| |  Senegal Home Page | | | | Family can help – Kamara | Fulham striker Diomansky Kamara reckons family life will help him rediscover his Barclays Premier League goal touch.
The Paris-born Senegal international earned a big-money move back to the top-flight with 23 goals for Championship side West Brom last season, but managed only six in his first spell in England with Portsmouth three years ago, and just one in his first campaign with the Baggies.
Now, after scoring two goals in his first three starts for Lawrie Sanchez’s team, he said: “I’m so happy because my baby was born recently, my second daughter, and my wife has come to be with me here instead of staying in Paris.
“It means I am so much more relaxed because I have my family nearby.”
TURNING POINT
The 26-year-old revealed he turned down West Ham United to join Fulham, but, despite his $12million price-tag, has had to be content with a substitute’s role in the first three games.
However, he believes his spectacular last-minute equalizer against Tottenham Hotspur in the Cottagers’ last match which prevented a third consecutive league defeat can be a turning point for Fulham.
He said: “It’s not been a good start, losing three out of six matches, but if we can keep our concentration in games this season, this team has the ability to finish in the top 10.
EDITED FROM: premierleague.com | | Portsmouth land Diop from Fulham |  Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has signed midfielder Papa Bouba Diop from Fulham for an undisclosed fee.
Diop had been given the go-ahead to quit by Cottagers boss Lawrie Sanchez after the 29-year-old told him he wanted a new challenge.
"It's nice to be here," Senegal international Diop told the Pompey website. "It's a good move for me and a good move for the club.
"It was an easy decision to make and I am very happy."
Diop said he had a number of offers and Newcastle were one of the clubs linked with him.
He joined Fulham in 2004 from French club Lens and signed a new contract last year.
The powerhouse midfielder was close to a £5m move to Wigan in January but the transfer fell through.
Diop added: "Three years ago was the first time I'd come to England and I didn't understand english football very well.
"Now I understand it very well and i'm happy that I'm at Portsmouth.
"It's different to Fulham. The fans here are hot for 90 minutes."
SOURCE: BBC Sport | | Allardyce to hand Faye a big payday | Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has agreed a £2million-plus deal for Bolton's Senegalese giant Abdoulaye Faye - and will pay him a stunning £40,000-aweek salary.
Faye's move completes a rags-to-riches story that Allardyce began when he plucked him from obscurity in France and made him a formidable part of his Bolton side.
Now Faye will head for the Toon as the first player recruit from Bolton since Allardyce took charge on Tyneside. Faye was left out of Sammy Lee's Bolton side at the last minute on Saturday and the formalities should be completed today.
Allardyce may use Faye at centre-half initially, but he can also fill in as a midfield destroyer.
Bolton accepted the departure knowing that the African could have quit for nothing next summer.
Bolton have told Spanish veteran Ivan Campo that he CAN quit for nothing.
He claimed to be unhappy last week, but is now clear to find a new club, with a return to Spain looking favourite.
And Wanderers could also be waving goodbye to Nicolas Anelka, whose move to Portsmouth is looking increasingly likely. Harry Redknapp is ready to take Pompey's summer spending beyond £35m with a £12m double swoop for Anelka and Fulham midfielder Papa Bouba Diop.
Redknapp held talks with Anelka, 28, last week after offering Bolton £9m for the France striker.
The Pompey boss is also set to beat Aston Villa and Birmingham in the chase for £3mrated Diop, 29.
Redknapp will try to sell striker David Nugent to Derby or Middlesbrough to fund his latest additions, taking to 10 Pompey's number of new signings.
Redknapp said: "I like Anelka. He scored against us for Bolton last weekend and showed what a handful he can be.
"On his day he is as good as any forward in the Premier League. We are looking to bring in two more players."
Anelka has turned down an offer from French champions Lyon to continue his Premier League career.
"It is nothing against Lyon but I will not be going back to France," he said. "Even if I feel comfortable at Bolton, the club need money."
Diop spent a week's trial at Pompey before joining Fulham in 2004.
Redknapp is willing to listen to offers for Nugent just six weeks after paying Preston £5.7m for the England striker.
SOURCE: Daily Mirror | | Diouf pledges Trotters stay | Bolton Wanderers forward El-Hadji Diouf has revealed that he hopes to stay with the club, despite rumours of an imminent exit from the Reebok Stadium.
