FORMER African Footballer of the Year Frederic Kanoute is in Bahrain to take part in the Nasser bin Hamad Ramadan Football Championship (Nasser 8).
The ex-Mali international has been signed to play in the tournament for Gunners United, who have made it through to the semi-finals of the competition taking place tonight at Khalifa Sports City, in Isa Town, against Al Nawayef.
It is part of the Nasser bin Hamad Ramadan Sports Games and Kanoute, who has played against some of the biggest names in world football, said he was surprised at the level of talent on show.
“I think who I played against or who I’ve played with doesn’t represent Bahrain because this is only a small tournament and this is not even professional, but still I can see that some players are very talented,” he said.
“I don’t want to be disrespectful to those who I don’t mention, but honestly – in my team or in any other team – every time I spot a few players that are really interesting.
“I’ve heard some of them don’t usually play 11-a-side, but more indoor because it is quiet popular here.”
The 37-year-old French-Born striker earned 39 caps for Mali, scoring 21 goals, after earlier representing France at under-21 level.
He started his career at Olympique Lyonnais, in France, before a loan move to West Ham United, in England, which was made permanent the following year.
Trophies
He was later bought by Tottenham Hotspur, where he spent two years, before moving to Sevilla in Spain in 2007 – where he won six trophies in seven years, scoring 89 goals in 209 matches.
It was during his time at Sevilla that he was named African Footballer of the Year, becoming the first player born outside Africa to receive the accolade,.
However, Kanoute was most recently on the scoresheet last June 22 at Khalifa Sports City as Gunners United beat Forever 3-1 in the second leg of the quarter-final.
“It’s never easy to score a goal, the first game I’ve played I’ve missed goals,” he said.
“You have to be really focused and never take things too lightly otherwise you miss the goal. There is no easy goal. Every goal is important.
“It’s important in football that whether you play at the highest level – La Liga or the English Premier League – or you play with friends, you always tend to take it seriously.
“Although sometimes it seems friendlier, in respect to the sport of football and your teammates, you always try to give your best.
“(In Ramadan) it’s always a little bit more demanding because you are fasting all day so you lose a little bit of energy and it’s very hot, so it’s always a bit harder.”
He added his focus now was on firing Gunners United into the final of the Ramadan tournament.
“We have good players so we have a chance to do it, but I think we just have to go step by step and try to win the first semi-final, because even if we win the first we have to draw the second at least,” he said.
Meanwhile, having had a close up look at what football in Bahrain has to offer Kanoute predicted the future was bright.
“It’s a long process, you cannot do that in one day but I’ve seen that people love football here and I’m sure they are going to take all the necessary steps to improve the football here,” he said.
“Obviously, if in Bahrain the professionalism can be improved, the league can be improved and many steps can be taken so the general level can improve, I think the football can be very exciting here.”