Recently elected Ivory Coast player of the year for 2008, Baky Koné is described as "the footballer of the moment" in the West African country. "I'm really happy and proud" confides the OM forward.
When you think of all the talented players that have been born in the Ivory Coast in recent years, the election of Baky Koné as the best player in the country shows how far the OM forward has come. In this vote organised by the newspaper Supersport with the help of the sports journalists of the country, Baky came in first place with 159 points ahead of the Barcelona star Yaya Touré (79 pts), and the ASEC forward Bi Cyriac Gohi (75 pts) and far ahead of stars like Drogba or Kalou.
Baky Koné: "Happy and proud "
Baky, it must be a great honour for you to have been elected as the best player in the country...
It’s great. I’m really happy and proud. I’m going to do everything I can to continue in the same way, so as to make the Ivory Coast people, and all those who support me, happy.
What was your first reaction?
I found out through my friends and that really made me happy. There are lots of great players that have come from the Ivory Coast. Just to be nominated was a joy for me so to be elected player of the year makes me even more happy. I’m happy with the way things have gone over the last few months and I will continue to work hard so that things will be the same next year.
Do you think that playing in a club like OM has helped you step up a level?
There is still time to see if I have moved up a level or not. However, my career has progessed calmly. I’ve discovered Qatar, Lorient, Nice and now Marseille. I wouldn’t say that I have moved up a level, I don’t know when I will be able to say that (laughs). But, I still have to progress.
When you go back to the Ivory Coast, do you feel the passion that surrounds you?
I played for four years in the Ivory Coast and things always went well there for me. Every time I go home things go well. Nothing has changed.
So, what are the reasons for this plebiscite? «For us, being a success at Marseille isn’t possible for everyone. Drogba, who is a phenomenon, managed to, but it didn’t seem like it was going to be as easy for Baky, explains Hamidou Fomba, director of the paper Supersport, through his courage and his character, he quickly won the hearts of the Marseille supporters, in an atmosphere that we know is white hot. That’s what principally swung the vote.»
The journalist then added: «Baky is really the player of the moment in the Ivory Coast. These rankings really reflect the performances of all the players over the course of 2008. He received a lot more votes than the second placed player, Yaya Touré, who plays for Barcelona, nonetheless, who are the best team in Europe.» As for third placed Gohi (18 years old), he is described as «a poacher in the box, quick, technically strong and efficient (21 goals in 26 matches). A player to watch out for.»
"A player who does not cheat and has talent coming out of his ears "
Koné, star in the Ivory Coast but also a charming character according to Jean-Baptiste Béhi, director of the sports service of the paper Fraternité Matin, and who voted for the Marseille player: «Baky is who does not cheat and has talent coming out of his ears. He is very popular here. He has a big heart and loads of talent. He had to deal with the environment at Marseille and he managed to do it. He showed to the club that they didn’t make a mistake in recruiting him.
We follow the French league and his start to the season with OM really impressed us. He surprised us as he has become one of the top strikers in the Ligue 1.»
A consecration that is the fruit of the players performances with OM but also the number of goals he has scored with the national team since the start of the season. «During the last match against Madagascar (a 3-0 win, last October), he was the star of the match and was even congratulated by the President of the Republic in person (Laurent Gbagbo)» confirms Hamidou Fomba.
He probably hasn’t gone far enough to dethrone the icon Didier Drogba but Baky has come a long way as far as public opinion in the Ivory Coast is concerned. «Drogba remains the emblematic player and the pride of the nation. With his injuries his position in the different rankings has slipped, like the Ballon d’Or for example , states Jean-Baptiste Béhi, but he will be back as we need him and Baky Koné for the qualifying matches in the World Cup.» They make quite a tandem!
