Player watch: Baba Diawara

Marítimo 2-1 Benfica, Taça de Portugal, 2/12/2011.

Baba Diawara’s name has been mentioned in connection with Celtic since the end of the summer transfer window, when it was widely reported that only work permit problems prevented him completing a move from Madeira to Glasgow.

Since then Baba has been in great form for Marítimo and leads the goalscoring charts in Portugal with 9 in 11 in the league and 11 in 14 in all competitions.

Since the alleged collapse of his move to Celtic there have been speculations that Celtic may come back in for him in January, that they will have first option on him in that window and even that a deal has already been agreed. With this in mind I decided to take a closer look at Marítimo’s Senegalese number 9, having only previously seen him in highlight clips or part of a match, so I watched his club’s cup game at home to Benfica tonight to do a bit of scouting.

Baba plays as the focal point of Marítimo’s attack, a typical number 9 in many ways, and maintains a central position for the majority of the time, being the lone striker in a 4-3-3 system.

It is evident that he can be an outlet as a target for long balls and on numerous occasions he was asked to win a high ball, and he often did so, sometimes winning a free kick off the defender in the process. He displayed that ability of a good centre forward who knows who to play his defender, how to back in without conceding the foul but winning one instead. He appears strong but not monstrously so.

Although Baba is comfortable with his back to goal and challenging aerially, he also is more than capable of making a run in behind the defence and has the pace and timing to do so. On a couple of occasions against Benfica he made an intelligent run but the pass was just overhit.

He also displayed an ability to receive the ball as the furthest man forward, hold it up and then have the composure to play it on, keeping the attack moving. A number of times he came deeper to link play up, but only when necessary and not out of a desire to be needlessly involved, nor in a way that left the attack deficient. He was usually quick to move the ball on, simply and calmly, before making a forward run.

Baba appears an intelligent player, particularly in and around the penalty area. He knows how to take up a good position and use his body too. A couple of times he won the ball in the box when he didn’t appear the favourite and was then able to shield it from defenders and lay it off to a team mate. On another occasion a clever dummy on his part at the edge of the area presented a team mate with a decent chance.

What surprised me slightly tonight was that Baba himself didn’t have a chance on goal, bar a couple of blocked shots. This can partly be attributed to a lack of service and the fact that Marítimo were facing top opposition in Benfica but it must be said that Baba doesn’t seem the type of player who will fashion a chance out of nothing for himself. That’s not necessarily a big criticism as many goalscorers are similar (one that springs to mind is Sporting’s Ricky van Wolfswinkel). He can link up play well, lead the line, provide a focus for the attack and lay on chances for others but without good service he likely won’t produce goals himself.

Tonight wasn’t his night on the goal front (although it was certainly a fantastic result for his team) but he still put in a good shift and impressed me. I could see his qualities, although I was a little disappointed I didn’t get the chance to assess his finishing skills. What was encouraging, though, is that I could see he was getting in good positions and still being of value to the team, and clearly, given his record this season, he does know how to put chances away when he gets them. 

Would Baba Diawara be a useful addition to Neil Lennon’s Celtic squad? I think he would. He offers something a little different to what is already there. Although Anthony Stokes has performed admirably as the lone striker in the last couple of European games it is not a role that is entirely natural or suited to him. Gary Hooper is a fine poacher and penalty box striker but can’t be expected to win many aerial balls and has previously proved ineffective when asked to lead the line alone. Georgios Samaras is tall and physical but tends to drift out wide and into the channels and likes to run at players. Recent evidence suggests that the Greek forward’s most effective role may be on the left, rather than central. I’ve not seen enough of Mo Bangura to make a proper judgement but he does not appear to be a “number 9” either, more someone who likes to run the channels and take a man on. Baba stays central, receives the ball and plays it on, bringing others into play. He can be a target man and more besides. He can drop deep and run in behind too.

Bringing in a fifth first team striker might be overkill, and I do not want to downplay the merits of the four at the club right now, but I think Diawara is different enough that he would be of use to the squad and offer something Celtic don’t have right now. It may be that if he comes in, someone else will have to move on but if that is in the name of progress then that’s football.

One stumbling block, should Celtic wish to sign him, is his recent form. If no deal has already been agreed or no fee already set then Celtic may find his price has soared beyond their reach since August, and they are certainly not the only club who have been linked to him.  

Match Report: Porto v Braga

Two late goals weren’t enough for Braga as Porto clinched a crucial 3-2 win at Estádio do Dragão thanks to a double from Hulk and one from Kléber.

