Traoré: - It will be fun to return to PARKEN
In mid-February Randers FC signed an agreement with former FC Copenhagen player Christian Traoré. FCK.DK got in touch with Christian to hear how he’s finding his new life in Randers, and if he’s looking forward to returning to PARKEN on Saturday.
by Joe Short
It is barely six years ago that Christian Traoré left Copenhagen. Since then, he has played a few seasons for FC Midtjylland, spent three years at Swedish side Hammerby IF and was briefly loaned out to Hønefoss BK of Norway. From the new-year to mid-February, Traoré was without a contract: that is until Randers took the opportunity to sign the former FCK man. He will most likely return to Copenhagen on Saturday, and once again feel the PARKEN grass under his boots.
Traoré has played 90 minutes in Randers’ last two matches, and since he hasn’t picked up any suspensions or injuries, there is a good chance of him being in the starting line-up on Saturday afternoon.
Personally, how has his start to life at Randers been?:
- It's been OK so far. It was all a bit fast at first; I was with Randers in their training camp and it ended up with us agreeing a contract there. It went well in the training camp, we played some good friendlies and in the first Superliga match of the spring, I got some minutes. Unfortunately, I sat out of the second match with a minor injury, but I’ve played full games in our last two matches. In one game I was put at left back and it went OK, while last time round I was in the centre of defence, a place that suits me way better.
- My favourite position is definitely central defence – that was also the place I most often played in Hammerby, though now and again I was used both in midfield and right back, depending on what was needed.
Randers haven’t scored in their last two games, which both ended in 0-0 draws. Where will the goals come from on Saturday?:
- They will come from the offensive players on the team, and we have some really good players up front. There is no question that I hope the offensive forces can deliver on Saturday, and a player like Mikkel Beckmann certainly has the qualities needed to score against FC Copenhagen.
Randers are the only unbeaten team this spring (two wins and two draws). What makes you think that record will still be there come 17:00?
- Of course it will be difficult. We will be up against the best team in the league, so it's a difficult task. If we are to have success on Saturday, we must work hard, very hard. Fundamentally, you need all 11 players just to work hard – but we do this, so it may well be that we leave PARKEN with one or even three points at the end of Saturday.
Are there any players remaining at FC Copenhagen from the squad you left in 2005? And are you looking forward to reuniting to PARKEN?:
- There are certainly not many players left from my time at the club; it’s been many years since I left the capital. William Kvist and Martin Bergvold were there, but otherwise that’s it. It will be fun to return to PARKEN. It would also be really funny if we end up with all three points. We should at least play our hand and hope that it returns a reward.
FC Copenhagen v Randers FC
The Lions have met with Randers 17 times in the league. 11 of the matches Copenhagen won, three were lost and three tied. Nine of the games have been played at PARKEN, where FCK have won seven times. Meanwhile, the two remaining games were one draw and one loss. The overall goal tally is 28-9 in favour of Copenhagen, and 17-5 specifically at PARKEN.
The last meeting between Randers and Copenhagen was won by the Lions back in late November 2010. César Santin took FCK into the lead halfway through the first half, while Zdenek Pospech and Jesper Grønkjær scored in the second to give the Danish champions a comfortable 3-0 win over their opponents.
Randers meet Copenhagen in PARKEN on Saturday at 15:00.
