Senegal’s Kouyate on How Ngom Left Camp After AFCON Snub

Chiekhou Kouyate has opened up on how compatriot Santy Ngom deserted the Taranga Lions’ camp upon learning he is not in gaffer Aliou Cisse’s squad for the Africa Cup of Nations.

The left-sided forward found himself a surplus to the team, with others preferred.

Born in Le Mans France to a Senegalese father and mother with Algerian ancestry, the 26-year-old had been tipped to make the final roster and his non-selection came much as a shock.

Plying his trade with Nantes who loaned him out to Nancy in the French Ligue2, he returned an improved forward hence the call-ups given to him in Senegal’s previous exhibition games.

His performances earned rave reviews from Senegalese pundits but the Lions’ wealth of forward options which included vice-captain Sadio Mane, Keita Balde and a number of others meant, he takes a back seat in the pecking order.

Cisse made public his list yesterday evening and Ngom, apparently disappointed, did not even spend the night in the team’s hotel according to skipper and former West Ham man Chiekhou Kouyate.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]“I did not get see Santy (Ngom). When I woke up, I was told that he had already left, but I talked to Sidy and I knew it was not easy for him (too).”[/perfectpullquote]

“But you have to know that it should have been me or someone, otherwise it’s hard to swallow. We know Sidy well. He said to me: the rest you can do is play for me and for the Senegalese people,” the Crystal Palace central midfielder said.

Santy is capped thrice by the West African nation and made fifteen outings scoring two goals in Nancy’s climb back to Ligue1.