Adelaide United’s football director Bruce Djite is meeting Al Hassan Toure and his parents over the international tug of war
Adelaide United’s teenage sensation Al Hassan Toure’s decision to represent Liberia or Australia shouldn’t be rushed, says Reds football director Bruce Djite.
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Al Hassan Toure’s decision to represent Liberia or Australia will be respected, says Adelaide United’s football director Bruce Djite.
Djite is scheduled for in-depth discussions with the teenager and his parents on Tuesday night.
The 19-year-old is unwittingly caught in a tug of war between Liberia – the birth place of his parents – and Australia since emerging on the scene as the most exciting young Australian talent of 2019.
“I’m seeing his parents (Tuesday night) for a range of things, at the end of the day you’ve got to play for the country where your heart is,’’ Djite said revealing Toure had penned a three-year deal including two years on a scholarship before it flips to a senior contract.
US-born Djite had a choice of playing for Australia, the US, Côte d’Ivoire or Togo.
“For me I always decided to play for Australia because all my coaches growing up were Australian,’’ he said.
“I went to the AIS, the first time I kicked the ball was in the Ivory Coast, everything else came in Australia.
“I felt like it was an obligation to play for Australia but I don’t know technically what his (Toure) situation is and I am interested to hear his thoughts, there’s no rush for him to make a decision.
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“I personally think he’s good enough to play for the national team (Socceroos).
“They’re decisions and discussions we have to have but whatever decision he makes we’re going to have to support him, if he wants to play for Liberia or Australia.”
The Advertiser exclusively revealed Liberia’s coach Peter Butler made contact with Adelaide asking if they would release Tour during next month’s nine day FIFA international window.
The former Croydon Kings forward also has a chance to represent Australia’s under 23s during that same window for a mini tournament in China confirmed Football Federation Australia on Monday.
“As a club we want to develop and work with the best young players,’’ Djite said.
“That’s another reason why we cut back our youth numbers.
“We just don’t want to be hoarding quantities of young players, we just want the best young ones.
“We do I believe have a handful of the best Australian players under 23 years of age.
“We have them in our line up and the flip side is you will lose them.”
Toure is a long shot of being essentially locked in by Australia if boss Graham Arnold caps him for the Socceroos during a 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Jordan away next month.
There is a slim opening for a Toure rise to Socceroos given goal machine, Melbourne City’s Jamie Maclaren is out of action for up to five weeks with a hamstring injury.
Toure’s pending call up to either Liberia or Australia is also destined to deplete Adelaide for its A-League season for potentially six matches but Adelaide can ask for A-League postponements.
Riley McGree, goalkeeper Daniel Margush and George Blackwood are also expected to be drafted for the national team next month and in January.
“It’s a discussion we’d have to have with (A-League head) Greg O’Rourke and Tracey Scott (FFA leagues general manager),’’ Djite said.
“The other benefit is we have a coach (Gertjan Verbeek) that’s handled and developed a truck load of young players that have gone on to bigger and better things.
“So he knows how to manage that player (Toure), he’s burst onto the scene and came from nowhere and Gertjan has dealt with that 1000 times.”
Originally published as Adelaide United’s football director Bruce Djite is meeting Al Hassan Toure and his parents over the international tug of war
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