Darnel Situ
Encyclopedia
Darnel Situ-Buyente is a French
football player of Congolese
descent who currently plays for Swansea City in the Premier League. He is a French youth international
and has captained at all levels of youth he has played at. Situ primarily plays as a centre back
or a holding midfielder and is known for his robust physique and physical strength.
, spending his childhood years with the club's under-11 squad. In 2003, he moved up north to the next region over joining RC Lens
on a youth contract. While at the Gaillette, short for the Centre Technique et Sportif de la Gaillette, Lens's youth academy, Situ established himself as one of the club's top youth prospects, alongside fellow defender William Rémy
and midfielders Alexandre Coeff
and Mehdi Abeid
. He captained Lens's under-16 team that reached the semi-final stage of the Championnat National
under-16 league, though Lens finished the group stage without a single point. While playing with the national under-16 team, Situ, alongside Rennes starlet Jérémy Helan
, drew the interest of Premier League clubs Manchester United
, Chelsea
, and Liverpool
, as well as Portsmouth
. Situ, at one point, met with Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
, but a deal could not be reached. France teammate Helan later joined Manchester City
.
, instead, allowed the young player to get some stable playing time in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth division of French football, with the team's reserve squad. Situ made his debut in the reserves opening match against Vesoul Haute-Saône
, appearing as a substitute. He earned his first start the following week playing the entire 90 minutes in the team's 0–0 draw with Olympique Noisy-le-Sec
. After appearing on the bench for several league and cup matches with the senior team at the start of the 2010 portion of the season, Situ made his professional debut in the club's Round of 64 Coupe de France
match against amateur club AFC Compiègne
. He started the match in the centre back position alongside veteran Ala Eddine Yahia and played the entire 90 minutes in the team's 1–0 victory.
Situ had a trial at Newcastle United
and scored a goal in his debut in a reserves match 5-0 win over Gateshead Reserves.
, under-17
, and, most recently, the under-18 team
. With the under-16s, Situ made ten appearances, scoring two goals. With the under-17 team, he was designated as captain and tasked with the challenge of qualifying for the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
. Situ led the team to qualification while appearing in 17 of the 19 total matches contested, scoring three goals against England
in the Algarve Cup
, Belarus
in qualification for under-17 competition, and against Switzerland
in the tournament itself. France was eliminated in the group stage portion of the tournament following their loss to Italy
.
Situ joined the under-18 team
in August 2009, as an underage player, playing with his elder peers at the SBS Cup in the Japan
ese prefecture
of Shizuoka
. He finished the 2009–10 under-18 campaign with nine caps and one goal, which came against Denmark
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
football player of Congolese
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
descent who currently plays for Swansea City in the Premier League. He is a French youth international
France national youth football team
The France national youth football team are the national under-20, under-19, under-18, under-17 and under-16 football teams of France and are controlled by the Fédération Française de Football. The youth teams of France participate in tournaments sanctioned by both FIFA and UEFA and also...
and has captained at all levels of youth he has played at. Situ primarily plays as a centre back
Defender (football)
Within the sport of association football, a defender is an outfield player whose primary role is to prevent the opposition from attacking....
or a holding midfielder and is known for his robust physique and physical strength.
Early career
Situ began his career playing for Football Club Saint-Étienne du Rouvray in the department of Seine-MaritimeSeine-Maritime
Seine-Maritime is a French department in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France. It is situated on the northern coast of France, at the mouth of the Seine, and includes the cities of Rouen and Le Havre...
