Camara: Zoumana

2003-2004 (Leeds Player Details)(Player Details)

Centre Back

Born: Colombes, France: 03-04-1979

Debut v Newcastle United (h): 17-08-2003

6’1” 12st 6lb (2004)

Camara came onto the scene in the French Second Division at Saint-Etienne, where he scored once in thirty-two games before he came to the attention of Internazionale. Like several other players who have moved to the San Siro he found himself unable to get a game for the first team, and after a loan spell at Empoli, where he made twelve appearances, was back in France for a season at Bastia where he scored once in twenty-seven games. A move to Marseille, where he scored once in forty-two appearances, improved his profile as he gained his one French cap in the Confederations Cup on 1st June 2001, when the French were surprisingly beaten 1-0 by Australia in Daegu South Korea. He was also capped twice at “B” level. A move to Lens wasn't entirely successful, as injuries and a dispute with the coach over him being played out of position restricted him to just fourteen games. He was brought to Leeds on a one year's loan from RC Lens by Peter Reid. He had a decent start to his Leeds career, scoring a goal at Middlesbrough and generally looking sound when played alongside Lucas Radebe or Dominic Matteo. But when paired with Roque Junior or Michael Duberry, he looked out of his depth and was dropped once Eddie Gray took over as Caretaker-Manager. He had one final appearance at Southampton, but he didn't even make it to the substitutes' bench from there on in. He returned to France and rejoined St Etienne, where he was a regular for three seasons, making one hundred and eight appearances for them before joining Paris St Germaine on a four year contract in the summer of 2007. However, despite continuing to hold down a first-team place, something that few of the other loanees were able to achieve after leaving Leeds, he again found himself at a big club that was fighting a losing battle against relegation. Nevertheless he was the lynchpin of their defence and first choice central defender and had scored three times in one hundred and fourteen games to the end of the 2010-11 season. This was despite having sustained a calf injury in July 2009 which sidelined him for three months. Camara's consistency was rewarded at the end of his contract when it was extended for a further five years.