By Sulayman Bah
Ibou Sawaneh concedes he did not have the best of starts to life at new club SV Roeselare after joining on a
two-and-half –year deal.
The striker made the switch after seeing chances at the Pro League outfit limited. Ibou is no stranger to changing clubs and was expected to have little qualms with adapting to life at Roeselare having played in seven clubs previously.
But the Gambian found himself on hot bricks with a disjointed pre-season doing his quick team bonding little favours.
The 30-year-old came on the brink of transferring to Sanilurfaspor, a Turkish second tier in July on a bumper deal but the process hit the buffers owing to disagreement over personal terms.
Sawaneh was picked up on a private jet for Istanbul as Sanilurfaspor, who considered the goal-getter a huge part of their campaign for promotion, pushed to get their man.
Desperate to see a contract for Ibou finalized, the Turkish outfit quickly uploaded a photo on their website appearing to show Sawaneh signing what looked like contract papers and donning the club’s strips –a move aimed at warding off overtures from other clubs interested in acquiring the 30-year-old’s services.
However talks over personal terms didn’t go as planned forcing Ibou to announce that no deal has been reached. Disappointment over the failure of a proposed move to Turkey etched on the Gambian’s face, and, it is for such a thing, according to reports, which dogged him at Roeselare when he joined them in August causing his slow progress.
And opening up over the frustrating times he’d had to endure, the Scorpion said: ‘The adjustment did not go as I had expected. The trainer knew me and continued to motivate me. Hard work in training was the only option”
The former Bayer Leverkusen transfer target kissed good bye to his nightmarish moments when he made most of a rare start in the line up to score last weekend following that up with another goal against Lommel Unied to send his goal tally of the season to three.
“I started on the bench, but every chance I have, I grabbed with my two hands. I was lucky enough to end up in such an amazing group. After the defeat at Tubize, we started a miraculous run without loss. Three weeks ago, I stood out against Union at kick-off and also against SK Lierse and Lommel,” he tells Het Niewsblad.
Roeselare are right on track to secure promotion to the top tier next season as they sit at the apex of the play-offs standings.
An embodiment of style being temporary and class being permanent, Ibou is sure looking ahead to brighter days having ended his goal hoodoo.
