| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kerem Bulut | ||
| Date of birth | 2 March 1992 | ||
| Place of birth | Sydney, Australia | ||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | Mladá Boleslav | ||
| Number | 9 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2007–2008 | NSWIS | ||
| 2008–2009[1] | Sydney FC | ||
| 2009 | AIS | ||
| 2009–2010 | Sydney FC | ||
| 2010 | Mladá Boleslav[2] | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2010– | Mladá Boleslav | 15 | (2) |
| National team | |||
| 2008–2009 | Australia U-17 | 5 | (5) |
| 2010–2011 | Australia U-20 | 14 | (10) |
| * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23 October 2011. † Appearances (Goals). |
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Kerem Bulut (born 2 March 1992 in Sydney, Australia) is an Australian footballer currently playing for FK Mladá Boleslav in the Czech Republic's Gambrinus liga and the Australia under-20 national team. Bulut represented Australia at the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship, where he scored seven goals in six games to win the Golden Boot as Australia finished second at the tournament, he also played at the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia, where Australia was eliminated at the group stages.
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Bulut was signed to the youth team of Sydney FC from NSWIS in 2008 for the 2008-09 A-League National Youth League scoring his first goal in a 2–1 win against Adelaide United on 11 October 2008.[1] Bulut would only score three goals in the season before spending 2009 with the AIS. Bulut returned to Sydney for the 2009–10 A-League National Youth League season.[1] He was immediately picked up as one of the brightest and most talented players in Australia, and it was rumored early on that he would either be signed by Sydney FC to the first-team, but was also linked with clubs in Spain and Turkey. He scored 13 goals in 27 appearances for the Youth Team, but Sydney failed to reach the finals. He immediately went on trial with several clubs in Europe, including FK Mladá Boleslav after recommendations from Sydney FC senior manager Vítězslav Lavička.[3]
After being on trial for several weeks, it was confirmed by the Czech club that they had signed Bulut.[4][5] Bulut had signed a contract with the club until 30 June 2012.[2] Signed to the club's first-team, he became one of four teen-aged players and one of five foreigners in the 25 man squad. Immediately thrown into the squad's first 11, he debuted on 18 July 2010 by starting in a 2–0 victory against Ústí nad Labem.[6] On 24 July 2010 he again started in a 1–1 draw against České Budějovice.[7] Two league rounds later he scored his first goal in Gambrinus liga in a home match against Příbram.[8] Due to his criminal charge he was absent from the club from October 2010 to April 2011 where his first game back was in a 3–1 loss to Viktoria Plzeň on 8 May.[9][10] Bulut was part of the Mladá Boleslav squad which won the 2010–11 Czech Republic Football Cup, beating Sigma Olomouc in the final having won 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw.[11]
After speculation of a possible transfer, it was confirmed on Mladá Boleslav's official website that Bulut would be part of the first-team squad for the 2011–12 Gambrinus liga, having already been registered as a player for the campaign as it commenced whilst he had been on international duty with the Australia under-20 team.[12][13] On his 2011–12 season debut on 14 August, he scored Mladá Boleslav's second goal in a 4–1 away win to Baník Ostrava.[14]
In July 2008 Bulut was selected to represent the Australia U-17 team at the 2008 AFF U-16 Youth Championship in Indonesia. In Australia's second group stage match on 11 July Bulut scored in a 6–0 win against Indonesia. On 13 July he scored a brace in the second half of a 4–1 win against Malaysia. On 15 July in Australia's final group stage fixture Bulut scored on 42 minutes as Australia drew 1–1 against Singapore. Australia went on to win the tournament, beating Bahrain 5–4 on penalties after drawing 1–1 after extra time. Having scored four goals in the tournament, Bulut converted one of Australia's five penalties in the final's shoot-out.[15] Bulut was then selected for Australia's U-17 squad for a tour in Turkey which saw him score for Australia in a 2–1 loss against the Turkey U-17 national team.[16]
Bulut was selected to play in the 2010 AFC U-19 Championship held in China. He scored Australia's second goal in its first group stage 4–1 win over Yemen.[17] Bulut would again deliver for the Young Socceroos after 60 minutes in their second group stage fixture as Australia would beat Iran at 3–0 and secured a spot in the knock-out stages.[18] Australia were drawn with the UAE at the quarter-final stage when Bulut opened the scoring after just 6 minutes. The game was locked at 2–2 before Australia would eventually win after scoring 2 goals in extra-time.[19] Bulut scored a brace in the semi-final against Saudi Arabia as Australia went on to win 2–0.[20] Korea DPR would beat Australia 3–2 in the final, which saw Australia take the lead at 2–1 having been down 1–0, when Bulut scored both goals in the space of six minutes, as Australia went on to qualify for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup. Bulut was awarded the Golden Boot of the tournament having scored 7 goals[21][22][23][24][25][26][27] After his performance at the tournament, the media had publicised Kerem as a talent that Sydney had lost due to snubbing him during selection.[28]
On 13 July Bulut was selected in Australia's 21-man squad for the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Colombia.[29] Drawn into Group C Bulut played in Australia's opening group stage fixture which resulted in a 1–1 draw against Ecuador on 31 July.[30] Bulut then played another 90 minutes in a 3–2 loss to Costa Rica on 3 August, where his flick-on header was touched by Thomas Oar to score Australia's first goal.[31][32] In Australia's last group stage match against Spain on 6 August, Bulut received the ball from a goal kick from Mark Birighitti before getting past a Spanish opponent and scoring past goal keeper Fernando Pacheco to make the score line 4–1.[33][34] The match finished 5–1 as Australia were eliminated from the tournament having finished in fourth position of their respective group with only one point.
Statistics accurate as of 17 October 2011
| Club | Season | League | Cup | Continental | Total | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Mladá Boleslav | 2010–11 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 8 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 7 | 1 | ||
| Career total | 15 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | 15 | 2 | ||
On 17 November 2010, Bulut was arrested, and on 18 November faced Burwood Court charged with a range of alleged offences including malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm; robbery in company; participate in criminal group; assist criminal activity, affray and intimidation. He was charged alongside three other men and a juvenile.[35] He was granted conditional bail and will face court again on 24 January 2011.[36] On 7 April 2011 after a court hearing Bulut had his passport returned to him allowing him to return to his club Mladá Boleslav. It was hoped that playing as a professional footballer overseas will help him further distance himself from negative influences around him.[37]
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