As far as I'm concerned this signing alone should see Bloomfield rewarded with another contract extension. Absolutely brilliant news. Makes me very proud of the club - and the dressing room especially for making Kone feel comfortable enough to want to join. Hope there's a good media strategy in place to both promote this but also protect Richard. Can't wait to see him on the pitch!
After a tricky visa process, a delayed DHL delivery, a missed flight, and a 15-hour journey, the Ivory Coast team arrived in Cardiff. Needless to say, the West African street soccer team’s journey hasn’t been without its hitches. But, having only arrived 24 hours ago and with only one game in, the team are kicking, passing, saving, and scoring with already 16 goals bagged.
Geographical and bureaucratic journeys aside, the team’s 17-year-old player Richard Kone from Abidjan generously shared a bit more about his own past, present, and future football journey.
“I have been playing football since a young child. Football is my passion. I just love to play. I don’t think of much else but football at the moment. I think it has helped me to become a bigger person and it has given me the opportunity to travel abroad: first time on a plane and first time abroad for me.
“I was living on the street because I had some problems with my parents because I am homosexual. A friend of mine introduced me to the president of the street soccer association (Don’t Forget Them Association) in Ivory Coast. They said to me if I trained every day and worked hard I would be accepted into the programme and potentially selected to come to the Homeless World Cup.”
The Don’t Forget Them Association uses sport to reintegrate: homeless or formerly homeless adults, street children, and youth; people displaced by war; prisoners; and others, like the LGBT community, who are dealing with extremely difficult situations.
Although it is not illegal to be gay in Ivory Coast, societal stigmatisation of homosexuality is widespread, with people being subject to disownment, beatings, imprisonment, verbal abuse, humiliation, and extortion by family members, the public, and the police.
Disownment led to Kone’s experience of homelessness. “In Ivory Coast it isn’t easy at all being homeless. Some people won’t talk with you when you try and ask for a little bit of help or a little bit of money. They ignore you, some people get beaten up. It is terribly difficult being homeless in my country.”
On speaking about the present and future, Kone smiles modestly. “Just before coming here I reconciled with my mother. I would like to be successful at the World Cup. Apart from that, I would like to go back to school, because I didn’t have that chance with the problems I had with my parents, and maybe become a lawyer or doctor, who knows …”
I think I’d heard some of that background when he first came to the club as a preseason trialist but the update is much appreciated and I’m sure will be welcomed by other Gasroomers.
He could be just what we need as a striker. It's hard to tell with the difference in levels (see AAH2 back and forth just one level below us!) but when someone is that prolific, even at a much lower level, you have to think they simply know where the net is. Add the fact that he has already scored a few times for us in friendlies against higher opposition, and it seems a very astute signing.
We also have the Papa John's game coming up after Burton, so even if we don't see Kone against Burton (hopefully he makes the bench at least), it would not surprise me to see him start against West Ham. Exciting times!
Regardless of how successful or not he becomes with us, I'm glad we have looked to support him on his life journey and hopefully it will be a win win for all involved.
That article quotes him saying he's gay. Assuming it is accurate, does anyone know whether that makes him the first openly gay professional footballer playing in the FL?
I have a vague recollection of a player coming out but only being in a youth team somewhere. Could be wrong of course.
Genuine question and isn't relevant to the key point (can he hit the back of the net?). But would clearly be a significant step forward for inclusivity in the game if so.
Hopefully Kone can make the huge leap up from very non league to Lg1 football. Certainly a very interesting story. Out of interest was it announced who the little girl pictured above is?
There is a version of 2024 where Kone bangs the goals in, we finish a creditable 10th, and then Kone and Hanlan turn out to be unplayable together next season and we are top going into 2025.
I definitely liked what I saw of Kone at Aldershot and Wealdstone in pre-season.
Obviously not the finished article by any means given he’s only 20 and has never played professionally before, but the raw materials looked promising.
My gut feel was that this was definitely someone we should look to be signing and so it was disappointing when it didn’t come off in the summer.
Playing style wise (bearing in mind we only saw him briefly) he reminded me of Chris Zebroski in physique and the distinctive way he ran. However, he looked a more natural footballer than Zebroski, who was always a bit mechanical.
I liked the fact that he seemed to be able to combine decent hold up play with being able to create his own chances and run the channels.
He also clearly knows where the back of the net is and scored at Aldershot and should have scored at least one at Wealdstone.
Obviously we shouldn’t expect too much straight away but he’s hopefully a player we’ll see flourish at Wycombe in the seasons ahead.
Comments
“First new recruit”
Excellent news. THE player.
As far as I'm concerned this signing alone should see Bloomfield rewarded with another contract extension. Absolutely brilliant news. Makes me very proud of the club - and the dressing room especially for making Kone feel comfortable enough to want to join. Hope there's a good media strategy in place to both promote this but also protect Richard. Can't wait to see him on the pitch!
Once again our club does us proud. Welcome aboard
Some more background on Richard Kone
https://www.homelessworldcup.org/stories/welcome-cte-divoire
Sorry @Twizz. Links in black never work on my phone. Shame because I’d love to see the piece.
