BREAKING: ' SOL BAMBA ' "THE BUST UP"

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The Sol Bamba interview: My message from Guardiola and how Neil Warnock almost made me cry after THAT incident



The Bamba-Warnock bust-up


Friday 24th May 2019


By Paul Abddanatoa


Sol Bamba is already something of a Cardiff City legend, but the following story will probably see his esteem go up even further in the eyes of Bluebirds fans.

The centre-back colossus, who at 34 sustained a career-threatening knee injury, is refusing to go on holiday because of a debt he feels he owes to the supporters.




SOL BAMBA:


"They have been magnificent to me. I cannot have a situation where their last image of me is being stretchered off the pitch. No way. I have to return, and I will," Bamba says.

To that end, whilst his team-mates are sending him photographs of sunny climes and swimming pools on their summer break, Bamba heads on his own into Cardiff City's training HQ every day to do rehab work.

It's intensive and laborious, but the thought of playing again in front of those fans who idolise him drives Bamba on whenever the boredom kicks in.

We met up with the ultimate likeable gentle giant at the Vale as he reflected upon that injury, his Bluebirds career to date and his determination to carry on playing until the age of 40.

"Preferably with Cardiff," he says, on that subject. "I just love it here so much, the club, the people, the area. Everybody has been so supportive and I kind of feel I owe it to the fans to return and play in front of them again."

It was against Wolves two months ago that Bamba went down under a challenge from Adama Traore and tore knee ligaments.

"I've never known pain like it, I just knew it was bad," he explains

The injury temporarily brought to a halt a playing career which has seen Bamba settle in Cardiff under Neil Warnock, playing more games for the Bluebirds than any other club after arriving via nomadic spells in France, Italy, Turkey, Scotland, and with Leeds United and Leicester.

There is clearly a very special rapport between the manager and player, with Bamba and Sean Morrison being Warnock's eyes and ears on the pitch.


But even that bond with the man he calls "gaffer" came under severe strain during the infamous bust-up at Ipswich a couple of years ago when Bamba shoved Warnock aside as he saw red in more ways than one.

The tipping point was a reckless challenge from Ipswich's Jonathan Douglas, which the referee didn't punish, provoking Bamba's furious response and red card.



Reflecting upon it today, Bamba concedes: "That's the worst thing to happen in my career. Looking back I feel more embarrassed and disappointed for the gaffer because of the excellent working rapport he and I have got.

"It was a bad tackle, I was concerned I would get injured, then just lost my head.

"The incident went viral, but that was so, so wrong of me. It is not the way to behave on the football pitch.

"In the dressing room afterwards I apologised to everyone, but the gaffer didn't mention it, said the important thing was we didn't lose the game even though we only had 10 men . A couple of days after I went to his office to apologise again. He said he was more disappointed than angry because he never thought I could behave like that towards him.

"Do you know what, that almost made me cry right there. Yes, big old me.

The Bamba-Warnock bust-up



"I knew I was badly in the wrong, yet his man management of the situation and his support towards me demonstrated why he's the best in the business for me.

"He came with me to the FA, when I was fined. But instead of blaming me, the gaffer told them it was the referee's fault because he missed the bad tackle in the first place.

"I guess it was my passion coming out, but it came out in completely the wrong way."


That incident was high profile. Bamba tells another one from behind the scenes a year on, back in East Anglia again - this time at Norwich - as the Bluebirds were closing in on promotion.

"There were five games to go, we won 2-0, but there were words between us again in the dressing room," says Bamba.

"I dribbled out of defence, tried to play a diagonal ball, but messed it up. I raced back, put in a last ditch tackle and got injured doing so. I had to be substituted after 34 minutes and the gaffer had a right go at half-time. 'There you go, trying to be Beckenbauer again, you've got injured because of that. How many times do I have to tell you', that sort of thing.

"I had a right go back, saying it was nonsense. I'd played that way the whole season, the injury was nothing to do with what he was saying.

"I lost my rag and stormed out of the dressing room. It was only afterwards I was told what the gaffer then said to the players when I'd gone. 'See, that's why I love Sol. Everyone needs his passion, we're going to win this game'.

"And we did, two goals in the last five minutes. Again, rather than hold anything against me, the gaffer dealt with it superbly. No wonder I want to give so much back to him and this football club."

So, fast forward again to Molineux this year, and Cardiff are fighting desperately to stay in the top flight when that horrific injury brought an end to Bamba's impressive enough Premier League campaign.




SOL BAMBA:


"I was disappointed with my performance at the time, had given a goal away, wasn't playing well," he reflects. "I remember every game, but particularly the ones when I've made errors.

"I wanted to make amends, but ended up chasing things, didn't do the right things in my head and got injured.

"Traore went past me, I wanted to bring him down and take a yellow card. I twisted my knee, he fell on it and straight away I just knew. The pain was like no other I've had.

"I get on really well with our club doctor Len Noakes. He was honest with me, said he felt it might be bad, that the cruciate ligament had snapped."

After surgery in Spain, performed by Dr Raman Gugat - who does the Barcelona and Manchester City players and helped Bamba with a knee problem 15 years earlier - the big centre-half was told he would be out of action for up to nine months.





SOL BAMBA:


"Straight away I replied 'Well that's not going to happen, I will be back well before that'. I guess that was my inner willpower," says Bamba.

"I resolved there and then to return as quickly as possible and do whatever that took. Yes, even if it means not going away.

