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Ali Fuseini


CLUB:
Margate ()
POSITION:
Midfield
BORN:
1988-12-07
BIRTHPLACE:
Accra, Ghana
PREVIOUS CLUBS:
Millwall, Lincoln City, Bromley Eastleigh , Sutton United
HEIGHT / WEIGHT:
-/-
NIKNAME:
GHANA DEBUT :
0000-00-00
CAPS/GOALS:
0/0

Fuseini was born and brought up in Accra, the capital of Ghana, but followed his mum Mariam, a nurse, to Catford in 2000. Once at St Joseph's School, Lee Terrace,Lewisham, he discovered he had a talent for football, and was soon playing in midfield for Sunday league team Dolmora Albion, based in Brockley Rise.
It was there he was seen by Millwall scout Jamie Martin, who signed him up for a scholarship aged 16.
"It felt very different coming to a professional club,after just playing Sunday football,"said Fuseini.
He soon signed YTS forms,to his mum's relief. "She said: 'That is the first step, at least.' It was certainly a lot harder work at a professional club than Sunday league, though,"said the teenager.
His first competitive game for the club was a rude awakening - a 6-0 defeat by Arsenal. "I was confident going into the game, though," he said. "I wanted to impress. It needed to be all about me focussing on my game - and that is what I did."
Fuseini tore a medial knee ligament in his first season as an U18, and missed almost two months of football.
Young players often tend to be stuck out on the wing, because they have enough energy to get by players.That's what happened to the youngster.
But when Joe Little was made head of the Millwall youth academy in August, he put him back in the position he loves best. And soon the move paid dividends.
A senior appearance for Millwall in the pre-season friendly at Crawley on August 15 followed, with Fuseini earning praise from then-boss Nigel Spackman, who watched the game. The teenager then played the first three reserve games of the season, scoring against Wycombe.
And when Millwall's opening few results went badly, Spackman asked Little if Fuseini was ready for the first team.
Little said: "Nigel wanted a holding midfielder and asked if Ali was ready. I gave him the thumbs up. He went into the team, and, although it wasn't the best result, Ali did give a good account of himself.He showed maturity beyond his years.
"And Nigel said Ali had done everything he'd asked of him and more, and that was why he was selected."
Fuseini added: "I trained with the first team on Monday and then Nigel asked me into his office and warned me I might be in the starting XI the next day.
"I was excited but nervous. But I spoke to Joe and asked his advice and he said: 'Just go out there and play your own game and enjoy yourself.'
"My mum was at work when I told her so she couldn't say much, but she was real-ly excited when we got home. I didn't ring my mates in case I was rubbish.
"I was nervous, but I always am very nervous before I go out on the pitch. But as soon as you go out on the pitch, you have to just concentrate on your own game, and that's what I tried to do. I thought I did okay and I was really pleased with myself."
Spackman, and now caretaker Willie Donachie,must have agreed, because they continued to select him.
And he played his part in turning results around, by featuring in another four games, including the 1-1 draw with Brentford and the 3-2 victory at Rotherham. "It has been quite hard playing for the first team, but I feel I've done myself justice so far," added Fuseini.
"It wasn't the best feeling to be left out for the Carlisle game,because,as a youngster,you want to play every game.
"But the coaches and staff know much better than me what is going to be best and if they tell you that you need to rest, they know what they are talking about, and you have to listen to them."