Jump to content
Newcastle-Online

Christian Atsu (1992–2023)

Kaizero

by Kaizero
in Football

 Share

Recommended Posts

Guest firetotheworks

Guest firetotheworks

Posted
Posted

 

Can someone paraphrase this or paste the content as a quote in here?

 

No.  I'm not going onto the DailyFail website for you.

 

Pretty sure this is a forum and not a PM direct to you like Neesy. :lol:

Link to post
Share on other sites
HaydnNUFC

HaydnNUFC

Posted
Posted

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-4478068/Newcastle-star-Atsu-delivering-pitch.html

 

Christian Atsu delivering on and off the pitch as Newcastle star talks Ghana charity work, tough upbringing and 'great man' Rafa Benitez

 

Christian Atsu was 12 years old when his father passed away in his native Ghana

It served as motivation for a boy who could have been lost to Ada Foah's streets

He was scouted by Feyenoord's west African academy as a youngster

Atsu, 25, is an ambassador of Arms Around the Child, a British charity

His fifth goal of the season set Newcastle on their way to victory last Friday

Atsu: 'My second boy was born at the start of this season. I named him Godwin'

 

Christian Atsu was 12 years old when, following the sudden death of his father, he declared: 'I'm either going to be a doctor or a footballer'.

Even today, 13 years on and sitting inside Newcastle United's training ground in the wake of promotion to the Premier League, you can sense Atsu's regret at his father's passing in poverty-stricken Ghana.

What it did do is serve as motivation for a boy who could have been lost to the streets of Ada Foah, the hometown where he played football in his bare feet until being spotted by scouts from Feyenoord's west African academy.

 

Atsu was in the first term of a six-month training camp some three hours from home when news came through that his father, Immanuel, was sick. He never saw him again.

'I was not paid at the academy and because of that, my father died. We did not have the money for the treatment,' says Atsu, the youngest of 11 siblings and now a father of two.

'I did not ask anything about the sickness, but I know he was drinking a lot of alcohol. He was a farmer. Now there was no-one to help the family.

'That inspired me. I was either going to be a doctor, to help the sick, or make it as a footballer, to provide for my family.'

 

That, he has done. His mother, Afiko, has moved out of the two-bedroom dwelling where she raised the family. Atsu's twin sister, Christiana, is studying nursing at university and hopes to join her brother in Newcastle for a masters degree.

Atsu, though, has done more than help just his own. The Ghana star is an ambassador of Arms Around the Child, a British charity which supports orphanage sites in his country.

He will return this summer with a bagful of Newcastle kits, boots and balls. 'I will play football with the children and my friends in my bare feet, but please, don't tell the manager,' he smiles.

However, given the experience of his own upbringing, he will offer more than material goods.

'The hard life I passed through, I know how it is. Those children on the streets, they don't have parents, they don't have friends, they have nothing,' he says.

 

'I try to provide food, books and clothes, but most of all I want to give them hope, I want them to have a better future. It is more important for them to feel loved, to know there is someone there to help, someone who cares.

'They have lost parents, like I did. But many, their parents just left them on street because they cannot afford to have them or pay school fees.

'It happened to me, too. It got to the point where my parents could not pay my fees and I had to sacrifice school. I sold rubber bags in the market with my friends. Sometimes I would be away from the house for two weeks without seeing my family, staying with friends, just to forget things.

'I loved playing football but I also had to work hard to feed my family. I could not see them suffering, especially my twin sister and mother.'

For a young man driven by a work ethic and sense of duty off the pitch, on it he was blessed with flair and played with freedom.

 

That much has been evident on Tyneside, where the Chelsea loanee's fifth goal of the season - a delightful free-kick - set Newcastle on their way to victory at Cardiff last Friday. He also scored in the promotion-clinching win against Preston and wants to make it a treble by helping the Magpies to the Championship title this weekend.

Atsu hopes to make permanent a £6.5million move in the coming weeks. For after loan spells at Everton and Bournemouth brought just five top-flight appearances, this finally feels like home.

He is softly spoken. Talk of his childhood perhaps offers reason for that. But, when it is put to him that - at 5ft 8ins - he is perhaps too small to impact in the Premier League, he comes back with anything but a whisper.

'Okay… I know I'm very small, but I also have a very big heart. It does not matter how small you are, I go to win - in football and in life,' says the winger, who arrived at Chelsea from Porto for £3.5m in 2013 but is yet to play for the Blues.

'It just didn't work for me at Everton or Bournemouth. I am more focused in my life now. I have forgotten what happened in the past. You need to be in the moment.

 

'It is my dream to play in the Premier League, that is why I signed for Chelsea. Everyone in Ghana watches our football. Now I have that chance. Rafa Benitez has helped me so much this year, he is not only a great coach, but a great man.'

Benitez's influence apart, the newfound serenity which has allowed Atsu to shine is perhaps best explained by the happiness of life with his young family.

'My second boy was born at the start of this season. I named him Godwin, because my past life was difficult. I said, 'This is me now - God will help us win',' says Atsu, who also has Joshua, three.

'Their childhood will be different to mine, yes, but I want them to have the same values.'

