Bayo vows to help friend Kouassi fulfil potential as Ivorians team up at Celts
New Bhoy Vakoun Issouf Bayo has vowed to elevate pal Eboue Kouassi to Celtic greatness alongside him.
The Ivorian forward finally got the work permit last week that he needed to pen his £2million deal.
And along with boss Brendan Rodgers, he is convinced that countryman Kouassi has what it takes after taking the road less travelled to get to Glasgow from West Africa.
Bayo, who arrived via Tunisia and Slovakia, became close pals with the midfielder through their international Under-21 call-ups.
And he insists his mate – who passed his second anniversary with the Hoops in midweek with only 12 starts to his name – will get over his luckless streak of injuries to establish himself as the £2m talent he was signed to be.
Bayo said: “I have actually watched a lot of Celtic since Eboue signed because we are really good friends.
“He’s a good player – you don’t sign for Celtic if you’re not – but injury is the big enemy of any professional.
“You know it is part of your career but Eboue is strong in his head and I’m convinced he is going to come back. “If we can help each other we will. We have a community feeling together. “I have known him since we were in the Ivory Coast Under-21 squad. We used to spend quite a lot of time together before games and became good friends. “He encouraged me to come here. Although he’s not playing right now and doing a lot of rehab on his knee we have had quite a lot of exchanges on the phone. “I asked him about the team and he said it was a really good group.” Rodgers, who was a coach at Chelsea with Bayo’s hero Didier Drogba – sees a hunger in both players that convinces him they’ll reach the standard they need. The Celtic manager said: “These kids are so hungry for success. “To hav e t he commitment t o go to places where no people speak their language, to learn and play football.
“I’m a big admirer of that and I love it about both of them.
“Eboue went to Armenia then to Russia. Didier was 24 when he joined Chelsea and didn’t have an easy ride through France. Michael Essien too.
“The West African boys’ migration usual ly takes them to France and Belgium before moving on – but some of the lads have to go a different route.
“Their love of football means they go to these countries though and get picked up from there.
“And it’s then a case of shaping them on and off the pitch.”
After arriving from Slovakian side Dunajska Streda, Bayo isn’t ready to go straight into a Hoops team who’ve started back from the winter break in serious attacking form.
But Rodgers is certain he will make an impact after coach Kolo Toure spoke highly of his countryman.
He said: “Bayo is a couple of weeks away. He hadn’t done any thing since December 8.
“He is what he is – a pure goalscorer. He has a good frame and will get stronger.
“It will take him a few weeks to get up to speed and adapt but I’m sure he will do very well.
“It’s important to bring in the right type of person to the environment. “Kolo Toure spoke highly of Bayo as being a good guy. We talked through his strengths after we had watched him but Kolo could enlighten us a bit more. “He’s not the finished article but one to develop. He has a good profile. He is really good in the air. It will be interesting to see how he develops.” Af ter two years , Kouassi is facing the same ‘wait and see’ on whether his potential can t rans i t ion into gametime. His ga f fe r Rodgers said: “Eboue has been unlucky with injury and also with the form of the captain (Scott Brown) who has been brilliant for two years. These kids want to improve, they want to come in for the environment in which they can strive in.
“Eboue can play here though. That’s the reason such a young player cost a couple of million Euros.
“He has a talent and in the Europa League games played well.
“I’ve seen him enough times to know he has the qualities. He’s like any player in that he needs regular games. It’s just that he has been unfortunate.