The game was an open one and the visitors perhaps shaded the opening half hour, creating the better chances, but it’s no lie that goals change games and that’s what happened in the 37^th minute. An inviting James Rodríguez cross was met by Hulk whose header flew over and beyond advancing Braga keeper Quim and into the net.

From then on it was Porto who were in the ascendency, and shortly after the goal it was only good awareness from Quim that prevented a possible second; the Portuguese veteran racing out of his box and performing sweeping duties after a ball in behind left his defence struggling. Earlier he had also denied Hulk with his feet after the Brazilian cut inside from the right channel and fired in a low shot.

However, Braga had chances too, usually with Alan as the inspiration. In the 16^th minute he carved open the Porto backline with a pass that sent Lima racing through but his fellow Brazilian dragged his shot wide from outside the area.

Moments later Alan sent in a teasing low cross from the right but Maicon did well to make a vital interception at the back post.

Around ten minutes later Alan, again, sent over an excellent low ball from the right but the sliding Lima couldn’t get a decent enough connection on it and the ball looped over.

Porto began the second half in relative control and in the 57^th minute good defending from last man Paulo Vinícius denied James a chance on goal. About five minutes later a Maicon header brought out a decent save from Quim but the assistant’s flag was raised anyway. Shortly afterwards Quim again saved a close range header, this time after Cristian Rodríguez connected with fellow substitute Souza’s cross from the left.

Alan, so influential in the first, had faded into the periphery in the second half but he popped up in the 72^nd minute to produce a good save from Helton after the ball had been worked to him on the right following some good combination play down the left flank between Paulo Vinícius and Hélder Barbosa, who had just replaced Paulo César.

However, Porto appeared to have sealed the game in a four minute double salvo beginning with a fantastic strike from Hulk in the 78^th minute. João Moutinho in possession on the right played the ball inside to Hulk, slightly right of centre, outside the area, and the forward swiftly bent his shot high into the far side of the goal, sailing beyond the outstretched Quim. It was a great goal and the Dragão erupted in appreciation.

Hulk was involved in Porto’s third as well – but not before the offside flag denied him a hat trick – and this time he was the creator; bursting into the area on the right towards the byline, he cut the ball back to provide Kléber with a relatively straight forward finish.

There was drama yet in this match though and Hulk once again played a central role. The 25 year old, tracking back inside his own penalty area, brought down Braga right back Leandro Salino in an ill judged challenge from behind in the 89^th minute, resulting in a penalty and a yellow card. Lima confidently dispatched the penalty.

In the first minute of additional time Lima scored again, sweeping a Paulo Vinícius cutback in first time from just inside the area after Alan’s neat pass had released the full back.

However it was too little too late for Braga as Porto saw the match out to see the final score mirror that in last season’s corresponding fixture. The result sees Porto remain level on points with Benfica who beat Sporting 1-0 yesterday at Estádio da Luz in the Lisbon derby. Sporting lose ground and are now four points behind the leaders, with Marítimo one point behind after their 2-2 draw at Nacional.

   

Team GB football team Part II

To follow on from my previous post (which, as explained therein, was written some time ago) I will begin by reiterating my beliefs that a) football should not be an Olympic sport and b) that the UK should not enter a joint football team into the London 2012 Olympics. From these viewpoints I have not altered. It may have been a subject I was already slightly weary of when I wrote that piece but even now it is still something I feel strongly about.

Why does it matter so much to me that Scotland retains its footballing independence?

As a proud Scot and a football fan the only national team I could ever truly support is Scotland. I simply could not feel the same way about a UK team; it would ruin international football for me. I do not feel British nor do I identify with the notion of Britain or Britishness in any way. To me the United Kingdom is a political entity and nothing more. Scotland is a nation and hence my nationality is Scottish – despite what my passport says.

However, I would certainly not describe myself as a nationalist (I am indifferent to the idea of Scottish independence politically) and I say none of this out of disregard for the rest of the UK. I am happy to witness the success of all UK athletes at the Olympics (although, admittedly, it is not an event that inspires fervent passion in me) and in the past I have willed on Tim Henman at Wimbledon and backed Matthew Syed in table tennis competitions.

But these are individuals, football is a team sport and my team is Scotland. I believe the Scottish Football Association have legitimate fears that if Scottish players feature as part of Team GB at the Olympics it could put our national team’s future at serious risk. We have always had our own football team and to gamble that over a meaningless, age restricted tournament seems like grave foolishness.    