The 26-year-old Senegal international had been linked with West Ham United, but gave a virtuoso display in the 3-0 win over Reading at the weekend.
"I have two more years on my contract and I don't want to leave this club because I respect it," Diouf told The Sun.
"When I was at Liverpool, everybody thought English football was not for me. But here, people respect me and I have shown my quality. I want to give back to the club, not leave.
"I've read I want to go, but what I've actually said is that if a big club comes in and the club are happy and I am happy, I move.
"But if this club is not happy and I'm not happy about the move, then I want to stay.
"I have everything here with the fans. I am playing good football and everybody loves me."
Meanwhile, Bolton have been linked with a move for Sparta Rotterdam's Tunisian midfielder Rachid Bouaouzan.
SOURCE: Telegraph | | Sylva slams Senegal officials |  Lille goalkeeper Tony Sylva is unhappy with Senegalese officials over their organisation of international fixtures.
Sylva linked up with the national team in Dakar for a friendly against Angola last month, only to learn that Senegal would instead play Benin in Rouen.
The 32-year-old custodian has called for the issues to be resolved or risk players quitting international football in protest.
"The Sports Ministry and the Senegalese Federation have a bad relationship," Sylva told L'Equipe.
"The minister makes the decisions, says where we will play, but you never saw that before, it is not up to him.
"Please let the technical staff makes the choices. Since 2002 we never stop having these kind of problems, while we have brought Senegal to a very high level.
"When I recently came to Dakar, we gave a press conference for the people to know the players are professionals and people around us have to act the same.
"It is the same problem in a lot of African countries. Why? Just for the money, that is simple. Everyone wants to live on the players' back. We are fed up, people have to show some respect.
"If they are not able to make the decisions, we have to sack them all and bring people who played in Europe and can understand us.
"If it goes on this way, one day we will quit the national team."
Meanwhile, Sylva has revealed he could be tempted by a move away from Lille in the future, but insists it is not a certainty.
"Lille gave me a lot and I gave them a lot too," he said.
"A player always dreams to move on, to discover new leagues. But if there is everything needed for me at Lille, why not stay?"
SOURCE: skysports.com | | KAMARA AT THE DOUBLE Coca Cola CHAMPIONSHIP WBA 2 Plymouth 1 | DIOMANSY KAMARA is the diamond in Tony Mowbray's promotion bid at West Bromwich Albion and he dazzled Plymouth to their first defeat of the year with a sparkling oneman show last night.
The Senegalese international (above) took his goals tally to an incredible 17 in 21 starts with the double salvo that ended Ian Holloway's four game winning streak - despite Rory Fallon's late strike at the Hawthorns.
The former Portsmouth striker's super one-man show lifted Albion to within one point of the automatic promotion places as they grabbed their eighth successive win in front of their own fans.
He broke the deadlock five minutes before halftime from a penalty given after Tony Capaldi's handball.
And Kamara finished the contest four minutes after the break, with one of the finest individual goals seen at the Hawthorns this season.
His burst of pace took him into the penalty area, and his shot flew home.
SOURCE: Mirror | | Diop ready to play |  Papa Bouba Diop appears ready for the next phase of his exploits in the English Premiership.
The Senegal star has been a key figure for Fulham in recent seasons, but he has slipped down the pecking after picking up a couple of injuries.
Wigan have had a bid accepted for the midfield powerhouse and Bouba Diop is currently mulling over his options.
A number of other clubs are considering tabling offers for the 28-year-old and Craig Hutchinson says the midfielder is desperate to return to regular action.
"He's fit and he's ready to play," Hutchinson told skysports.com. "He's not fully fit in terms of match fitness, but he is about two weeks away and ready to start."
Diop's injury problems have been a cause of concern for Fulham this term, but Hutchinson says his client will have no problems negotiating a medical.
"A medical will not be a concern," added Hutchinson. "As I have said, he is two weeks away from match fitness and he cannot wait to get started.
"He just wants to be playing first-team football again and that has been hard at Fulham and the time is probably right for him to move on."
SOURCE: skysports.com | | Coleman frets over Papa Diop |  Chris Coleman admits he may have to be more stringent when Fulham midfielder Papa Bouba Diop goes on international duty.
The Senegal powerhouse will miss The Cottagers' trip to Aston Villa on Saturday, live on PremPlus, with a thigh injury.
Though the complaint was collected in the win over Charlton Athletic, Coleman feels it is a knock-on effect from Diop playing for his country.
