After your successful career in Gambia, how you get the chance to join the Hangzhou Greentown? Did you know something about the Chinese Super League before sign your contract with the Chinese club?
After a very successful season with my Gambian club, Real de Banjul, I actually got the chance to move to Hangzhou Greentown after been told by the Club President that I’ll be going there for trials. Before then, I actually had offers from clubs in Norway, Sweden and even in Spain, together with one of my other teammates but we couldn’t travel to Europe because of visa issues as it’s always difficult from Africa. But I got the chance to trial with Hangzhou, went there for nearly a month and I managed to convince the people there who knew my qualities as a footballer, then came back to Gambia and my club started negotiating with them until both parties agreed, and I moved. Before moving though, I had brief idea just like everyone in Gambia about the Chinese Super League as we all back home knew about Didier Drogba moving to there, Seydou Keita, Frederick Kanoute, Yakubu and Nicolas Anelka. So I actually knew about Shanghai Shenhua before but not much about Hangzhou or the other teams.
You left Gambia and moved to China, how were the changes of residence and culture? What would you say were the most notorious differences between both countries?
The changes of residence was a big problem because the culture from Gambia or let me say Africa as a whole is totally different from China. I actually struggled in my first few weeks and probably months because in my country, we greet everyone with «Hello, Good morning or Good afternoon», and when someone does something for us, we say «Thank you» but it’s a bit different here, so that was something I find surprising but now used to it. The food was a problem though one positive was there’s rice just like Gambia because we Africans love rice. But the weather, environment, the fans turnout and the way how they are passionate and support their team was all something different for me because I had that in my country but not like here or since when I turned professional. The huge time difference was also another issue because I’m a young person and I always like being close to my family and the only way I could do that was to be talking to them on phone every time but with this time difference, sometimes I used to call them and they’ll be sleeping while I am awake or sometimes I’ll be sleeping and they are up, it was interesting but now I’ve found out the answer to that because where there is a will, there is a way.
Hangzhou Greentown transferred you with a loan to Yanbian FC, a team that last season almost got relegated to second division, which were the goals of the Yanbian at the start of the season and what was your first impression of your colleague’s football level?
Honestly, I was suppose to go to another team in League One before Yanbian but I think they didn’t have the confidence in me and decided not to sign me, that’s why I’m happy we are promoted to Super League and they stayed in League One. I was surprised that Yanbian were relegated but stayed, I think it was a blessing in disguise though. The team was not actually looking to get promoted, the aim was to maintain ourselves and stay up in League One but after some matches, we knew we can dream for promotion and thankfully, we’ve achieved that dream after working hard. The level of football from my teammates was also good and they are good standard because we have players with Chinese Super League experience, so their level of understanding was very good and it was easy for me to jell into the team after coming. I will like to thank the manager and coach, Park Tae-ha, for his confidence in bringing me into his team and giving me playing time and the only thing I could’ve done to repay him together with my teammates was to get the team promoted to Super League, and honestly, it feels good to be Champion.
After a spectacular collective, becoming league champions and promoting to the Chinese Super League, and individual, scoring 17 goals in your first year in China, performance, how a modest club like Yanbian is able to steal the league from millionaire projects like the Hebei or the Dalian? What are your thoughts about the level of the second division of the Chinese football?
I think Yanbian won the league through teamwork, hard work and commitment from everybody associated with the club. It’s true that it is a modest club and cannot be compared with the big money teams but sometimes you need more than money to reach your goals. Everybody was committed and we were motivated in different ways and we’re ready to fight for each other that’s why the team collected all the top awards for the 2015 League One season. The level of second division football is honestly not bad even though some people back home in my country were criticizing my move to Yanbian, and even before to the Super League with Hangzhou but one thing I know is that, football here is a lot more developed than many parts in Europe, the league just needs more media coverage and possibly more sponsors than there is. The level though, is very good.
Having Yanbian FC promoted to the Chinese Super League with you as the star of the team, are you thinking about going back to Hangzhou Greentown for next season or are you thinking about staying in Yanbian FC?
I honestly do not want to comment about my future for now as I leave that to God and my agent to sort out. I do love but clubs to be honest, I am still a Hangzhou Greentown player and I do have a contract with them. I cannot comment any further.
When thinking about the future, do you see you continuing your career in China or would you like to play in any of the European leagues?
Like I said, I am still a Hangzhou Greentown player and I have a contract with them but the main goal is to play in a top European club. That is yet to come as at now, so I will focus on my football in China but in this game, you never know, if Europe comes calling, that’s my dream.