I have little doubt that FIFA would quite like to unite the UK teams, our independent status is viewed by many outsiders as a privilege and one that some would have no qualms about taking away. A united footballing UK would grant FIFA more power too as no more would the “home associations” have such dominance on the International Football Association Board or such influence within FIFA itself – where they are guaranteed one of the eight Vice-President spots. On the specific issue of how Team GB could affect the Home Nations’ independence FIFA have sent out mixed signals and have in no way offered a guarantee that we would not be putting it in jeopardy were we to compete united at the Olympics. And even if they were to offer one, would anyone trust them?

The FAW (Football Association of Wales) and the IFA (Irish Football Association) have similar anxieties to the SFA which I, of course, empathise with. In the past fortnight photos have emerged of Welsh players Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey sporting the Team GB football kit. I’m sure the sight of these images will have made a few Welsh supporters feel uneasy, and not just because the shirt in question is rather hideous. I’d bet the players don’t quite grasp either the gravity of the situation or the strength of feeling amongst their own supporters. These things must be explained to them, and I believe Gary Speed has indicated that he will talk to the Welsh players about it – hopefully Craig Levein does likewise with the Scotland squad.

No Scotland internationals, to my knowledge, have been as forthright in stating their willingness to play as part of Team GB as Bale and Ramsey have but some players, including Rangers youngsters Gregg Wylde and Kyle Hutton, have conceded they would be open to the possibility.

I can only hope that between now and whenever Stuart Pearce selects his Olympic squad that the SFA makes its stance crystal clear to Scottish players, makes them aware of the dangers and advises them not to be selfish and to not rank personal ambitions ahead of a nation’s passion.  

Team GB football team Part I

The debate over the appearance of an all UK football team at next summer's Olympics seems to pop up every now and again and may get more intense as London 2012 draw nearer.

Here is what I wrote on the subject in January 2009:

Football should not be an Olympic event.

At least that should be as far as the argument should go, however, the reality is that for some implausible reason or another it is and certain people seem determined for 'Team GB' (an inaccurate moniker by the way as it excludes its Northern Irish athletes) to enter a football team in the London 2012 Olympics. I would question the sanity of whoever raised this idea initially as surely they could have foreseen the huge can of worms that it has opened. There are too many irresolvable issues and debates at the heart of this on political, nationalistic and logistic levels and the simplest thing to do would be to acknowledge the fact that football isn't a high profile Olympic event and not bother with the whole farce that is detracting from the efforts of those in other disciplines that are rightfully an integral part of the Olympics and are therefore more deserving of Olympic attention.

Not entering a UK team in the Olympics would also please all the club managers who may have had players taken from them for the start of the league campaign. The timetable clash between Olympic football and domestic football is another argument for its futility. Furthermore, uniquely at the Games, Olympic football has age restrictions, with only a limited quota of players aged over 23 permitted, which only serves to add to the notion that it really is no more than a sideshow that irritates clubs, disinterests fans and, evidently, causes unnecessary discussions.

The Olympics are there for the world’s finest athletes to prove themselves on a prestigious global stage but football has its own platform for this end in the FIFA World Cup which truly brings together the best footballers on the planet and conjures up one of the most popular sporting events around. So, considering this, is it really necessary for football to tag along at the Olympics in a compromised format?

It seems though that by this stage the madness has descended to such an extent that football is here to stay as an Olympic event. However, with the European Championships having preceded it that very summer, interest will, as ever, be low in Olympic football in 2012.

And yet the campaign for British inclusion in it will rage on, led principally by Englishmen who one suspects are secretly hoping for concessions to be made to allow England to solely represent the UK in men’s football as they have already been given permission to do so in women’s football. In any case these people hold no fear of the Home Nations losing their privileged independence in FIFA’s eyes because as the largest of these nations any joint British team would, logically, be comprised in the main by English players.

As a Scotsman I admit that given the choice between an all England team or a British select being chosen to represent the UK at the 2012 Olympics I would be more at ease in seeing the all England team take to the field as I do not wish to see any unnecessary precedent set which may now seem insignificant but could in years to come be cast back up to seize our national footballing identity from us.  

Match report: Feirense 0-2 Sporting

Feirense 0-2 Sporting CP

Liga Zon Sagres

Last night Sporting notched up their tenth consecutive win and their sixth in the league. After a shaky start to the season Os Leões are on quite a run, however they faced a stiff test in Aveiro at the hands of Feirense and the win wasn’t achieved as comfortable as the Lisbon club might have liked.