According to Coleman, it is a persistent issue with the 28-year-old playing for Senegal and he may take steps to monitor it more closely.
"Every time he comes back from Senegal, there's a problem," bemoaned Coleman.
"I've told him I won't let him go unless he returns okay.
"We may have to send a minder to see what they are doing to him."
SOURCE: skysports.com | | FA await ref's report on Diouf actions |  The Football Association will look at referee Alan Wiley's report before deciding whether to take any action against Bolton's El-Hadji Diouf.
The striker celebrated in front of the Newcastle fans after scoring two quick goals in the 2-1 win at St James' Park.
An FA spokesman said: "Our first port of call would be to see if the referee puts anything in what we call an extraordinary incident report.
"We're going through those reports at the moment."
The spokesman added: "If there was a cause for concern, the second thing we'd do would be to contact the clubs and see if there's any observations they can provide."
Diouf is also alleged to have had a bust-up with Newcastle backroom staff in the tunnel.
Television pictures showed him being dragged down the tunnel by Bolton officials following his 87th-minute substitution.
Should charges be brought, Diouf's previous conduct - which includes bans from both the FA and Uefa for spitting at opponents - could be taken into consideration by the FA Disciplinary Commission.
"When it comes to the hearing, they can bear that in mind - it's at their discretion," the spokesman added.
SOURCE: BBC Sport | | Diomansy Kamara wants to quit West Brom |  Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara has admitted he wants to quit West Brom, after summer moves to Roma and Torino fell through, making him increasingly agitated with life at The Hawthorns.
Kamara claims to have told chairman Jeremy Peace that he does not want to remain with The Baggies.
"I ought to have been transferred, I had two opportunities to move to Italy with Roma and Torino during the summer," Kamara said.
"Sadly, the West Brom chairman did not want to let me leave and my injury compelled me to stay. But the transfer window will reopen in January and we will see what I do then.
"No player wants to be in the second division, especially myself, straight after having a good African Cup of Nations.
"I wanted to make a step up with Roma. I was due to join them but there were complications.
"Then when I had recovered from my injury I was due to sign for Torino but the chairman blocked the move.
"I did not want to stay at the club and he knows full well.
"He wants the team to go up but we have agreed that I can leave if they don't make it.
"I will now have to sacrifice three or eight more months."
Kamara admitted that he also had the chance to move to another club in England.
"I like the English league a lot and I would love to stay, I had on offer from an English club but it did not interest me," he is quoted in the Daily Star.
"Let's see what happens between now and January."
SOURCE: skysports.com | | Diop seeks compromise | 
Senegal's Pape Bouba Diop admits a deal needs to be struck between English clubs and African national sides over the use of international players.
Diop, who featured for Senegal at the last African Cup of Nations, has failed to have a decent run of games for Fulham after bruising his foot at the tournament.
He has been unable to play since a 2-1 defeat to Bolton, which has put him out of action for two months.
"I understand the frustration of English clubs at losing their players midway through a season," Diop told his club's official website.
"I think it is important to understand that we as the players share this frustration to a certain extent.
"We are caught in the situation where we love playing for our clubs but it is also an honour to play for our countries.
"I do think, however, that it's getting to the stage now where the authorities need to sit down and reach a reasonable solution so both sides can be happy with the outcome."
Diop, who will miss Wednesday's trip to Liverpool, added: "Getting injured so soon after the African Nations Cup was incredibly frustrating.
"I picked up the injury during the international friendly week, so that was difficult for me.
"I just have to concentrate on getting myself back to full fitness now as the club has some very big games on the horizon.
"My hopes for the rest of the campaign are pretty straightforward - for us as a squad to work as hard as we can between now and the end [of the season]," he said.
"We want to continue our strong home performances while also improving our away record and picking up as many points as we can so we can keep pushing up the Premiership."
SOURCE: BBC.com
|
| | | | Diouf blasts Senegal |  El Hadji Diouf has told Senegal he will not play in their friendly with Benin.
Senegal caused controversy at the weekend when they announced their friendly with Angola would not go ahead and they would instead face Benin in France.
Angola were furious with the decision, as it came just a matter of days before the match was due to take place.
"We have now wasted a rare date on the Fifa calendar for our national team to get together," blasted Angolan Football Federation secretary general Augusto Silva.
Diouf has reacted just as angrily with his nation's hierarchy and he has no plans to turn up at Rouen - where the game is scheduled to take place.