, spending his childhood years with the club's under-11 squad. In 2003, he moved up north to the next region over joining RC Lens
RC Lens
Racing Club de Lens is a French association football club based in the northern city of Lens in the Pas-de-Calais department. Its nickname, sang et or , comes from its traditional colours of red and gold. Their primary rivals are their northern neighbors Lille OSC, whom they contest the Derby du...
on a youth contract. While at the Gaillette, short for the Centre Technique et Sportif de la Gaillette, Lens's youth academy, Situ established himself as one of the club's top youth prospects, alongside fellow defender William Rémy
William Rémy
William Rémy is a French football player who currently plays for Championnat National club US Créteil-Lusitanos on loan from first division club RC Lens...
and midfielders Alexandre Coeff
Alexandre Coeff
Alexandre Coeff is a French football player who currently plays for RC Lens. He is a France youth international having earned caps at all levels for which he is currently eligible. Coeff plays as a central midfielder. On 10 October 2008, at the age of 16, he signed his first professional contract...
and Mehdi Abeid
Mehdi Abeid
Mehdi Abeid is an Algerian footballer currently playing for Premier League club Newcastle United as a midfielder.-Personal:Abeid was born on August 6, 1992, in Montreuil, France, to Algerian parents...
. He captained Lens's under-16 team that reached the semi-final stage of the Championnat National
Championnat National
The Championnat de France National, commonly referred to as simply National or Division 3, serves as the third division of the French football league system behind Ligue 1 and Ligue 2...
under-16 league, though Lens finished the group stage without a single point. While playing with the national under-16 team, Situ, alongside Rennes starlet Jérémy Helan
Jérémy Hélan
Jérémy Hélan is an English footballer playing as a midfielder for Manchester City.-Career:Hélan started his career in the youth team of CM Aubervilliers from the age of eleven and stayed with the club until 2007...
, drew the interest of Premier League clubs Manchester United
Manchester United F.C.
Manchester United Football Club is an English professional football club, based in Old Trafford, Greater Manchester, that plays in the Premier League. Founded as Newton Heath LYR Football Club in 1878, the club changed its name to Manchester United in 1902 and moved to Old Trafford in 1910.The 1958...
, Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
, and Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
, as well as Portsmouth
Portsmouth F.C.
Portsmouth Football Club is an English football club based in the city of Portsmouth. The club is nicknamed Pompey. Portsmouth's home matches have been played at Fratton Park since the club's formation in 1898. The team currently play in the Football League Championship after being relegated from...
. Situ, at one point, met with Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson
Alex Ferguson
Sir Alexander Chapman "Alex" Ferguson, CBE is a Scottish association football manager and former player, currently managing Manchester United, where he has been in charge since 1986...
, but a deal could not be reached. France teammate Helan later joined Manchester City
Manchester City F.C.
Manchester City Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Manchester. Founded in 1880 as St. Mark's , they became Ardwick Association Football Club in 1887 and Manchester City in 1894...
.
Lens
Despite constant rumors of the Situ rejecting a contract with his parent club for a move abroad, on 4 February 2009, he signed his first professional contract agreeing to a three-year deal with Lens. For the 2009–10 season, despite being only 17, he was inserted onto the club's senior team, but was not assigned a number. Manager Jean-Guy WallemmeJean-Guy Wallemme
Jean-Guy Wallemme is a former French footballer, who is currently manager manager of Congo.He was a mainstay of the RC Lens team which won the French championship in 1998.In August 2011 he took over the Congolese national team....
, instead, allowed the young player to get some stable playing time in the Championnat de France amateur, the fourth division of French football, with the team's reserve squad. Situ made his debut in the reserves opening match against Vesoul Haute-Saône
Vesoul Haute-Saône
Vesoul Haute-Saône Football is a French association football team founded in 1921. They are based in Vesoul, France and are currently playing in the Championnat de France Amateurs Group A. They play at the Stade René Hologne in Vesoul, which has a capacity of 6,000.- Current squad :As of November...
, appearing as a substitute. He earned his first start the following week playing the entire 90 minutes in the team's 0–0 draw with Olympique Noisy-le-Sec
Olympique Noisy-le-Sec
Olympique Noisy-le-Sec Banlieue 93 is a French association football team founded in 1943. They are based in Noisy-le-Sec, France and are currently playing in the Championnat de France Amateurs Group A, the fourth tier in the French football league system...