Indeed it was the home side who had the first real opportunity of the game. Varela just needed to get a touch on the corner at the far post and he could have been celebrating Feirense’s first goal in over 270 minutes of football.

However, Sporting soon started to liven up and a if Van Wolfswinkel had only been able to control a long ball from Onyewu then he could have been through on goal.

Shortly after Elias managed to get a shot away for Sporting but he blazed over after a wonderful first touch lifted the ball over the defender’s head.

At the other end Varela tried his luck from a long way out but his shot as tame and wasteful, perhaps summing up the lack of invention in the Feirense side.

Sporting created a better chance a couple of minutes later on the break but the sliding Van Wolfswinkel couldn’t quite reach Diego Capel’s centre.

With over half an hour gone neither goalkeeper had been really tested. In the 36^th minute it was Feirense’s turn to attack on the counter but once more the shot was tame, this time from Fonseca, and cause Rui Patricio no problems.

Three minutes later Van Wolfswinkel disappointingly headed a Schaars free kick wide and in the 42^nd minute came on of the talking points of the first half.

Elias went down in the box claiming a penalty but the ref, rightly, was having none of it; the Brazilian went down far too easily.

Finally in the last minute of the first half a good save was produced from a goalkeeper. A good pass from Matías Fernández afforded a chance to Ricky Van Wolfswinkel and the Dutchman’s powerful effort was turned round the post by Paulo Lopes.

After early chances for Feirense after the break Sporting searched for the breakthrough and manager Domingos Paciência introduced wingers André Carillo, first, and then Jeffrén at the expense of Elias and Capel respectively. Both looked keen to impress but ultimately Sporting needed a fortunate penalty to open the scoring.

With little more than an hour played Stijn Schaars took a dive in the box and, to the dismay of the Feirense defenders, the referee, this time, pointed to the spot. While there was doubt about the award of the penalty there was none in Van Wolfsinkel’s finish, the centre forward crashed the ball into the top right corner for his sixth league goal of the campaign – putting him joint top of the leading goalscorers list along with Óscar Cardozo of Benfica and Marítimo’s Baba Diawara.

Long range efforts from Insúa and Carrillo tested the capabilities of Paulo Lopes as Sporting looked to kill the game but Feirense’s keeper responded with two good saves, particularly from Carrillo’s shot which he tipped onto the angle before it went behind.

It was the man who contentiously won the penalty who settled the game in Sporting’s favour in the 77^th minute. The ball fell to Schaars on the edge of the area and the Dutch midfielder’s low volley found the bottom right corner leaving Paulo Lopes helpless. It was a fantastic strike from Sport TV’s man of the match – although, whether or not someone who dived to win a penalty should really win that award is debatable.

With the game effectively over in their favour there was one disappointment in the closing stages for Sporting. Jeffrén, on his return from injury, hobbled off in the 84^th minute forcing his side to see out the remainder of the game with 10 men.    

Match Report: FC Basel 0-2 SL Benfica

Benfica take all three points with them back to Lisbon after matchday three and see themselves top of Group C at the half way stage. One goal in each half from Bruno César and Óscar Cardozo respectively settled what was, in truth, a fairly even and open match at St. Jakob Park.  

The home side started brightly but it wasn’t long before the visitors started to get their foot on the ball and play some tidy football.

They were rewarded after 20 minutes when Gaitán, coming in from the right, exchanged passes with Pablo Aimar before playing it to Rodrigo who let it run through his legs for Bruno César. The Brazilian provided the finish the move deserved, firing low into the far corner.

Basel responded fairly well to the set back, with the lively Xaqiri always looking to make things happen. And it was the 20 year old who set up the Swiss side’s best chance of the first half, in the 39^th minute. The ball rebounded to him after an ambitious shot from Emerson and he broke down the pitch before checking back and finding Streller whose shot failed to trouble Artur too much.

Xaqiri himself, moments later, forced Artur into a better save. A low drive from distance had the keeper diving to his left to tip the ball wide for a corner.

The next good chance came Benfica’s way, this time Bruno César the architect. He did well to work the ball to Gaitán but the Argentine’s shot flew over the cross bar.

Streller had another opportunity for Basel with the last kick of the first half but he blazed over after a good first touch with his chest bought space to shoot.

