Diop: So many heroes have shaped my career
WHUFC.com
Promising centre-back Issa Diop reveals the biggest influences on his young career…
My mother and my wife are my all-time heroes
My wife and my mother are both true heroes of mine. My mother has played a massive part on my life and been a great influence on me. She did not have it easy when we were growing up, bringing up my four brothers and sisters and me alone at our home in Toulouse. She gave me the strength never to give up and she gave me the belief to go on and become the person I am today. I will never forget what she did for me. Now, my wife provides me with the support I need to be successful and, again, I would not be where I am without her.
A man respected everywhere
Nelson Mandela is a hero of mine for many reasons.
He fought so hard for the human rights of people in South Africa and across the world and preached a message of mutual respect, so it’s impossible not to love him. I think the whole of Africa loved Mandela and what he stood for, if not the whole of the world. Even after he spent 27 years in prison on Robben Island, he still coped and got through it and has given us all an example to follow, particularly with his great humility.
The coach who gave me direction
The first person who showed faith in me to become a professional footballer was a coach called Fabrice Garrigues. Monsieur Garrigues was the Director of the Academy at Toulouse throughout my time at the club and also my gaffer when I played for the Under-17s and Under-19s. I worked with him for many, many years and he always believed in me and pushed me to do better and always told me the truth about how I was performing and developing, whether it was good or bad. He was very strict with me, but without him I would not be where I am now so I am and always will be very grateful to him for that.
The president who pushed for my promotion
The President of Toulouse, Olivier Sadran, and Monsieur Garrigues both pushed for me to play for the first team. Monsieur Sadran had so much belief in me and I will always be grateful for that support. He took over the club when it was having some financial difficulties a long time ago, in 2001, and oversaw their rise back up to Ligue 1. Under Monsieur Sadran, Toulouse has always been a club which has brought players through from their own Academy and I am proud to have been one of those who made it through to the first team.
The defenders who inspired me
I have never been someone who modelled his game on one player in particular or had favourite players. But it is true that France has always been a country which has had fantastic defenders such as Marcel Desailly and Lilian Thuram, who have been role models for many young players. I have huge respect what they did by winning the World Cup in 1998 and the European Championship in 2000, because those were victories that changed what young players felt they could achieve in France.
If I could achieve just a third of what they achieved during the careers that they had, that would be fantastic.
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Snodgrass: We want to get on the front foot
WHUFC.com
Robert Snodgrass believes West Ham United’s willingness to get on the front foot will soon gain its reward in the Premier League. The Hammers tasted defeat against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday, but not before they pushed their visitors all the way and came close to levelling three times in the second period through Marko Arnautovic. Indeed, they forced 13 attempts on goal to Tottenham’s ten, and although that did not come with the end result of a goal on Saturday, Snodgrass says that forward-thinking attitude will see them climb the table. The Hammers’ No11 has enjoyed a renaissance of his own this term, returning from a season-long loan at Aston Villa to feature in all nine of the club’s league outings to date and he is relishing the opportunity to pull on the Claret & Blue in front of the West Ham support once again. “The West Ham fans are as honest as the day is long, there is such a tradition here among them and the first thing they want to see, because they pay a lot of money, is to see the team working hard,” he said. “They want to see players giving every ounce for that badge and that is what we did on Saturday. “The manager has been about for a long time and he knows the game inside out. After the game he said, ‘listen get your heads up because that’s the level I want’. That’s the hard work and dedication you need and on another day we could have won that game. “We’ve put pressure on ourselves to deliver come the Saturday, and when you compare that performance to Wolves, the fans were clapping us at the end because that’s what they want to see. “I went away to Villa to keep playing, but I always kept an eye on the results and spoke to the lads, wishing them good luck through those tough times last year. “I am friends with these people. I wanted to come back and try and prove myself to the manager. “I want to be here, work hard for the cause and try to help the lads go forward and kick on to the top part of the table. That’s why I came here."
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Simic: Unfortunate early Liverpool goal cost us
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Julia Simic believes West Ham United were unlucky not to come away with at least a point from Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash with Liverpool.
The Irons suffered an early set-back in the game after conceding to a Courtney Sweetman-Kirk goal on eleven minutes.
Simic’s side then spent most of the game chasing an equaliser, but Fran Kitching held firm in the Liverpool goal and, despite a flurry of late chances for the Hammers, the Reds took the points.
“We were unfortunate to concede an early goal because there’s always a gameplan and you struggle a bit when you concede early,” Simic told whufc.com.
“At the end. we didn’t have that clear chance, but we had more opportunities in the second half with the set pieces. We deserved at least one goal, but we were unlucky.
“We are still on a journey, we are still a new team with new players and we are still in a process. We had a bad game last week against Manchester City and we wanted to bounce back in a certain way.”
The 29-year-old can however see that the Irons are improving and there are things to be proud of.
“I think the way we defended, remained compact and showed a good face was good," she added. "Today wasn’t a bad game for us.
“Of course, our goal was to win at Rush Green because it’s our home and we like playing here, so it’s hard to have nothing, but our ambition normally should be to win against teams like Liverpool.”
The German midfielder is optimistic that West Ham can get back to winning ways against Everton next weekend.
She added: “Our goal now is to beat Everton. We are struggling a bit with the personnel situation with injuries, but we would never use that as an excuse. We have still have enough quality to win these games and next week should be three points.”
Despite the result, there were an incredible 1,966 supporters at Rush Green and Simic was thankful to the Irons fans.
“They were amazing. It was nice weather, the conditions were brilliant to come out with three points, but we can’t change it now. Our personality and character shows how strong we are as a team and hopefully we can win three points next week.
“It’s always nice to have [a large number of] fans here, as they can push you and it’s nice to look around and have a good atmosphere here, so hopefully they will come back again.”
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English student Balbuena learning Premier League language
WHUFC.com
Keen English student Fabian Balbuena is learning how to come to terms with the demands of the Premier League.
The Paraguay centre-back has had to adapt quickly to a new language, a new country, a new culture and a new type of football since swapping Brazilian club Corinthians for West Ham United in the summer.
And while results have not gone as well as the South American might have hoped, after three months in Claret and Blue, Balbuena believes he is starting to get the hang of life in London and, more importantly, life in the most competitive league in the world.
“I’m in a new stage of my life and my career and I’m adapting very well,” said the No4, who has played every minute of West Ham’s Premier League campaign so far. “I had a little bit of trouble with the language but with time it is getting better and I’m talking English every day and, in general, I’m feeling better every time I try.
“In terms of the results we are playing well but the ball doesn’t want to go in at the moment, but we will keep on working to get the points we need.”
The defender has made more clearances and interceptions than any other Hammer in 2018/19, while also forging a strong partnership with fellow new boy Issa Diop.
Balbuena played at the very highest level of South American football, winning domestic league titles in Paraguay and Brazil with Cerro Porteno and Corinthians respectively and featuring regularly in continental competition with the latter in recent seasons.
With seven senior caps to his name, the 27-year-old is also well-versed in the demands of international football, but he admits the Premier League has presented him with a different challenge altogether.
“The intensity here is bigger, and also it’s possible to play more,” he explained. “In South America, the players fall with minimal contact but here it is different.
“But for me, the most different aspect is the intensity. There are great players in every position on the pitch so that’s why I think everything is more intense.
“I struggled a bit in the first weeks after I moved but I think I have adapted already, working day by day and I feel good about how things are going.”
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