Mama was a dealer????

[edinburghstokie]

Dec 1, 2008 13:09:43 GMT @squareball said:

Are some of you on crack?

I think you'll find that Mama 'turned his life around' because he was capable of being a Premiership footballer.

I don't think anyone has implied that all drug dealers can make it as a premiership footballer. Mama is a good role model because he choose to get out of that lifestyle (with some help from his father). It shows that just because you come from a deprived area with little money, it doesn't mean you have no future in front of you.

At the time of Mama being a kid peddling drugs, I am pretty certain that he wasn't part of a football academy. His family choose to explore that option, and it turned out that he was pretty good. All kids have talents, they just need the willingness to explore themselves and find out what it is. Just like Mama.

[mermaidsal]

Way too much judging going on here, Mama's had the balls to tell the truth and earns nothing but respect from me.

[albanianstokie]

Actually Mama started turning his life around by becoming a council repair man. Of course his skill as a footballer helped him, but that doesn't diminish what he achieved. He should be respected for turning his life around and his example should be used as an inspiration for others. Others may well not be good enough to play football, but they will have other skills, skills they can use in an honest and drug free life. Mama used his skills and they worked for him, the same thing should work for others.

[Dr Oetcake]

How was that then? Did he dribble new manhole covers into place and do keepy-ups with dog shit?

[Dr Oetcake]

And I believe Papa was a rolling stone!

[albanianstokie]

I don't know what he did, but fact remains he worked for a local council before becoming a football player. Amazing really, some people actually have careers outside football that don't involve criminal activity, who would've thought!!!

[Dr Oetcake]

I suppose he could have been Gus from eastenders... most footballers one would have supposed have been in the game so long these days from childhood that they dont have time for an "before football" career - possibly he could be the new Ted Moult, getting all up close and personal with windows and feathers in Flash.

[albanianstokie]

yes well some do, Andy hessenthaler was a plasterer, Ian Wright played non-league for a long time before being picked up by Palace, Stan Collymore too for that matter. It's not unusual for a guy to have a pre-football life. Look, it doesn't matter what sarky comment you want to make about what Mama did before he became a pro-footballer, fact is, he like many other decent people, had a bad start in life, made some mistakes, but turned it around and is enjoying the rewards of his life choice. Good luck to him!

[Irish Stokie]

I think he should be applauded and NOW really is a role model for any young people who have "got mixed up with the wrong people". He didnt leave behind a life of dealing drugs to walk into a Premeirship football he worked for the council and for an amateur french football team. I think its a great story and shows what hard work can achive

[albanianstokie]

Thanks Irish.

[th05]

It's irrelevant really. I don't care what he does/did in his personal life. He is giving his all for SCFC now.

[XLITTLEMISSSTOKEX]

good for mama, so what about his past he'snot still doing it you have choices in life he's chose the good way and got his life sorted,

[mark71]

Top bloke is mama.

[Lakeland Potter]

Actually I read it that his dad was a council repair man. I've no idea how Mama earned his living between dealing and Professional football - or even if there was an intermediate stage.

But, as Stoke in ed says, the moral of this story is not that all the drug dealers can turn their lives round by becoming professional footballers but that Mama is giving up his time to talk to kids and show them that it is possible to turn your life round however bad things seem at the time.

It is pretty easy to knock the idea of a role model but surely children who do have a few positive role models to emulate have a better chance of a decent future than disadvantaged children who don't have good role models to look at.

If I was the parent of a child who met and talked with Mama as part of this initiative I'd be delighted that someone had cared enough to set up the programme to bring Mama and people like him into the school to talk to my kid. It won't turn every vulnerable kid's life around but if it makes a difference in one or two cases then it is well worth the effort. Well done to all concerned.

[psv2000]

He was also decent enough (extremely fooloish?) to help out Oulare with a sizeable loan. Wonder if he ever got it back?

Him en Diao with his charity work and schools in Africa seem to exemplify the type of character TP wants. Unfortunately there are so few of these around (and not just in football)

[albanianstokie]

so true isn't it. I've said my own piece about Mama a few times on this thread, but I still find it difficult that anyone can criticise what Mama has done here. Yes he was a dealer, he made a big horrible mistake when he wasn't much, if anything, more than a kid. But the crucial point is trhat he learned from his mistake and is trying to use his own example to help others, by showing them that there is another way.

Mama has shot up in my estimations this season, both for the character he displays off the field and for his performances on it. well done mama and good luck wherever your career takes you (hopefully staying at stoke mind!).

[terrorofturfmoor]

It's probably what Bangura owes him money for.....

Mama's gonna send the heavies round.................if they can find him!!!

[Not_Nick_H]

Nov 30, 2008 23:12:24 GMT stokesaint1 said:

Sorry if posted anywhere else but couldn't see it. In the Star today page 19, in a full page article, Mama admitted that he used to be a drug pusher, when living in Paris. He claims his old man got him out of it by giving him a good kicking if he saw him hanging round with "bad guys". I'm surprised he's opened up about something like this and it will surely open him up to abuse from other fans. I have to admit to being a wee bit disappointed by it and him. I would have prefered he kept it to himself. It's not something I wanted to hear or know about one of our players.

I know what you mean saint - but in the end it shows that with a) some good parental guidance - esp from his dad and b) 'aard work , someone can be turned around and put on the right path.

I know I used to feel a bit disappointed when I'd read about some of my musical heroes errrr "imbibing", but I think that said more about my sensible upbringing (and slight naievity about the music business at the time), than their behaviour.

Point is - as an immigrant in Paris, there are probably the same "opportunities" (or lack of) as there are for immigrants in any big city - so it's all too easy to go down the wrong path.

He should be held up as an example of what you can achieve if you want to make a proper living. I'm sure he's a hero to his folks at home because of that.

[Not_Nick_H]

Dec 1, 2008 15:58:12 GMT albanianstokie said:

yes well some do, Andy hessenthaler was a plasterer, Ian Wright played non-league for a long time before being picked up by Palace, Stan Collymore too for that matter. It's not unusual for a guy to have a pre-football life. Look, it doesn't matter what sarky comment you want to make about what Mama did before he became a pro-footballer, fact is, he like many other decent people, had a bad start in life, made some mistakes, but turned it around and is enjoying the rewards of his life choice. Good luck to him!

Weren't Teddy Sheringham and Les Ferdinand from non-league as well? I also heard John Acres referring to Nigel Gleghorn as "being a fireman" once, so I guess he was from a "day-job" background as well.