Cheick Diabaté interview with France football about his time in Iran

[PSGman#19]

About his time in Iran
https://www.francefootball.fr/news/C...otball/1122637

[Ghermez Agha]

Can anyone who speaks French give a quick summary with highlights?

[dcpp]

I'm glad for him for those who don't/didn't know him, Diabaté is probably one of the kindest football player in the world, extremely down to earth and a lovely person.

[Iran_19]

Can anyone who speaks French give a quick summary with highlights?

He only had good words to say about Iran, our players and our people.
Was impressed by the level of the league and wonder how some players still play in local league.
Loves the atmosphere of the stadium, fans, he has an Iranian freind and his mom cook the home food for him.
He is amazed by people hospitality, once he was about to miss a flight and right away they found a place for him in the last minute.
Stra was the reason why he came to Iran.
He doesn't regret his new experience at all.


Sent from my MAR-LX3A using Tapatalk

[PSGman#19]

Can anyone who speaks French give a quick summary with highlights?

Full translation

We are glad to have some news about you! We were wondering where is Cheick Diabaté..
(He smiles.) Cheick Diabaté is here ! I am in Iran. I'm fine but it's not like before. With coronavirus, everthing stopped. Football, trainings... Personally, I am healthy so there is no problem.

From when everthing stopped in Iran?
It is almost two weeks (the interview took place on 17th of march). We know Iran is hit hard by the coronavirus. People try to be careful. Everything changed here. Lots of restaurant are closed. People stay at home. It is quiet. I can say it is quite scary. I try to stay at home as much as I can. I go out to jog alone, to stay fit. Staying at home... after three or four days, I want to go out a little bit!

In France, government forces people to stay at home. Is it the same in Iran?
No, it's not the same here. I try to have some news about France. In Iran, people start to be scared. Before, life went on and you only had TV saying to people to be careful. Some people took it seriously, some other didn't care. But today, as coronavirus is killing a lot of people in Iran, people start to be really scared. I think they should have organize themselves a little bit earlier.

Did you think about leaving?
I want to see my family, I want to leave, that's true. I am alone here. But now, it is very hard to travel. I think airports are dangerous places. As Iran is a closed country, it is hard to travel outside. That's the situation now, I have to be patient. I don't have other choice, I have to protect myself, be careful for me and for others.

Now let's talk about your career in Iran : how did you sign there last summer?
The coach made me come here : Andrea Stramaccioni, an italian coach (former Inter, Udinese, Olympiakos, Sparta Prague coach). Before signing here, we talk a lot. At the beginning, I didn't want to come in Iran. Finally I accepted because Esteghlal is a big team here. They participate to the asian champions league. I said why not trying!

At the beginning, why you didn't want to come in Iran?
To be frank, I didn't know anything about Iran. I had a lot of questions. I don't care bout not going to nightclubs or partying. It's not something I like as I prefer to stay quietly at home. But I didn't know anybody to explain me how things work in Iran. I trusted the coach. I thought that I won't feel alone with him.

It was a big jump in the unknown...
Exactly. When I arrived, it was very, very good. Frankly. I have no regret. I started to play, to score. The fans are impressive here, it's incredible. There are two teams in Tehran : Esteghlal and Persepolis. Half of the fans support one, the other half support the other. Each game is sold out. When everything goes well in the pitch, it's incredible, specially when I score. People like me a lot here. It's unbelievable (he smiles).
When I go out, people want to take picture with me! Even when the coronavirus arrived, they still wanted to take picture with me! This time I refused because corona isn't a joke.
I adapted myself but it isn't like in France. There is a difference. I have an iranian friend here. I am lucky to know him. Otherwise, I don't know if I could have adapted myself here. He is more than a friend. I know his parents, almost all his family. Sometimes, his mum says to me : "Cheick, I don't want you to go to restaurants, I will prepare something to eat for you."
Actually I have no problem here. That's why I don't mind staying here. However, I miss France, because it isn't the same. My family is there. Even if people here are nice with me, I want to come back.

We don't know anything about the level of the iranian league. Describe it for us...
When I arrived, as the coach was italian, I felt like I was in Italy the first six months. Italian was spoken in the training center, and we had the same kind of training sessions. It was the same thing.
When the coach left, not long ago, we had an iranian coach.
About the league, I was surprised. Iranians play very good football! I was impressed by the level. There are some very very very very good players. Sometimes, I ask the players : "why you didn't try to play abroad, in Europe, to experience something else?". The players explain me that it's not easy to leave because the country is a little bit closed.
They love football. First religion, then football. When people go to stadium it's not just to watch a game. They want put some ambiance in the stadium. Because, except it, there isn't much to do there. There isn't nightclubs to dance. It's forbidden. On weekends, stadium is the place where people can be together, shout..

You said before you didn't feel alone with Stramaccioni : is it different now he left?
To be frank, I will try to finish this season and then we will be see for the next. As long as it goes well on the pitch.. I have no regret. And when everything goes well in the country, it's incredible. Once, I had to travel to France. I went to the airport. There were two flights and I made a mistake. I arrived late. When people saw me in the airport, they did everything to find me a seat while all the gates were closed. They said: "the plane cannot take off without Cheick" (he smiles). You don't see such things elsewhere, even in Mali!

Iranians like you a lot!
Yes, a lot! You have to come to see it!

We will come!
Not now, I prefer you stay home. It's not the best time

Did you visit the country?
No, no. I am just here to play football. Nothing else. I train, I come back home, I rest, I prepare the next game. As I love football, I don't mind doing everything to be good on the pitch.

You scored 8 goals out of 13 games in the league, and 3 goals out of 2 games in the asian champions league.
Everything goes well. Players are happy. Fans are happy. They chant my name. I don't speak their language but I hear my name. When I score, the fans shout it together. It's incredible.

Do you have a nickname in Iran?
(he laughs). They call me the lion. In Italy, they called me the monster. I don't know where they find these! When people are happy, they try to find you a name. Football makes you travel. I need to discover other cultures. Things I couldn't discover if I stayed in Africa. I went to Turkey, Italy, Emirates, Iran. I am learning a lot. I can learn different mentalities. Now I can live anywhere.
People are the most important thing. Lot of the Persepolis fans like me. They know me, we talk, they ask me why I accept to talk with them. I answered : "People are the most important thing. Without people, football is useless".
Today I am talking with you, that's weird but I feel well. We don't know each other but I feel I am talking with someone which is very close to me. It's like we know each other since a lot time ago. Here nobody speaks french so I feel I am talking to a member of my family. I can describe what I see here and thanks to you, people can hear why I say.

[Medzdidz]

Thank you for that , and it’s lovely to see a genuine and nice guy appreciating the experience he is having and the love of the Iranian people. Not all foreign players have been so kind with their words who have played in Iran.