It is those values which have taken Atsu this far. He will need them more than ever if he is finally to make a name for himself in the Premier League.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest Howaythetoon

Guest Howaythetoon

Posted
Posted

I get the impression he will be better suited to the PL than the Championship and Rafa knew this and that's why he's signed him up permanently. From what I saw of him last season, I am happy with this transfer.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Bimpy474

Bimpy474

Posted
Posted

I get the impression he will be better suited to the PL than the Championship and Rafa knew this and that's why he's signed him up permanently. From what I saw of him last season, I am happy with this transfer.

 

While i agree with that, Eddie Howe and Roberto Martinez (i think was Everton manager at the time) gave him little or no playing time at all when on loan at Bournemouth and Everton in the Premiership.

 

He's older and has had a season with us, that and Rafa wants him so i think he'll turn out to be a good signing, in fact an excellent squad signing.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Nobody

Nobody

Posted
Posted

What game was it when he took a great touch on the run bringing a ball down from a cross and then did a pitch perfect cross in for a goal? Sold me on him in that moment

Brighton away. Ritchie's pass out to him and he assisted Perez for the second goal. My goal of the season.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Heron

Heron

Posted
Posted

I'm happy that we're moving in the market more than anything. Good squad signing and capable of being an alternative option / threat for us. CB, CM then #9 /#10 are the key signings to be made and in that order.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Super Duper Branko Strupar

Super Duper Branko Strupar

Posted
Posted

 

Can someone paraphrase this or paste the content as a quote in here?

 

No.  I'm not going onto the DailyFail website for you.

 

Pretty sure this is a forum and not a PM direct to you like Neesy. :lol:

 

:lol:

Link to post
Share on other sites
Yorkie

Yorkie

Posted
Posted

What game was it when he took a great touch on the run bringing a ball down from a cross and then did a pitch perfect cross in for a goal? Sold me on him in that moment

 

I'm absolutely being an arse but I can't get my head around posts like this. :lol: I've seen two or three posts recently about people not really recalling that absolutely massive goal.

Link to post
Share on other sites
Nobody

Nobody

Posted
Posted

What game was it when he took a great touch on the run bringing a ball down from a cross and then did a pitch perfect cross in for a goal? Sold me on him in that moment

 

I'm absolutely being an arse but I can't get my head around posts like this. :lol: I've seen two or three posts recently about people not really recalling that absolutely massive goal.

I'm normally absolutely useless with remembering stuff like that :lol:

Link to post
Share on other sites
Incognito

Incognito

Posted
Posted

 

Can someone paraphrase this or paste the content as a quote in here?

 

No.  I'm not going onto the DailyFail website for you.

Black African immigrant steals job from hard-working English lad

 

fyp

That's much better, cheers. There's probably a career here for you [emoji2]

Link to post
Share on other sites
Guest reefatoon

Guest reefatoon

Posted
Posted

I'm happy that we're moving in the market more than anything. Good squad signing and capable of being an alternative option / threat for us. CB, CM then #9 /#10 are the key signings to be made and in that order.

 

Why in that order?

Link to post
Share on other sites
Heron

Heron

Posted
Posted

I'm happy that we're moving in the market more than anything. Good squad signing and capable of being an alternative option / threat for us. CB, CM then #9 /#10 are the key signings to be made and in that order.

 

Why in that order?

The reason I reckon that order is because we simply won't be one of the strongest attacking teams in the division after one window and not only that we're a young and naive team playing up against world cup and European cup winners. A steady head at the back who reads the game and can play the ball about will bring confidence to the keeper, defence and midfield and will allow them all to do their jobs better. It also would take the weight of the captaincy from Lascelles (we should sign someone captain material) so that both he and Clark are focusing solely on their own game and improving. If we tighten up the back and then midfield then we have a solid platform to build upon and if we just consolidate our position in the league we can kick on from there. We're more than capable of retaining possession so  chances will always come albeit maybe not as many as if we went all out attack.  But 38 draws virtually provides you with safety so keeping goals out is more important than chancing it on a few occasional wins at the level we are at.

 

Not entertaining or very positive I know. I just think it's steady and solid and probably more like what Rafa would do.

Link to post
Share on other sites
buzza

buzza

Posted
Posted

I'm happy that we're moving in the market more than anything. Good squad signing and capable of being an alternative option / threat for us. CB, CM then #9 /#10 are the key signings to be made and in that order.

 

Why in that order?

The reason I reckon that order is because we simply won't be one of the strongest attacking teams in the division after one window and not only that we're a young and naive team playing up against world cup and European cup winners. A steady head at the back who reads the game and can play the ball about will bring confidence to the keeper, defence and midfield and will allow them all to do their jobs better. It also would take the weight of the captaincy from Lascelles (we should sign someone captain material) so that both he and Clark are focusing solely on their own game and improving. If we tighten up the back and then midfield then we have a solid platform to build upon and if we just consolidate our position in the league we can kick on from there. We're more than capable of retaining possession so  chances will always come albeit maybe not as many as if we went all out attack.  But 38 draws virtually provides you with safety so keeping goals out is more important than chancing it on a few occasional wins at the level we are at.

 

Not entertaining or very positive I know. I just think it's steady and solid and probably more like what Rafa would do.

Aye, good point!

Although the team would have a lot more balance if we had a really good nº10

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...