Shopping Sidi Keita…..

By: Jay | December 27th, 2007

Well, the winter break is finally upon us and as the snow falls and the pitches freeze a glimmer of hope can be found in the form of the winter transfer window. Ah yes, for struggling clubs like Lens this time of year cannot arrive soon enough. Unfortunately for the artisan side much of the speculation about possible transfers has left much to be desired.

Then there is Sidi Yaya Keita and the neverending rumors as to where the young midfielder’s fate may lie. Born in Bamako, Mali on march 20, 1985, the talented footballer was discovered by the RC Strasbourg management. Club scouts were instantly impressed by the young Malian’s physical qualities as well as his apparent feel for the game.

The young Keita would make his first Ligue 1 appearance on October 26, 2004 on the Corsican pitch of AC Ajaccio. It would prove a seminal day for a young man who had come a long way from an impoverished neighborhood in Bamako to the glitz and glamour of European football. The future could not possibly look brighter but the European honeymoon would be shortlived. By the third game of the season young Keita would commit a grave error that would haunt him to the present day. During a League game against Lyon the Malian experienced a moment of madness as he inflicted a devastating tackle on Brazilian skipper Claudio Caçapa which completely shredded the latter’s knee. Caçapa would never return to his old form and Keita would recieve a two month suspension from the league and ferocious scorn from the French press.

This single event led to a falling out with the Strasbourg management and it was here that Cyril Rool and the Lensois management swooped for the defender in the summer of 2006 signing him for five years at a sum of 5.5 million euros beating out an eager Monaco for his services.

SIDI YAYA @ LENS……..

Lens president Gervais Martel envisaged Keita as a replacement for France international Alou Diarra who had been outstanding in the midfield for the Lensois.

Keita’s career had recieved a boost of confidence under coach Francis Gillot and the Mali international showed flashes of brilliance last season which prompted Gillot to allow him more time on the pitch as the season progressed. There is no doubt that the youngster learned much playing alongside legendary Lensois Seydou Keita and his maturity was evident by the end of last season.

NEW YEAR, NEW COACH

At the beginning of this season much had changed at Lens. Guy Roux was in as coach and most of the the best Lensois including Seydou Keita, Charles Itandje, Olivier Thomert, Jussie and Issam Jemma were now gone. coach Roux figured a greater role for Keita in the Lens midfield and he responded early on with some excellent performances including a goal early in the campaign. But things would soon change as an early season injury and the sudden departure of coach Roux would change the course of things for Keita and the Lensois.

Jean-Pierre Papin, legendary France international and former Marseille star would take over and since his arrival things have looked rather dreadful for Keita. He has seen precious few minutes on the pitch and the 22 year old’s future with the artisan club now appears tenuous at best.

President Martel has already been contacted by Monaco and more than once by Valenciennes about the possible sale or loan transfer of the player. In all likelihood it appears Keita is ready to join Atoine Kamboare’s Valenciennes.

However, in a recent interview the defender surprised many by making it clear that he wants to stay in Lens and honor the remaining three years of his contract. Indeed, Keita’s commitment to the club is evident in his rejection of an invitation to represent his native Mali in the upcoming African Cup of Nations. “I have no control over who the coach selects on matchday, it is he who decides. But if I am not going to the African Cup then it is here where I want to prove myself.” Says Keita.

Let us hope that things go along better for Sidi Yaya and the Lensois in part two of this increasingly depressing tragedy………