They didn't have to wait for long to see what Abdulaye had to offer, and their warm welcome was quickly rewarded. Although it wasn't plain sailing for his first match, Abdulaye amazed both team-mates and spectators with a mesmerizing display in his second match. And if that wasn't enough he went on to score the winning goal when his team and the opposition were level on one goal apiece.
Abdulaye started playing soccer in the streets of Bouake where he was born and later in the streets of Abidjan , the capital of the Ivory Coast, where his parents had moved. This is what some people jokingly call “the street academy” when referring to youth football in European countries but as Abdulaye put it : “this is an apprenticeship most kids in Africa are accustomed to”.
Abdulaye played in various junior clubs before signing for a second division club called Yanis Sport in Ceguela Town. As a kid he always supported Asec Mimosas d'Abidjan, a very popular club across Africa. His all time idol is his compatriot Alain Serge Magui who plays in Switzerland, “not only his longevity is extraordinary (he's been in high level football for more than two decades) but also his technique is beyond the ordinary” Abdulaye remarks.
The 26 year old left his native Ivory Coast when this country was going through a devastating civil war. He had obtained his “baccalauréat”, the equivalent of the Leaving Cert in the French system, when he accomplished his studies at the Lycee Leboutou de DABOU and was looking forward to a bright future either by going to University or heading straightaway to the working world . His plans were abruptly cut short by a merciless war that brought the country to its knees. He left the country and his family especially his beloved mum behind and flew to Europe, finding himself in Ireland in June 2006 to seek safety. He has since applied for the refugee status and is now waiting for the response from the Ministry of Justice.
Abdulaye's mood changes when he's led to recall the trauma he endured back in the Ivory Coast but lightens up whenever the conversation turns to football, his favorite subject, be it in Africa, Ireland or Ivory Coast.
“Every new friend I'm acquainted to here in Cork asks me about Didier Drogba once they learn I'm from the Ivory Coast and this goes to show the impact he has brought to the professional football and that makes me extremely proud” Abdulaye smiles.
While waiting for the outcome of his asylum application Abdulaye has no other occupation than football. Watergrasshill United, his current club which fixtures in the regional league is a far cry from professional football as we know it but Abdulaye has already established himself has a house-hold name at the same level as his friends Jonathan Rice or Paddy, Kieran Foley, Jacob and Pips who are the undisputed talented players of the club. He finds the ambiance very welcoming and this made him appreciate life in Ireland, his English has improved considerably, which is a bonus as he already speaks fluent French and his native language.
Football is known as a universal language, and that's why the Ivory Coast born player has taken to Cork soccer like a fish in water, even if the weather is different and the public is attend less often compared to the massive crowds he was familiar with back home in his former club Ceguela. While this guy has to wait for his status in Ireland, football has come to his rescue and he can only thank the friend who introduced him to Watergrasshill United and who knows, maybe he will follow in Drogba's footsteps.