"Everyone else seems to be. The players are sending me pictures of enjoying themselves on Instagram or other social media. But there's no way I can go away, I feel I have to stay here and do what I need to do. Every morning I come in to strengthen muscles to support the knee, and other parts of the leg. It's repetitive, pressing weights, squats, is not easy mentally.


"But the thought of coming back in front of those fans drives me on whenever things get tough. I didn't play well at Wolves, so I certainly don't want to end my Cardiff career like that. But, as I say, I don't want the last memory for fans to be of me going off on a stretcher.

"Their support and messages of goodwill have been incredible. I knew because of that I had to return from this.

"In fact, I've been a little overwhelmed by messages I've had from everywhere. Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola sent me texts, John Terry too. Just saying 'Sorry about the injury, best of luck with the recovery.' I was really impressed with how the football world rallied around."

The upshot is that Bamba made a flying visit to his surgeon in Barcelona on Tuesday, and was told he is ahead of schedule in terms of recovery.

"He said it was as if I'd had the surgery four months ago, not two," says Bamba. "I've obviously got to be careful, but I should be fit for pre-season and do everything with the group, running, training, weights. Games will still be too early, I will maybe miss the first five matches or so of the new season, but there's real light at the end of the tunnel."

Having been a regular up to that point, Bamba had to watch the closing nine matches of the seasons as a frustrated figure from the sidelines as Cardiff went down.


SOL BAMBA:


"It was very difficult for me towards the end, if I'm honest," he says. "The gaffer asked me to be there in and around dressing room to help out in that respect, but you can't play a part on the pitch. It's the worst feeling you can have, you're desperate to do something, but you can't play.

"Watching the Chelsea game was such a choker. The players were brilliant, we should have won that, which would have given us such a boost for the next three to four fixtures, and seeing it taken away from us was hard."

Reflecting upon the campaign as a whole, he admits:


SOL BAMBA:



"I think we might have missed a trick in not staying up. I said to the gaffer if we were being battered every week, fair enough, we'd be out of our depth. But that wasn't the case and as such going down was a big disappointment.

"But even then there was that huge positive of the unity with the fans. I have never seen a team relegated before with that type of support and togetherness, the fans singing the name of the manager.

"Credit to them because, like us, they've had an awful lot to deal with this season, yet they've stayed there cheering us on, home and away.

"The gaffer told me their support is the reason he's staying - there are other clubs who would definitely want him - and I can understand what he means.

"When your own fans are so behind you in the way they are with Cardiff, you suddenly get extra energy. When you're tired in the closing moments, they drive you on. You feel you want to go through a brick wall for them. That's my mentality with my injury, I will do what I need to and repay them for their backing."

Bamba has never been happier in his football than with Cardiff, explaining: "Everything just clicked here. I had a lot to prove because people thought I was finished, but Neil Warnock clearly rated me and I enjoyed working under him from day one.

"The gaffer reckons I've got another three to four years at the highest level, but let me tell you a little secret. I've always felt I can play until I'm 40. I do the right things, eat well, sleep well, look after myself. Hopefully it'll be here with Cardiff City, but certainly the next three to four years at least. I love this club.

"I've always said I will stop football before football stops me. What I mean by that provided I'm competitive, can look myself in the mirror and know I have met the standards I aspire to, I will carry on playing."

Bamba dreams of a Premier League return and is adamant the Bluebirds will be among the promotion pace-setters next season.

"As I say, we've come down with unity. The group of players is very good, we've got character, the manager knows the division, we have the experience of a year in the Prem," he says. "Of course it'll be difficult, but if we keep this group together and bring in one or two others, we've got a real chance.

"I felt confident last time and I feel confident again.

"Yes we've been relegated, and our critics will be able to say 'I told you so'. But some of them reckoned we wouldn't even get past 11 points. That drove me crazy, people not believing in us. As a group we went out to prove people wrong and we took it right to the wire, despite the many things that were put in our way.


"That develops a camaraderie, one which will hold us in good stead next season. We'll be up for the fight."

Cardiff will certainly have a better chance of promotion with Bamba back in the team. It looks as if that return might come sooner than anticipated.

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The man's a genuine leader and nice guy, and he can't come back soon enough. But when he stops playing, he's a cert for punditry work for Sky or BBC. Make a quick return Sol.

Never fails to give 100 percent . Neil and Big Sol are like a married couple

Hurry back big fella BLOOBIRDS

Love Bamba. Totally committed.

But..... it wasn’t a challenge from Traore Bamba tried to foul him.

Sol is a legend and even if it was the end for him the Wolves game wouldn’t of been my memory of him. My memory would be of him being Mr Cardiff City and his performances in a City shirt.
Hope a speedy recovery for the big man and see ya next season.

Speedy recovery mate get back in your blue shirt asap

Great read. Been one of my favourite players to have at city ever.

I think he is the perfect example of how a decent player can play at the highest level. What he lacks in certain areas is totally outweighed in passion, desire, leadership and a will to win.

You can have all the talent in the world but the best players have the desire. Yes he mistakes but imo he has never let us down. Love watching him and one of my favourite signing.

I think he is so likeable on TV he will become a brilliant pundit,especially with some of the useless ones out there spouting tripe week in week out.

Gives 100 % every game shows great spirit and determination that's all you want as a fan .
Players come and go some you remember so you dont want to remember .
Bamba is one of those you cant forget his work rate his leadership rubs off on those around him .Its rubbed off on those of us in the stands to.
Looking forward to his return