After a tricky visa process, a delayed DHL delivery, a missed flight, and a 15-hour journey, the Ivory Coast team arrived in Cardiff. Needless to say, the West African street soccer team’s journey hasn’t been without its hitches. But, having only arrived 24 hours ago and with only one game in, the team are kicking, passing, saving, and scoring with already 16 goals bagged.
Geographical and bureaucratic journeys aside, the team’s 17-year-old player Richard Kone from Abidjan generously shared a bit more about his own past, present, and future football journey.
“I have been playing football since a young child. Football is my passion. I just love to play. I don’t think of much else but football at the moment. I think it has helped me to become a bigger person and it has given me the opportunity to travel abroad: first time on a plane and first time abroad for me.
“I was living on the street because I had some problems with my parents because I am homosexual. A friend of mine introduced me to the president of the street soccer association (Don’t Forget Them Association) in Ivory Coast. They said to me if I trained every day and worked hard I would be accepted into the programme and potentially selected to come to the Homeless World Cup.”
The Don’t Forget Them Association uses sport to reintegrate: homeless or formerly homeless adults, street children, and youth; people displaced by war; prisoners; and others, like the LGBT community, who are dealing with extremely difficult situations.
Although it is not illegal to be gay in Ivory Coast, societal stigmatisation of homosexuality is widespread, with people being subject to disownment, beatings, imprisonment, verbal abuse, humiliation, and extortion by family members, the public, and the police.
Disownment led to Kone’s experience of homelessness. “In Ivory Coast it isn’t easy at all being homeless. Some people won’t talk with you when you try and ask for a little bit of help or a little bit of money. They ignore you, some people get beaten up. It is terribly difficult being homeless in my country.”
On speaking about the present and future, Kone smiles modestly. “Just before coming here I reconciled with my mother. I would like to be successful at the World Cup. Apart from that, I would like to go back to school, because I didn’t have that chance with the problems I had with my parents, and maybe become a lawyer or doctor, who knows …”
Copy and paste the link into your browser.
Thank you so much @Kim_il_Swan.
I think I’d heard some of that background when he first came to the club as a preseason trialist but the update is much appreciated and I’m sure will be welcomed by other Gasroomers.
He could be just what we need as a striker. It's hard to tell with the difference in levels (see AAH2 back and forth just one level below us!) but when someone is that prolific, even at a much lower level, you have to think they simply know where the net is. Add the fact that he has already scored a few times for us in friendlies against higher opposition, and it seems a very astute signing.
For whatever reason, I’ve tapped the link almost hard enough to crack the glass but nothing happens. Hence my gratitude to @Kim_il_Swan.
The last player we signed from the Essex Senior League was ok wasn’t he?
We also have the Papa John's game coming up after Burton, so even if we don't see Kone against Burton (hopefully he makes the bench at least), it would not surprise me to see him start against West Ham. Exciting times!
Surely Kone goes straight into the squad on Saturday?
Kone played 108 league games for Newham and scored 100 goals.
Yes please.
We are a wonderful club, welcome Richard!
Regardless of how successful or not he becomes with us, I'm glad we have looked to support him on his life journey and hopefully it will be a win win for all involved.
That article quotes him saying he's gay. Assuming it is accurate, does anyone know whether that makes him the first openly gay professional footballer playing in the FL?
I have a vague recollection of a player coming out but only being in a youth team somewhere. Could be wrong of course.
Genuine question and isn't relevant to the key point (can he hit the back of the net?). But would clearly be a significant step forward for inclusivity in the game if so.
No he's not, there has been others, not many but there has
Kone becomes the second openly gay footballer in the UK.
Some lad at Blackpool was the first.
I think he's the second. Jake Daniels at Blackpool was the first.
Rob decided to dress as the villain from Allo Allo
Exciting signing, as said before some players can make the jump up and some can’t but at least he’s getting a chance.
Ah yes, I recall seeing the Blackpool story.
Wasn't he a youth team player though?
Appreciate I could just Google it...
He's played 9 minutes for the first team
Hopefully Kone can make the huge leap up from very non league to Lg1 football. Certainly a very interesting story. Out of interest was it announced who the little girl pictured above is?
Fair enough. Thanks
There is a version of 2024 where Kone bangs the goals in, we finish a creditable 10th, and then Kone and Hanlan turn out to be unplayable together next season and we are top going into 2025.
Me? Overreact to a win and a new signing?
This year he takes us to Wembley in the BSM cup. No pressure.
Smashing.
I definitely liked what I saw of Kone at Aldershot and Wealdstone in pre-season.
Obviously not the finished article by any means given he’s only 20 and has never played professionally before, but the raw materials looked promising.
My gut feel was that this was definitely someone we should look to be signing and so it was disappointing when it didn’t come off in the summer.
Playing style wise (bearing in mind we only saw him briefly) he reminded me of Chris Zebroski in physique and the distinctive way he ran. However, he looked a more natural footballer than Zebroski, who was always a bit mechanical.
I liked the fact that he seemed to be able to combine decent hold up play with being able to create his own chances and run the channels.
He also clearly knows where the back of the net is and scored at Aldershot and should have scored at least one at Wealdstone.
Obviously we shouldn’t expect too much straight away but he’s hopefully a player we’ll see flourish at Wycombe in the seasons ahead.