. After appearing on the bench for several league and cup matches with the senior team at the start of the 2010 portion of the season, Situ made his professional debut in the club's Round of 64 Coupe de France
Coupe de France
The Coupe Charles Simon, commonly known as the Coupe de France , is the premier knockout cup competition in French football organized by the French Football Federation...
match against amateur club AFC Compiègne
AFC Compiègne
L'Association Football Club de Compiègne or AFC Compiègne is a French football club based in the commune of Compiègne.They currently play in the Championnat de France Amateurs Group A. Their kit colours are yellow and blue...
. He started the match in the centre back position alongside veteran Ala Eddine Yahia and played the entire 90 minutes in the team's 1–0 victory.
Situ had a trial at Newcastle United
Newcastle United F.C.
Newcastle United Football Club is an English professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. The club was founded in 1892 by the merger of Newcastle East End and Newcastle West End, and has played at its current home ground, St James' Park, since the merger...
and scored a goal in his debut in a reserves match 5-0 win over Gateshead Reserves.
Swansea
Situ agreed a two-year deal with Swansea on 31 August 2011 signing for an initial fee of £250,000. Several weeks later, FIFA announced that international clearence wouldn't be granted for Situ.International career
Situ is known for his impeccable leadership. He has captained several of his youth sides, which include the under-16France national under-16 football team
The France national under-16 football team is the national under-16 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team previously competed in the annual UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship before it was converted into an under-17 competition in 2002...
, under-17
France national under-17 football team
The France national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team competes in the annual UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship and the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which is held every four years...
, and, most recently, the under-18 team
France national under-18 football team
The France national under-18 football team is the national under-18 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team serves as a feeder team to the under-19 team as its matches aren't competitive...
. With the under-16s, Situ made ten appearances, scoring two goals. With the under-17 team, he was designated as captain and tasked with the challenge of qualifying for the 2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
2009 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship
- Group B :--------------------- Semi-finals :----- Final :- References :**...
. Situ led the team to qualification while appearing in 17 of the 19 total matches contested, scoring three goals against England
England national under-17 football team
-Elite Qualifying Group 3:-Group stage:-Fifth place play-off:-FA International U17 Tournament:-Latest squad:The following players were named in the squad for the 2012 UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship qualifying round....
in the Algarve Cup
Algarve Cup
The Algarve Cup is a global invitational tournament for national teams in women's football . Held annually in the Algarve region of Portugal since 1994, it is one of the most prestigious women's football events, alongside the Women's World Cup and Women's Olympic Football...
, Belarus
Belarus national under-17 football team
The Belarus national under-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of Belarus.-Current squad:-See also:*Belarus national football team*Belarus national under-21 football team...
in qualification for under-17 competition, and against Switzerland
Switzerland national football team
The Swiss national football team is the national football team of Switzerland...
in the tournament itself. France was eliminated in the group stage portion of the tournament following their loss to Italy
Italy national under-17 football team
The Italy national U-17 football team is the national under-17 football team of Italy and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation.The team competes in the UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship, held every year.-UEFA U-17 Championship Record:...
.
Situ joined the under-18 team
France national under-18 football team
The France national under-18 football team is the national under-18 football team of France and is controlled by the French Football Federation. The team serves as a feeder team to the under-19 team as its matches aren't competitive...
in August 2009, as an underage player, playing with his elder peers at the SBS Cup in the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese prefecture
Prefecture
A prefecture is an administrative jurisdiction or subdivision in any of various countries and within some international church structures, and in antiquity a Roman district governed by an appointed prefect.-Antiquity:...
of Shizuoka
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
. He finished the 2009–10 under-18 campaign with nine caps and one goal, which came against Denmark
Denmark national football team
The Denmark national football team represents Denmark in association football and is controlled by the Danish Football Association , the governing body for the football clubs which are organized under DBU...
.