Yusupha Njie, son of legendary Gambian footballer, Biri Biri, has described as a great feeling the accomplishment of helping his Fus de Rabat side to its first ever Moroccan Boto Pro League title last week.
The attacking midfielder was in action as Fus defeated relegated Mouloudia Oulja 4-2 to win their first title in the 70-year existence of the Club. It is his second title with them after winning the domestic Coupe de Trone in his first season in 2014.
“It was a great feeling to win it and I’m very much thankful right now. I was invited to represent my country and it was my dream to come and play but the time was very tight because we were fighting for the championship which my club had never won so it was history for me,” Njie told Observer Sport in Rabat on Saturday.
“We played the same day with The Gambia but I had mixed feelings because of the result of the National Team. I’m always ready to represent my country. This is why I came here to spend the night with the players to give them confidence because this is our country and we have to make our people proud.”
Yusupha and Fus have another chance of silverware this season with the team still in contention in the domestic cup. The former Real de Banjul player scored the winner on Saturday as they secured a 2-1 away win at Racing de Casablanca in the first leg of the knockout stages. The return leg would be in Rabat on Wednesday June 22.
Fus is also into the eight-team group stages of the CAF Confederations Cup where they will make their debut away to fellow Moroccan club Kawkab Marrakech on Friday. Other teams in Group B include Libya’s Al Ahli Tripoli and Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia.
Speaking further, Njie, who disclosed that there are a host of clubs in Europe interested in his services remained optimistic that the future is bright for him. “I’ve been scouted and my team has so many contacts in Europe so hopefully I’ll be in Europe Inshallah probably this year,” he said, but wouldn’t disclose the identities of the clubs for now.
Life in Morocco
Speaking on life in Morocco, Njie said it is always difficult to leave home and go abroad to somewhere you don’t have your family around. He added that his first year was difficult but said he has adapted to so many things, noting that Morocco is now like home to him.
“So many people love me here. I love here and am not lonely here because I’ve a lot of Gambian friends here,” he added.
Same career path to Biri
Before signing for Fus, who scouted him in the CAF Champions League against Real de Banjul, Njie had spells training with Lyn Oslo in Norway and Seville in Spain. But as his father, he returned home from his first opportunity to Europe to make a fresh start before making his breakthrough.
“My father’s history went that way; he first went to Europe but couldn’t make it and later he became one of the greatest players for Seville. I even went to Spain and Norway and had the chance to sign in Norway but was so young and God brought me here and maybe it’s His wish that this is my starting place but all my wishes and dreams are to play in a bigger league,” Njie further told Observer Sport.
Speaking on his trials with his father’s ex-club Seville, Njie said everything went great for him in Andalusia but because he was just 17 at the time, he had to return home until he turns 18 before he would be eligible to sign any professional contract as per Spanish FA rule.
I’m better than Tijan Jaiteh
Yusupha is a half-brother of ex-Gambian international Tijan Jaiteh and he said both him and his father always advise him to run and work hard as a footballer. He added that Biri would always tell him that if he has energy, then he can do anything on the pitch.
“He [Tijan Jaiteh] is not like me because I’m a better footballer [laughs]. I don’t really love training but now am training and working hard and I’ll rewrite history [just as my father],” the boy vowed.
by Baboucarr Camara
in Rabat, Morocco
