Sol Bamba, the frustrated Cardiff City star who wants
Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:29 am
The unseen work of Sol Bamba, the frustrated Cardiff City star who wants nothing more than to see his Bluebirds promoted again
Thursday 30th July 2020
The Bluebirds fan favourite has not had as much game time as he would have liked but has played an invaluable role behind the scenes
While Sol Bamba's impact on the pitch has been scarcely seen this year, Cardiff City fans should not underestimate his ever burning desire to push this club back to where it belongs.
The last 16 months have been an arduous, painstaking road back to full recovery, which has resulted in him largely watching on from the sidelines as Sean Morrison and Curtis Nelson struck up an excellent partnership at the heart of defence.
In his four years at the club he has seen it all, from consolidating the Bluebirds' Championship status in his first season to reaching the big time the next - only to come crashing back down to the second tier.
He has experienced the immense highs of promotion and the crushing pain of an awful ACL injury last March, but his love for the club endures and shines through brightly as he speaks on the eve of Cardiff City's play-off semi-final second leg against Fulham.
Neil Harris' side have a mountain to climb, of that there is no doubt, having to overturn a two-goal deficit at Craven Cottage on Thursday night.
Bamba concedes the task at hand will be difficult, but the Bluebirds are still only 180 minutes from a dramatic return to the top tier and that, the Ivorian believes, is exactly where this club belongs.
"It would be huge, every player and fan will tell you their club deserves to be there, but I’ve been to different countries, different clubs all around in Europe and England, and I am telling you this club should be in the Premier League," a bullish Bamba said.
"It's an unbelievable city, a capital city, great fanbase, wonderful facilities, the stadium is good, everything is in place to be in the Premier League regularly.
"It would mean a lot to us, especially this season to bounce straight back up which is never easy, so that would be a big achievement for us and the club.
"We have to be honest it’s a work in progress. A new manager came in, not easy for him, a lot of players already here from anprevious regime, so we have to give credit to him and give him time and he's proved how good he’s been so far.
"Hopefully he will have time to build and take us back to the Premier League."
That is, of course, if he doesn't seal that feat next Tuesday.
It is as yet unknown whether Bamba will have a hand on the pitch against Fulham, but if recent trends are anything to go by it is likely he will have to cheer his comrades on from the bench at Craven Cottage.
Since lockdown he has had just two minutes of football, both off the bench against Bristol City and Middlesbrough, and he has amassed just 489 minutes all term, largely in the FA Cup.
He is still adored by Bluebirds fans in this corner of the world, some of whom want to see him play more regularly.
And Bamba, now 35, is also still hungry for more game time, with the fire still burning white hot within him.
"If I said I was happy with my situation then I’d be lying," Bamba said.
"I’m all about the team and the club, no one is bigger than the club. It’s football, competition for places, and all I can do is train good and be ready when he needs me to come in.
"At my age, being in the position I am in and being a senior pro, I need to be there and the lads will tell you themselves what I’m doing behind the scenes, it’s my job, I just have to do it.
"The gaffer has been good as gold in letting me get on with it. I make sure the lads are up for it in training, make sure everyone is coming in on time, respecting the rules.
"But I am a football player still a lot to give but after coming back from long-term injury, the lads been unbelievable at the back and I have to be patient and wait for my chance."
While the frustration is clear, Harris will doubtless take that as a positive sign moving forward. If Bamba was content with his bit-part role then that would likely be more concerning.
But, ever the clubman, it is the defender's unseen work which has been so important behind the scenes.
Bamba appears to act as the middle man between the players and the staff.
"It's not just me, the dressing room is full of leaders," he added. "But, me being the oldest unfortunately, I have to make sure everyone is on board.
"But the manager lets me get on with it. I sort stuff out with Sean Morrison without even going to see the gaffer, because he knows he can trust us.
"I've got the respect from the lads as well.
"On the pitch, I can't keep my mouth shut, I want to make sure everyone is organised. But off the pitch I am not the loudest, but when I eventually speak people listen to it - because I'm not always the loudest.
"I just make sure they are at it at training, when I come to train, I want to get something out of it. If not, what's the point? It's small things, I make sure everyone is on time. If someone is down on confidence I recognise it and help them regain their confidence to get back out there."
It is clear Bamba would like nothing more than to have played a key part, even if it wasn't strictly on the pitch, in any Bluebirds promotion.
It would be extra special, too, if he did it for the late Peter Whittingham, who tragically passed away back in March.
"That one is a tough one for me, because I was very, very close to him," Bamba said.
"I am sure he will be up there looking at us and will be proud. If we can do it for him, it would be magnificent."
Harris has used Bamba in the dying minutes of games to shore up the defence or help to see a game out with experience.
But, if City are chasing the game late on at Craven Cottage, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Bamba could be sent on as an attacking option as the visitors look to bombard the box.
So, has he been dreaming of being the man to score that 90th-minute winner?
"You've known me over the years, it's not about me," he said. "It's all about the team and going through.
"If it's me, then it's great, if it's someone else, it will be equally great.
"I'm not known for scoring goals, you know that!"
Well, there's no better time to start scoring them, that's for sure.
Thursday 30th July 2020
The Bluebirds fan favourite has not had as much game time as he would have liked but has played an invaluable role behind the scenes
While Sol Bamba's impact on the pitch has been scarcely seen this year, Cardiff City fans should not underestimate his ever burning desire to push this club back to where it belongs.
