Only the future will confirm whether Olivier Renard has achieved a little masterpiece by going to look for Sunusi Ibrahim in Nigeria and by offering him, last January, a three-year contract. While waiting for Ibrahim’s potential to develop to the hoped-for level, Wilfried Nancy is happy with what he is seeing right now.
The striker, who has just celebrated his 19e birthday, perhaps scored one of CF Montreal’s most important goals in 2021 on Saturday against the Philadelphia Union.
Faced with a one-goal setback, with only a few seconds remaining in stoppage time in the second half, Ibrahim headed a cross from Mustafa Kizza behind goalkeeper Matt Freese to secure the Nancy troop a draw of 2-2.
“I was so excited when I scored that goal at the time, because it wasn’t easy. We lost 2-1 and my goal equalized the score. I think this point [au classement] is very important, ”Ibrahim said via videoconference on Monday.
Asked to describe the degree of improvement of her young player since joining the team, Nancy spoke of Ibrahim as a studious student, who is eager to learn and who is able to repeat the efforts.
“What I like about him is his ability to want to apply what is asked of him when we discuss with him. […] I’m counting on him for the next matches as well as next year, but what I want is for him to be more consistent, to be able to start matches the way he comes in. [dans un match]. We work on a daily basis to give him the necessary tools so that he is able to express himself for 95 minutes and not just for 20 minutes. “
Ibrahim has been grateful to the coaching staff and his teammates for the trust they have placed in him so far. He says he appreciated the kind words that have been addressed to him since joining the team and he feels he has managed to improve.
” [L’entraîneur] told me he liked my qualities, to be patient because in life, everything happens over time, and to keep working. “
The Ballou case
On a completely different note, Nancy had to answer other questions about Ballou Tabla, who did not wear the uniform on Saturday. Suddenly, CF Montreal came to the game against Philadelphia with 19 players available, one less than the maximum allowed.
Nancy took part in the exercise on Monday, but he also advised reporters that this was the last time he spoke about it.
” [Les joueurs] must train normally to progress. Now, if a player is not training normally to progress, he is already at odds. If a player does not have a good repetitive performance, he is also on the side. I made the decision to stay at 19 because, like I said, Ballou didn’t deserve to be in the squad for that game. He knows why, I won’t go into detail with that. It’s between him and me, he knows that very well, ”said Nancy, adding that Tabla is training with the team and that he is eligible for the next game, Wednesday in Orlando.
At Tabla like all the other players on the team, Nancy demands consistency.
“The job of a football player, for everyone, is to like to train, to like to work, to have the joy, yes, but to like to work in order to progress, and it must be done over time . This is my message to all the players. With Ballou, I had already spoken with him several times, he knows it very well. So it’s up to him to take the bull by the horns and move on. “
Nancy wanted to be clear on another point: her way of leading her team is the same for each member of the group.
“In my way of doing things, whether it’s any player, I mean any player, the player has things to do to be part of the team. If I were to start with 18 players in the squad, instead of 20, because two players don’t deserve it, or 17, that’s okay. It’s my way of seeing things. I assume. I am a coach, but I also consider myself a trainer, and my goal is yes, to win matches, but also to improve people and players. “