- Par samindra kunti
- Sports columnist
—
3 hours ago
Photo credit, Getty Images
—
–
Former Chelsea and Ivory Coast star Salomon Kalou’s first season in Brazil saw his club Botafogo relegated to the second division – so what went wrong?
–
The 35-year-old admits it has been a difficult few months for him. He explains his difficulties by changes of coach, language problems, tactical problems and financial difficulties.
–
Last summer Kalou bitterly left Hertha Berlin due to a Covid-19 suspension, but Botafogo welcomed their new recruit with open arms.
–
The club, who also signed former AC Milan player and Japanese star Keisuke Honda last year, hoped to improve their sporting situation and generate more income from the Kalou brand.
–
Not to be missed on BBC Africa:
–
“We were the most experienced players, but we were thrown into a new environment,” Kalou told BBC Sport Africa.
–
“There is a language barrier and the way football is played in Brazil is different – it’s very individual. You have to make a difference,” he said.
–
“Sometimes it takes a lot of physics and skill in a lot of individual situations. It’s less tactical,” he adds.
–
Coaching issues
Photo credit, Botafogo
—
–
Paulo Autuori was the coach of Botafogo at the time and convinced Kalou to sign despite the fact that the Ivorian had more lucrative offers on the table of other clubs.
–
In 2019, the Rio de Janeiro club narrowly escaped relegation, but Autuori promised Botafogo would build a competitive squad building on the experience of Kalou and Honda.
–
The former Chelsea player embraced this idea which allowed him to experience a different culture and settle in his partner’s homeland.
–
“I came for the experience, I could have gone to China or to an Arab club if I wanted the financial aspect. It was Paulo Autuori who brought me here”, explains Kalou.
–
“He helped me get in shape. He understood European and African football because he coached outside of Europe.
–
“In Qatar, he managed a few African players. He understood that sometimes it takes time to adapt,” recalls Kalou.
–
“He communicated a lot with me, but when he left, the communication collapsed,” he regrets.
–
After a modest start to the season, with Botafogo’s nine draws out of the first 13, Autuori asked to leave the club and the results then took a dramatic turn for the worse.
–
The club then began to hire and fire coaches at a frightening rate that unsettled not only Kalou but the whole team as well.
–
During his playing years in Europe, Kalou worked with Jose Mourinho, Luiz Felipe Scolari, Carlo Ancelotti and Roberto Di Matteo, among others, but he never experienced a staff turnover like in Botafogo.
–
“I’ve been here for 5½ months and have had six coaches,” says Kalou.
–
“When Autori left things got tough. I didn’t play my best and I have to take responsibility. Remember Honda is 34 and I’m 35 so we’re not the kind of players who will dribble everyone and score all the goals, “recalls the Ivorian.
–
“We are dependent on a good team at this age. Honda left the project. He had had enough. He was frustrated with the situation,” he revealed.
–
In the end, Kalou only played nineteen matches and only scored once.
–
Photo credit, Getty Images
—
–
His limited contributions disappointed both the club and the fans in a season that quickly turned into a slow march to relegation to the Brazilian league’s second division, Serie B.
–
Earlier this month, Botafogo was sentenced to downfall for the third time in its history, following a 1-0 home loss to Sport Recife, the result of a team and club disorganized from the ground up. .Financial problems
–
At times Botafogo, one of the most indebted clubs in Brazil, struggled to pay Kalou’s salary on time.
–
“They did their best to pay what they owed me, but it was not always on time,” Kalou explains.
–
“Before I joined the club I knew they were in financial trouble so I didn’t come for the money. The planning of the project was not well thought out.
–
To prepare for life in Serie B and to reduce operations, the club want to offload Kalou, who signed an 18-month contract last August that includes a termination option after six months.
–
Brazilian media have linked Kalou to a move to Sao Paulo, but in the twilight of his career, Kalou’s attention slowly turns away from football after spending two decades at the elite level. Recently, he became a father for the first time.
–
“It’s been a difficult year – the pregnancy and now the baby are here, the six months have been quite long, being in a new country,” Kalou concludes.
–
“Football is a great thing and it has given me a lot of joy over the past 20 years, but when I come home now and see the baby nothing else matters. I have to see what comes next. is best for my family “.
–
Putting his family first, Kalou is likely to spend some of his time in Brazil in the future, given that his partner, whom he met in Germany, is Brazilian.
—
