Mamady Sidibe

It is difficult to understand the world that Mamady came from. As a Malian boy he was brought up in a French suburb. The story sheds light on what could have, and indeed does, become of kids on impoverished tenement blocks in inner cities around the world if they do not have a strong role model and the focus of a sport or interest. It would have been all too easy for Mamady to fall into the drug-land world but his background, personal strength and his Muslim faith created the person which made him become a top class footballer.

His father was, in retrospect, a clever hero by moving the family from Mali to France. Mamady may not have been a Premier League and a Malian International player but for the courage of his dad. It is a fascinating and compelling read and gives people the insight of what it really takes to make it to the top and blows away the mists of privileged stardom for lads from backgrounds like this.