
4 |
Home |
3 |
Away |
Clean sheets per season
Season |
League |
FA |
LC |
Europe |
Other |
Total |
Totals |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2007-2008 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
Milestone Appearances
# |
Date |
Against |
Stadium |
Competition |
1 |
25.09.2007 |
Reading |
Madejski Stadium |
League Cup |
Related Articles
Match report from Liverpool 2, Cardiff City 1 in the Daily Post by Nick Smith at Anfield.
Other Clubs
Club |
Season |
Club rank |
League apps |
League goals |
Total apps |
Total goals |
Red Star 93 |
1997-2001 |
France 3 |
9 |
0 |
9 |
0 |
Lens |
2001-2002 |
France 1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Lens |
2002-2003 |
France 1 |
22 |
0 |
26 |
0 |
Lens |
2003-2004 |
France 1 |
35 |
0 |
44 |
0 |
Lens |
2004-2005 |
France 1 |
38 |
0 |
41 |
0 |
Lens |
2005-2006 |
France 1 |
37 |
0 |
44 |
0 |
Lens |
2006-2007 |
France 1 |
38 |
0 |
46 |
0 |
Kavala |
2008-2009 |
Greeee 2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
Kavala |
2009-2010 |
Greeee 1 |
19 |
0 |
19 |
0 |
Atromitos |
2010-2011 |
Greece 1 |
7 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
Atromitos |
2011-2012 |
Greece 1 |
31 |
0 |
36 |
0 |
Atromitos |
2012-2013 |
Greece 1 |
19 |
0 |
21 |
0 |
PAOK Salonika |
2012-2013 |
Greece 1 |
9 |
0 |
15 |
0 |
Konyaspor |
2013-2014 |
Turkey 1 |
33 |
0 |
33 |
0 |
PAOK Salonika |
2014-2015 |
Greece 1 |
19 |
0 |
26 |
0 |
Caykur Rizespor |
2015-2016 |
Turkey 1 |
33 |
0 |
37 |
0 |
Gaziantepspor |
2016-2017 |
Turkey 1 |
5 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
Adanaspor |
2016-2017 |
Turkey 1 |
12 |
0 |
12 |
0 |
Total |
366 |
0 |
421 |
0 |