"My club haven't even received a fax saying I had to play a match in Rouen against Benin," said Diouf.
"Senegal football directors have shown amateurism.
"It is not respectful that two days before a match against Angola, they call the coach to tell him that we finally play against Benin."
SOURCE: skysports.com | | Diawara in Bolton talks |  Bolton Wanderers are in talks to sign St Etienne defender Fousseni Diawara.
The Mali international has struggled for regular first-team football this season and has made just three appearances in Ligue 1.
St Etienne are prepared to allow Diawara to move to England and have confirmed the player is training with Bolton.
He will also hold talks with the Premiership club in the hope of finalising a switch to The Reebok Stadium.
Diawara's agent Franck Belhasen has told skysports.com that discussions are due to be held with Sam Allardyce's side.
"We have just arrived and haven't yet started the negotiations," Belhasen told skysports.com.
"I will be able to tell you more tonight."
The right-back has spent the bulk of his career with St Etienne, but now looks to be on his way to the Premiership.
Toulouse and Sedan had also been interested in the 26-year-old, however, Bolton have stepped in with an offer.
SOURCE: skysports.com | | Fadiga gets trial at Watford | Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd has taken former Inter Milan and Bolton player Khalilou Fadiga on trial.
Midfielder Fadiga is a Senegal international and is one of four players to move to Vicarage Road on trial as Boothroyd aims to strengthen his squad for the Hornets' survival battle.
The 32-year-old has been without a club since leaving Wanderers at the end of last season.
Also on trial at Watford are Czech forward David Strihavka, who has scored seven goals in 15 games for Banik Ostrava this term, Austrian defender Markus Berger and Maltese striker Daniel Bogdanovic.
SOURCE: soccernet.com | | Sonko pleads 'not guilty' |  Reading centre back Ibrahima Sonko has defended both himself and team-mate Stephen Hunt for their challenges on Chelsea's Carlo Cudicini and Petr Cech.
The former Brentford defender was speaking after an eventful contest with The Blues at The Madejski Stadium that Chelsea won 1-0.
Hunt upset the Stamford Bridge club when his first-minute challenge on Cech saw the Czech Republic number one need surgery to treat a depressed fracture in his skull.
Sonko himself caused more concern for the Premiership champions after his late aerial challenge on Blues substitute keeper Cudicini left the Italian custodian in an unconscious state and also needing hospital treatment.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has since called on the Football Association to punish Hunt for his challenge on Cech, but Senegal international Sonko thinks the former Brentford player did nothing wrong.
"Stephen doesn't need to be upset by Mourinho's accusations because he knows he didn't go for the keeper," Sonko told The Sun.
"He's just tried to win the ball and has been unlucky to catch Cech.
"You never know how these challenges are going to end up. On another day, it could have been him who'd got injured.
"Mourinho is their manager and worried about his players. He's lost two keepers and is probably upset about what's happened.
"A lot of people from Chelsea will be unhappy, but there's no way Hunty would try to hurt the keeper."
Sonko also defended his actions after colliding with Cudicini, as he tried to meet a corner with his head in the dying stages of the game.
"There was no way I went in to hurt the keeper," Sonko added. "I was going for the ball, he came out to punch it and there was a big collision.
"Once you're in the air, you've got no control over anything. We were both going forward and there was nothing I could do to get out of the way.
"Next thing I know, he's on the floor and hurt. I just hope he'll be okay."
Reading captain Graeme Murty has also backed Hunt, claiming his team-mate is upset to have injured Cech.
"I know Stephen really well," Murty said in The Guardian. "I spoke to him and I know that he's gutted that Petr Cech's hurt.
"He wants to speak to him but he's not sure when, with it being such a highly charged incident.
"I think it's a little bit soon at the moment. I think he'll do it when things are a little bit calmer and then it will be taken for what it is rather than someone trying to pander to [Jose] Mourinho and the press.
"It's not about that - it's about him being concerned for another player.
"[Stephen] knows in his heart of hearts that there is no way he would ever intend for anyone to be hurt. He's not that sort of player.
"He's a young lad who is desperate to do well, renowned for being ultra keen and wanting to make a good impression to the manager.
"He was given his chance because of an injury, he's come into the team and he's so unfortunate that his first contribution is to be splashed all over the back pages of the papers."
SOURCE: skysports.com | | |
|
|
