Yacouba Sylla

[PeterWithesShin]

He's done very well so far, must be a big ask coming from the French second division to the premier league.

I've been very impressed with him, okay his passing isn't always the greatest but it's better than NRC. And for a fraction of the cost. Overall i'm more than happy with the Lambert signings so far. Quite excited about the summer already.

[martin o`who??]

is beginning to look the bollox.

[pauliewalnuts]

He's done very well so far, must be a big ask coming from the French second division to the premier league.

Yeah its part of Lambert's plan though isint it that if he can pick the right one from the lower divisions they give more and play for us rather than the waste of space useless players like Ireland.

Picking the right ones is difficult, mind.

[PaulWinch again]

I think he's done brilliantly, especially given where he came from. If you look at our results since he joined, it can't be coincidence that they've had a sharp improvement. I really think as his confidence grows he'll get even better.

[Percy McCarthy]

Looking forward to more shots like the one at Reading.

[SoccerHQ]

A yacouba Sylla came on for Mali tonight, is that ours? If it is well done to him. From French second division to premier league regular and full international in 6 months.

[Holy Trinity]

not 100% certain but he is of malian decent and he did take part in a malian training camp after choosing them over france so i'd say it was him, he has been a very decent find so far and after another year may well become a top class premier league center mid destroyer.

source for the malian decent is from frence wikipepia and a french news paper website. english wiki knows sod all about him

[SamTheMouse]

I thought he'd played for France U21s, so I'd be surprised if he changed now, but I guess you're still allowed to.

[Holy Trinity]

I thought he'd played for France U21s, so I'd be surprised if he changed now, but I guess you're still allowed to.

yeah you can change still and a hell of a lot of players do when they think they have no chance of progressing to the full national team. i think in hide sight he might have made it in the france squad but i guess we will never know

[Jarpie]

I don't think it's same Sylla, according to Soccerway Boubacar Sylla played for Mali, not Yacouba.

http://nr.soccerway.com/matches/2013/06/09/africa/wc-qualifying-africa/mali/rwanda/1230235/

[Holy Trinity]

http://www.maliweb.net/news/sports/2013/04/18/article,140748.html

[purpletrousers]

http://www.maliweb.net/news/sports/2013/04/18/article,140748.html

yeah I dug that out too and came to the conclusion it was him, was a bit lazy to post it. Seems he came on for the last 10mins in the Mali 1-Rwanda 1. Mali also have Benin on the 16th.

I rather enjoyed the translation of  "Il a commencé à taper dans le cuir à l’âge de 6 ans  dans le club de sa ville natale"

thanks to google translate - (my French is rubbish and i'm still at work!):

"Since the victory of Mali against Rwanda (2-1) on behalf of qualifying for the 2014 World Cup, Patrice Carteron and his deputy Amadou Diallo Pathe staying in France. Both technicians have used this room to keep more players in their club but also explore new talents that strengthen the national team for the upcoming deadlines. Thus the technical staff of the Eagles of Mali, was able to convince the young Franco-Malian Yacouba Sylla integrate the Malian team.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Yacouba Sylla take part in the training camp of the Eagles of Mali to be held in May in France. Yacouba Sylla, aged 22, is a defensive midfielder moving to Aston Villa (English L1). He began to tap into the leather at the age of 6 years in his hometown club, FC Stamps before the turn of several clubs. Including CS Brétigny Foot (2005), AS Montferrandaise (2006), SC Malesherbes (2007).

At 18, he joined the reserve team of SM Caen before joining Clermont Foot Auvergne 63 in League 2, where he signed his first professional contract on 22 November 2010. It also has two caps for France hopes.

It was during the winter to sign a contract for 3 years and a half English club Aston Villa transfer window. His choice for Mali will be a reinforcement of size in the game between the Eagles"

if you fancy a bit more Sylla view from those that appreciated (seems the author knew him) in France, again Google translate http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=fr&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vive-le-sport.fr%2Ffootball%2Fyacouba-sylla-un-futur-aigle-en-puissance-3189.html

or full squad blurb etc in English http://allafrica.com/stories/201305240990.html

btw my only experience of African football is in Uganda: setting up a match for the patients at the hospital with old AV kits provided by generous folks of this parish, and seeing a couple of matches in Uganda, BUT, last year when out there I did finally get to see the mighty 'Sports Club Villa' (named after us : ) play in Kampala. when I find a spare minute I'll ramble on about that in an appropriate thread, I have pics somewhere of the other Villa Park (their not much more than wasteland training ground!)

[Havencheese]

Thank God he chose Mali! Any Frenchman who's had anything to do with us has had a wretched time. Six, Berson, Houllier. It's a curse.

[PGW]

Only trouble is we will lose him for Africa Nations tournaments which are every 2 years.

[Concrete John]

Only trouble is we will lose him for Africa Nations tournaments which are every 2 years.

I can live that and it is, after all, why we have a squad.