Basel were having the better of the second period when out of the blue a long ball from Benfica captain Luisão found Aimar with space in the penalty area in the 62^nd minute. The Argentine, however, opted for the first time shot as the ball fell to him but his volley was tame and easily saved by Sommer.

Seven minutes later a chance fell to Streller once more, after a fantastic pass from Xaqiri, but the tall number nine’s shot was saved at close range by the outrushing Artur. 

A couple of minutes later Alex Frei was the next to call Artur into action but his long range effort was comfortably saved.

With around a quarter of an hour of normal time remaining Benfica struck the killer blow. A free kick was awarded right of centre after Huggel was penalised for use of an elbow. Up stepped Óscar Cardozo, subbed on a few minutes earlier for Rodrigo, and he struck it low and hard. The ball sailed under the wall and beat the keeper at his near post. A fine goal.

From that point on it was about Benfica soaking up the host’s pressure, and they did so without too much trouble, despite the dismissal of Emerson in the 86^th minute for a second bookable offence.

The left back might feel slightly aggrieved about the first card; Xaqiri went down very easily and although Emerson did put a hand on his chest, it looked soft. The second however was stupidity from the 25 year old Brazilian who is keeping World Champion Joan Capdevila out of the side. Xaqiri again was the victim of the foul, this time off the ball; Emerson clearly impeding his run as he looked to get up the line.

As time wore on Basel grew frustrated and desperate. Xaqiri was booked for a late barge on Bruno César, sparking a furious reaction from the Benfica bench, and Alex Frei was booked for diving.

In the penultimate minute of time added on an ambitious overhead kick from Streller drifted off target, perhaps summing up his and Basel’s night; tried hard but ultimately unsuccessful.

The Good

Benfica’s two excellent goals were worthy match winners.

The Bad and the Ugly

The reaction to Xaqiri’s booking from the Benfica bench saw the manager and one other sent up the tunnel early. It was a petulant foul but it was not as bad as Bruno César made it look. His theatrics get top marks, before the replay I was convinced Xaqiri had kicked out at him, such was the contorted leap and roll he performed, but, as stated above, it was merely a barge. Such antics, sadly, were not uncommon in this game with Xaqiri, Emerson and Frei amongst others guilty of over exaggerating and diving.

The Bright Spark

Although, as already mentioned, a little prone to the dramatic arts that plague modern football, Xaqiri was the stand out player for Basel, and perhaps of the whole game. He was central to everything they did and looked to do something positive whenever he was on the ball. With quick feet, pace, an eye for a pass and the ability to take a man on the Swiss international has a lot of potential. He would do well though, perhaps, to sometimes take the simple option and would definitely be well served in sometimes taking the more selfless option. Too many times he tries the fancy when something easier would have sufficed and too many times he let rip an ambitious shot when keeping the attack going would have benefitted the team more. Of course we want to see skill and great goals in the game, and that is one of the attractions of Xaqiri, but he needs to learn the right time to try it and know that sometimes there are better options. If he can improve on that Basel have a player who could make them a lot of money in the not too distant future.  

 

Player responsibility

One of the most important roles of a football manager is to motivate his team and get the best out of them, collectively and as individuals.

However, the extent to which this is often necessary perhaps speaks volumes about many modern footballers. To have made it to the top level in the professional game surely a player must have some amount of self motivation? There must be within them a burning desire to play the game? They must want to play their best every week out of professional pride, if nothing else?

Apparently this isn’t the case with many players. They really do need that kick up the backside, that shout from the sideline, that verbal dressing down in the changing room.

It’s understandable that this is needed to a degree but when you see players out on the pitch lacking commitment, looking disinterested or, as fans say, “not playing for the shirt”, whose fault is that? Is it entirely the manager’s or do the players need to take a look at themselves and question their own attitudes?

The answer is not a simple one or the other, it is a little of both but it is pertinent to wonder how many times players with bad attitudes may have cost a manager his job.

Of course the manager has a massive influence on the team but any footballer worth his salt should give it his all day in day out in training and in every single match. To see players who lose fitness, become out of shape and lose the hunger to perform at their best is sad but it is largely their own fault. It is their own lack of professionalism, their own lack of passion for the game that led them down that path. Perhaps this is the price of the lucrative nature of modern football. Footballers can earn a good living by sitting on the bench every week. Maybe it has become too much about the money and not enough about the football for some players.

A common phrase when a manager is forced out of a club is that he “lost the dressing room”. Players must respect the manager and the respect must be earned. There must be a good atmosphere amongst the squad. But the players have an important role to play in that too. If some players kept a rein on their ego then perhaps less dressing rooms would be lost and squads would have a greater togetherness.

