Valentin Gjokaj
 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Valentin Gjokaj | ||
| Date of birth | 23 August 1993 | ||
| Place of birth | Lucerne, Switzerland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) | ||
| Playing position | Defender | ||
| Club information | |||
Current team | Free agent | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2011 | FC Luzern | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2011–2012 | FC Luzern II | 14 | (4) |
| 2012–2014 | Derby County | 6 | (0) |
| 2012 | → Carlisle United (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2014 | → Barnet (loan) | 14 | (2) |
| 2014–2015 | Gateshead | 19 | (0) |
| National team‡ | |||
| 2013– | Albania U21 | 9 | (0) |
|
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:15, 8 September 2015 (UTC). | |||
Valentin Gjokaj (born 23 August 1993) is an Albanian football defender who is currently a free agent.
Club career
FC Luzern
Born in Lucerne, Gjokaj began his career at hometown Swiss club FC Luzern and played for the club's under-18 team[1] before having trial at Premier League side Blackburn Rovers in August 2011,[1] playing the full 90 minutes a in a reserve pre-season friendly against Chorley, which Rovers won 2–1.[1] After this trial Gjokaj returned to Luzern and featured 14 times for the second team in the 1.Liga Group 3 during the 2011–12 season, scoring 4 goals after he made his début in March 2012 against GC Biaschesi. In May 2012, Gjokaj had a trial at Premier League club Newcastle United.[2] However he failed to get a deal[3] and Gjokaj was released by Luzern at the end of the season.[3][4]
Derby County
In July 2012, ahead of the 2012–13 season, Gjokaj went on trial at Championship side Derby County, featuring in a pre-season friendly against Mansfield Town on 25 July 2012.[3] Gjokaj impressed in this game and was given further run outs against Burton Albion[5] and Northampton Town.[6] Gjokaj returned to his home in Switzerland, but Derby manager Nigel Clough was keen to sign him.[7] Gjokaj signed a two-year contract with the club, with an option of a third year on 18 August 2012.[4]
Gjokaj made his competitive first team début in a 2–2 draw against Sheffield Wednesday on 18 August 2012, as an 87th minute substitute for Will Hughes.[8] Gjokaj spent the following three months as a regular for Derby's under-21 side, before he joined League One outfit Carlisle United on loan for six weeks on 22 November.[9] However he was recalled after a month, after making only one appearance as a second half substitute in an FA Cup match against Bournemouth on 1 December.[10] Upon his return at Derby, Gjokaj was again mainly featuring for the clubs under-21 team and as an unused substitute for the first before, before making his first start at right back in Derby's 1–1 draw at Cardiff City on 5 March 2013.[11]
During the 2013–14 pre-season, Gjokaj took part in Derby's first team friendlies. As confirmed by Nigel Clough, the player was going to be used as cover in central defence for Jake Buxton and Richard Keogh as more senior options Shaun Barker and Mark O'Brien were both recovering from knee injuries.[12]
Gjokaj joined Barnet on loan on 14 February 2014.[13] On 18 March 2014, Gjokaj extended his loan stay with the Bees until the end of the 2013–14 season.[14] His first goal for them came in a 2-1 win over Forest Green Rovers on 5 April 2014.[15] He scored the only goal in a 1-0 win at Nuneaton Town on 19 April, scoring from outside the box.[16] In total, he scored twice in his 14 appearances for the Bees.
International career
Gjokaj was eligible for both Switzerland and Albania at international level and in January 2013, Gjokaj was called up for the Albania under-21 for their friendly against Macedonia under-21 on 6 February.[17] Gjokaj played the full 90 minutes of the game, which ended 0–0.
Career statistics
- As of 8 September 2015.
| Club Performance | League | Cup | League Cup | Other1 | Discipline | Total | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Club | League | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |  |  | Apps | Goals |
| 2011–12 | FC Luzern II | 1.Liga Group 3 | 14 | 4 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 14 | 4 | |||
| 2011–12 | FC Luzern II Total | 14 | 4 | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | 14 | 4 | ||||
| 2012–13[18] | Derby County | Championship | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |||
| 2012–13[18] | Carlisle United (loan) | League One | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2013–14[19] | Derby County | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013–14[19] | Barnet (loan) | Conference Premier | 14 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | 14 | 2 | ||
| 2012–14 | Derby County Total | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014–15[20][21][22][23][24] | Gateshead | Conference | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 24 | 1 | |
| 2014–15 | Gateshead Total | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 2 | 24 | 1 | |
| Career Total | 53 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 59 | 7 | ||
- Notes
1Other appearances include Football League Trophy, FA Community Shield, FA Trophy and play-off appearances.
References
- 1 2 3 "2011/12 Pre-Season: Chorley 1 Rovers Reserves 2". BRFCS. 11 August 2011.
- ↑ "Newcastle Offer Trials To Christophe Lowinsky and Valentin Gjokaj". Sky Tyne & Wear. 10 May 2012.
- 1 2 3 "New faces are given a run-out as Derby County suffer friendly defeat against Mansfield Town". Derby Evening Telegraph. 26 July 2012.
- 1 2 "Gjokaj Deal done". Derby County. 18 August 2012.
- ↑ "Valentin Gjokaj and James Caton will get another chance to impress". Derby County. 27 July 2012.
- ↑ "Gjokaj Given More Time To Impress". Derby Evening Telegraph. 31 July 2012.
- ↑ "Derby County Keen to Sign Swiss defender Valentin Gjokaj". Derby Evening Telegraph. 3 August 2012.
- ↑ "Derby 2–2 Sheff Wed". BBC Sport. 18 August 2012.
- ↑ "TRANSFER: Rams defender signs up". Carlisle United. 22 November 2012.
- ↑ "Derby County recall Valentin Gjokaj from Carlisle loan". BBC Sport. 18 December 2012.
- ↑ "Cardiff 2–2 Derby". BBC Sport. 5 March 2013.
- ↑ "Nigel Clough in no rush to land central defender for Derby County". Derby Telegraph. 29 July 2013.
- ↑ Happy Valentin's Day
- ↑ "Gjokaj Loan Extended". Barnet FC. 18 March 2014.
- ↑ Barnet 2 – 1 Forest Green Rovers
- ↑ Nuneaton Town 0 – 1 Barnet
- ↑ "Derby defender Valentin Gjokaj named in the Albania Under-21 squad for friendly against Macedonia". Sky Sports. 29 January 2013.
- 1 2 "Games played by Valentin Gjokaj in 2012/2013". Soccerbase. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
- 1 2 "Games played by Valentin Gjokaj in 2013/2014". Soccerbase. Retrieved 29 July 2013.
- ↑ "Games played by Valentin Gjokaj in 2014/2015". Soccerbase. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
- ↑ "Grimsby Town 0-0 Gateshead". Gateshead FC. 10 January 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
- ↑ "Gateshead 3-2 Grimsby Town (AET)". Gateshead FC. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
- ↑ "Wrexham 1-1 Gateshead". Gateshead FC. 24 January 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
- ↑ "Gateshead 2-2 Wrexham AET (Wrexham win 5-3 on penalties)". Gateshead FC. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 8 September 2015.
External links