PARADISE must have seemed a long way away for a young footballer who travelled North to Tunisia to try to make his way in the game but found the going tough.
He didn’t lose faith in his own ability and kept his dream alive by earning a move to the Slovakian league side Dunajska Streda. He scored 18 goals out of 23 games for them this season before completing his journey to Paradise, with that £2million move that was concluded earlier this month.
“I left the Ivory Coast when I was 18 to go and play in Tunisia for two and a half seasons,” the new Celt explained.
“But it didn’t work out well. I wasn’t playing much and I wasn’t happy, so in the end I decided to leave.
“I never thought of giving up. My childhood dream was to become a professional football player. So when I decided to break my contract in Tunisia, it was a case of starting from scratch.
“I had to look for a new club. I had to move to a new country and the hope was I would work hard enough to progress.”
Bayo arrived in Scotland earlier this week, was introduced to the support at half-time on Wednesday’s impressive 4-0 win over St Mirren and met the media yesterday to talk about his journey from the Ivory Coast to Glasgow via Tunisia and Slovakia. Oh and he got married at the end of last year too!
It’s certainly been an eventful time for the 22 year old striker!
Bayo, as he likes to be called, was asked which made him happier, getting married or getting his move to Celtic?
“I would say both because they happened within a few days of each other. I got married back home on 29 December and I signed here on 8 January. It all happened very quickly and it’s been a good period in my life,” the delighted striker stated.
“At first I couldn’t believe what was happening. Celtic is a really big club, so coming here is like a dream come true.
“This is thanks to my work and I don’t intend to stop. I want to keep scoring goals. I’m here to win trophies. Celtic is a famous club and I expect to win medals here.”
Bayo also spoke about the important role that Celtic coach Kolo Toure – who also is a part time coach with Ivory Coast – played in his move to Glasgow.
???? “The #CelticFC fans played a big role in me deciding to sign for the club.”
More from @vakoun45‘s first media conference as a Celt ⬇️ #WelcomeBayo ????https://t.co/fulQssekBu
— Celtic Football Club (@CelticFC) January 24, 2019
“I know Kolo very well because he also works for the Ivory Coast national team as a part-time coach.
“I’ve been on the fringes for a while and Kolo spoke to me when the Celtic offer was made.
“It’s not like he called me out of the blue. He’s a bit like a big brother to me, so it was very pleasing that he called, but it’s not like I was starstruck and thinking, ‘Oh, Kolo Toure is calling me’.
“He talked about the club and the set-up and everything he had to say was very positive, so Kolo was a big factor in me deciding to come here.”
We mentioned on The Celtic Star last night that Bayo sees himself as being similar to a young Didier Drogba and as he’s going to wear the Number 10 jersey at Celtic there will be comparisons made to the man he replaced who also wore that number on his shirt, Moussa Dembele.
Celtic of course signed Dembele from Fulham for around £400k, developed him and sold him to Lyon last August for £20million and that looks like being the plan for Bayo too.
If he’s going to perform like Drogba or Dembele then it should be an exciting time ahead for the player, the club and the supporters.
“My idol was Drogba. He’s my hero, the one I always looked up to,” Bayo said.
“I can’t say I copy his style or that I’d want to copy him. Every player has his own individual style. You play to your strengths.
“But there are qualities I saw in Drogba which I think I have as well. I would try to emulate him in that way.
“When I play football the way I look at it, I’m trying to be a role model for young Ivorians. I want them to feel they can do the same, rather than me wanting to be like Kolo or Yaya Toure.
“My ambition is to help the younger generation in the Ivory Coast. My aim on the pitch is to score goals and help the team.”
Also on The Celtic Star…
January transfer window update – Celtic’s 3 signings Bayo, Weah & Burke
‘I’m sure I’ll want to stay here as a player,’ Celtic’s loan Bhoy Oliver Burke
