Piece on Tioté, Lengthy Interview Coming Soon

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/newc...te-s-ban-put-into-perspective-72703-28489868/

Cheick Tiote's ban put into perspective

There is much to concern Cheick Tiote at the moment and, frankly, a two-match ban from playing football is the least of his worries at a time when his country is teetering on the brink of a bloody civil war.

Ivory Coast, no stranger to the bullet of warring factions, is in such turmoil that a distraught Tiote has been forced to move his family from Abidjan, where the fighting is raging around the presidential palace, to a safe house in the north of the country.

Racked with worry, Cheick attempted to visit his five brothers and three sisters after playing for Ivory Coast in an African Nations Group match in Ghana, but all the airports in his homeland had been closed.

Just 24, United’s newest star is responsible for the family because both his parents are dead.

A man who, through football, has escaped the abject poverty of a ravaged land – the average life span is no more than 41 – Cheick bought his brothers and sisters a house in Abidjan.

And, ever supportive, regularly sends money and gifts from Newcastle to Ivory Coast’s largest city on the west coast of Africa.

Embattled leader Laurent Gbagbo has been holed up in the presidential residence, refusing to hand over power to Alassane Ouattara, who won the election held last year.

Armed gangs and looters have been marauding the streets of Tiote’s city where burned-out cars lie side by side with corpses, the victims of atrocities.

Families caught up in the crossfire have been fleeing over the border to Liberia. More than 110,000 of them, with a further one million displaced internally. The last of the Westerners have gone.

I recently did a lengthy interview with Tiote for my Face To Face series and discovered a young man with a deep love of his family and concern for the volatile nature of his country, ripped apart in the past by corruption and nature’s harshest hand.

He has made a massive impact, both on United and the Toon Army, since signing last summer and is challenging Joey Barton and Fabricio Coloccini for the Player of the Year accolade.

The fiercest of tacklers, hardly surprising given that he has had to fight for everything all his life, Cheick has fallen foul of referees, being sent off and twice suspended over his accumulation of yellow cards.

Indeed, Tiote is banned at Aston Villa tomorrow after reaching 10 yellows for the season, but, thankfully, he’s back for the visit of champions-elect Manchester United.

At least the inability to play has meant that the mental strength of a footballer with much on his mind has not been tested.

But, typical of a warrior, he’s been training every day.

 

Good read.

Great player & clearly a top bloke.

Hope we keep him for a long time, and his family are safe.

 

Great read, puts alot of things into perspective.

 

I love Tiote. I want to touch his mouth.

 

Great thread. makes you think doesnt it....

 

> > > >

 

Seriously though, good read. Feel sorry for the bloke. Great guy. Outstanding player.