The last 16 months have been an arduous, painstaking road back to full recovery, which has resulted in him largely watching on from the sidelines as Sean Morrison and Curtis Nelson struck up an excellent partnership at the heart of defence.
In his four years at the club he has seen it all, from consolidating the Bluebirds' Championship status in his first season to reaching the big time the next - only to come crashing back down to the second tier.
He has experienced the immense highs of promotion and the crushing pain of an awful ACL injury last March, but his love for the club endures and shines through brightly as he speaks on the eve of Cardiff City's play-off semi-final second leg against Fulham.
Neil Harris' side have a mountain to climb, of that there is no doubt, having to overturn a two-goal deficit at Craven Cottage on Thursday night.
Bamba concedes the task at hand will be difficult, but the Bluebirds are still only 180 minutes from a dramatic return to the top tier and that, the Ivorian believes, is exactly where this club belongs.
"It would be huge, every player and fan will tell you their club deserves to be there, but I’ve been to different countries, different clubs all around in Europe and England, and I am telling you this club should be in the Premier League," a bullish Bamba said.
"It's an unbelievable city, a capital city, great fanbase, wonderful facilities, the stadium is good, everything is in place to be in the Premier League regularly.
"It would mean a lot to us, especially this season to bounce straight back up which is never easy, so that would be a big achievement for us and the club.
"We have to be honest it’s a work in progress. A new manager came in, not easy for him, a lot of players already here from anprevious regime, so we have to give credit to him and give him time and he's proved how good he’s been so far.
"Hopefully he will have time to build and take us back to the Premier League."
That is, of course, if he doesn't seal that feat next Tuesday.
It is as yet unknown whether Bamba will have a hand on the pitch against Fulham, but if recent trends are anything to go by it is likely he will have to cheer his comrades on from the bench at Craven Cottage.
Since lockdown he has had just two minutes of football, both off the bench against Bristol City and Middlesbrough, and he has amassed just 489 minutes all term, largely in the FA Cup.
He is still adored by Bluebirds fans in this corner of the world, some of whom want to see him play more regularly.
And Bamba, now 35, is also still hungry for more game time, with the fire still burning white hot within him.
"If I said I was happy with my situation then I’d be lying," Bamba said.
"I’m all about the team and the club, no one is bigger than the club. It’s football, competition for places, and all I can do is train good and be ready when he needs me to come in.
"At my age, being in the position I am in and being a senior pro, I need to be there and the lads will tell you themselves what I’m doing behind the scenes, it’s my job, I just have to do it.
"The gaffer has been good as gold in letting me get on with it. I make sure the lads are up for it in training, make sure everyone is coming in on time, respecting the rules.
"But I am a football player still a lot to give but after coming back from long-term injury, the lads been unbelievable at the back and I have to be patient and wait for my chance."
While the frustration is clear, Harris will doubtless take that as a positive sign moving forward. If Bamba was content with his bit-part role then that would likely be more concerning.
But, ever the clubman, it is the defender's unseen work which has been so important behind the scenes.
Bamba appears to act as the middle man between the players and the staff.
"It's not just me, the dressing room is full of leaders," he added. "But, me being the oldest unfortunately, I have to make sure everyone is on board.
"But the manager lets me get on with it. I sort stuff out with Sean Morrison without even going to see the gaffer, because he knows he can trust us.
"I've got the respect from the lads as well.
"On the pitch, I can't keep my mouth shut, I want to make sure everyone is organised. But off the pitch I am not the loudest, but when I eventually speak people listen to it - because I'm not always the loudest.
"I just make sure they are at it at training, when I come to train, I want to get something out of it. If not, what's the point? It's small things, I make sure everyone is on time. If someone is down on confidence I recognise it and help them regain their confidence to get back out there."
It is clear Bamba would like nothing more than to have played a key part, even if it wasn't strictly on the pitch, in any Bluebirds promotion.
It would be extra special, too, if he did it for the late Peter Whittingham, who tragically passed away back in March.
"That one is a tough one for me, because I was very, very close to him," Bamba said.
"I am sure he will be up there looking at us and will be proud. If we can do it for him, it would be magnificent."
Harris has used Bamba in the dying minutes of games to shore up the defence or help to see a game out with experience.
But, if City are chasing the game late on at Craven Cottage, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that Bamba could be sent on as an attacking option as the visitors look to bombard the box.
So, has he been dreaming of being the man to score that 90th-minute winner?
"You've known me over the years, it's not about me," he said. "It's all about the team and going through.
"If it's me, then it's great, if it's someone else, it will be equally great.
"I'm not known for scoring goals, you know that!"
Well, there's no better time to start scoring them, that's for sure.
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Re: Sol Bamba, the frustrated Cardiff City star who wants
Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:29 am
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Re: Sol Bamba, the frustrated Cardiff City star who wants
Thu Jul 30, 2020 9:57 pm
How can you not love bamba! I wish we would have signed him 5 years earlier !
Re: Sol Bamba, the frustrated Cardiff City star who wants
Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:24 pm
A future Cardiff manager
I think he has a big future in management
I think he has a big future in management
Re: Sol Bamba, the frustrated Cardiff City star who wants
Fri Jul 31, 2020 1:37 am
nubbsy wrote:How can you not love bamba! I wish we would have signed him 5 years earlier !
Indeed; and I think he's one to keep for the future off the field once his playing career is over!