When things are going bad at any club the response from the fans is almost always a) blame the manager or b) blame the board.

I’ll suggest a third option that should be given more credence: c) blame the players. They are the ones earning large amounts of money to strut out onto the pitch and let your club down and let you down.

Hold those to account who are directly responsible for the poor results. That is not to say that boards and managers should be immune from criticism, far from it, but players get off a little lightly sometimes. There will always be one or two scapegoats in the team in individual games but when on a run of poor form the supporters will lay into the board and the manager, even if the team on the park is good enough in terms of ability but is hugely underperforming. There’s only so much that can be done from the board room and the touchline – the players make the difference. Or, at least, they should. It’s time for footballers to take greater responsibility.

Should he stay or should he go?

The news that Wayne Rooney has been dealt a three match ban is a massive blow to England’s Euro 2012 preparations. The length of the ban means that Rooney will be ineligible to play in any of England’s group games at the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.

The question that inevitably will arise in many debates in the pubs up and down the nation and beyond is, understandably, should Capello take Rooney to the tournament despite the suspension?

The sensible answer is yes. Wayne Rooney is by far the most talented English player around right now and even if he will miss the group stages he could be crucial to England’s chances in the later rounds of the competition. The type of player that can make the difference in a tight match at the highest level is exactly the category into which Rooney falls.

Those arguing he should be left behind are simply doing so out of spite or personal disregard for Rooney. Yes, he made a mistake but should the English punish themselves for that to prove a point?

The fact of the matter is that England need their best players available. Without wanting to encourage complacency in such a prestigious tournament, they should certainly be capable of progressing through the group stages without Rooney. He is just one player after all.

Having such a talismanic figure available for, and only for, the latter stages of the tournament could in fact prove an advantage for the English. He will, all going according to plan, enter the fray fit and raring to go when the rest of the competition has already played three games; a boost to England at a crucial time.

It’s not as if his inclusion would disrupt the squad, he has been involved with England for so long now that, if anything, his exclusion would be more disruptive.

Of course it is not ideal that England will need to line up in their first three games without a key player, and it will be especially tough on the player who will make way for Rooney when his suspension elapses. This is, as previously stated, a massive blow to England – but it is important that they do not overreact.

If the goals and desires of the country are put ahead of petty grudges then Rooney will be part of the England’s Euro 2012 challenge and will have a crucial role to play in determining what success the team has.

The Curious Case of Yannick Djalo

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has backed FIFA's decision that the transfer of Portuguese forward Yannick Djalo from Sporting to Nice is invalid, ending the French club's hopes of overturning it.

Nice, despite stating their disappointment, now feel that there is no alternative but for the player to return to Lisbon.

They had agreed a 4.5 million euro deal to purchase Djalo but the necessary documents were not processed in time, the last of these arriving to the French football association shortly after the summer transfer window officially closed.

‘We have been left disappointed,’ Nice chairman Jean-Pierre Riviere told L'Equipe.

‘It is a shame for both us and him that a deal has not happened.

‘We wanted him now and nothing has been set up for the future. There is no agreement to sign him during the next transfer window.’

However, Sporting allege that their association with the player ended when they agreed to sell him. The problem, in their opinion, lies with Nice and any dispute between them and the authorities is no concern of Sporting's.

Sporting claim that, after agreeing to sell Djalo to Nice, an agreement was made with the player to rescind his Sporting contract. This took place on the evening of 30 August and Yannick spent the following day, deadline day, in France.

‘He is no longer a Sporting player,’ a club official told Portuguese newspaper Record.

‘The Yannick problem is now Nice's concern, so it's up to them to sort it. We signed a transfer agreement with Nice and we hope it will be respected.’

On the other hand, on the club’s official website, Nice general manager Julien Fournier said that since ‘there is no registration there is no deal’.

Sporting communications director Pedro Sousa’s response to this was that ‘the responsibility is Nice’s, Sporting has nothing to do with the delay of the registration’.  

Seemingly there is an impasse. Djalo cannot join Nice now, nor do they seem overtly keen on taking him in January either. Meanwhile Sporting are unwilling to take him back. The 25 year old is thus placed in some kind of footballing limbo.

It’s a bizarre situation but one that hopefully, for the sake of the player, can be resolved sooner rather than later – although it has already dragged on for nearly two months. It may take another intervention from FIFA to clarify where exactly the player should be.