The Gambia ahead Assan Ceesay believes a testing mortgage spell in Germany helped him change into a title-winner in Switzerland with FC Zurich.
The 28-year-old performed a key position in FC Zurich’s triumph this season as they ended their 12-year await a league title.
He scored 20 targets and supplied 10 assists in 33 appearances to assist safe a thirteenth Swiss Super League crown for the membership.
“We played many good games and we were consistent and personally it was my best season as a professional,” he informed BBC Sport Africa.
“So it’s a season to remember and I’ll never forget. It’s my first professional title.”
He admits the success has not been straightforward to attain.
The ahead was despatched on mortgage to German Bundesliga 2 aspect Vfl Osnabruck for the second half of the 2019-20 season, however thinks it was a great factor after struggling to get taking part in time at FC Zurich.
“It’s important sometimes as a player if things are not going [well] on your side you need to change a little bit and maybe to go on loan and come back or try something new,” Ceesay mentioned.
“For me, it was good that I went to VfL Osnabruck and it was throughout the pandemic. It was not straightforward there however I attempted to handle and adapt.
“We had been taking part in with out followers so it was a bit boring, but it surely helped me so much this season after I returned to FC Zurich.
“I learnt many things in Germany. Their style of play is more physical than in Switzerland, so when I came back it helped me a lot and I didn’t regret why I went to Germany.”
Facing the long run with confidence
Ceesay is out of contract on the finish of June – however might stay at FC Zurich
On his return to Zurich, Ceesay loved extra game-time however discovered targets more durable to return by – ending the 2020-21 marketing campaign with 4 targets in 33 outings.
“As a striker you need confidence, you need to work hard and try to develop on your weaknesses and this season everything clicked for me,” he defined.
“We obtained a brand new coach (German Andre Breitenreiter) who was a striker. He helped me so much on my ending, however not solely me – [on] the entire workforce he improved many gamers.
“We had a pleasant run this season. It was good that I scored many targets and he taught me so much. He at all times tells me ‘Whatever you want come and inform me’.
“People always expect me to score goals, and I did it and helped the team win the championship.”
The Gambian shall be out of contract on the finish of June however he’s in no hurry to resolve his future.
FC Zurich have supplied him a brand new deal, whereas golf equipment abroad are additionally after his signature.
“They (FC Zurich) want me to extend and am thinking about it,” he added.
“I’m getting different gives from different leagues and different nations in Europe and out of doors Europe, however what’s extra vital is to deal with the membership you will have a contract with.
“My agent is doing the work and on the finish of the season, I’ll see what’s the very best for me as a result of I’ve to have a look at what’s the very best for me and the very best for my household and focus on it with them.
“I wish to obtain many issues. I need challenges and all people needs to play in the large leagues, however it’s a must to search for what’s the very best for you first.
“At the end of the season I’ll see what’s best for me and we’ll see.”
Aiming for the Nations Cup once more
Ceesay has scored 13 targets in 29 caps for The Gambia
Ceesay is his nation’s main goalscorer and he starred as they certified for his or her maiden Africa Cup of Nations finals final yr.
He scored three targets in Nations Cup qualifying, all towards Angola. He scored a brace in Luanda to earn The Gambia its first ever aggressive away victory earlier than scoring the one objective at residence to guide their place in Cameroon.
However, the FC Zurich ace couldn’t discover his scoring contact throughout his aspect’s historic run on the finals in Cameroon as they reached the quarter-finals.
The Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet and Scorpions followers shall be hoping Ceesay can replicate his membership kind as their qualifying marketing campaign for the 2023 Nations Cup continues.
The Scorpions, who needed to beat Chad in a preliminary spherical tie, now face a ‘residence’ tie towards South Sudan on 4 June in the Senegalese metropolis of Thies, as The Gambia don’t at the moment have a stadium that may host worldwide matches.
Four days later they journey to Brazzaville to face Congo, after which in September they’ve back-to-back video games with Mali.
“These are the most important games in the qualifiers so far because in the first two games you need points,” Ceesay emphasised
“You need not lose as a result of it might harm you mentally and it might take away your confidence.
“The first two, three video games are crucial and are essentially the most troublesome video games. We will do our greatest and attempt to have six or 4 factors, however we will not take into consideration dropping.
“We enjoyed the Afcon last time and don’t want to miss out again. We know how it feels to be at Afcon and we want to be there always and every time.”