Working Together

A Popular Presence in Midfield Since His Summer Move, Idrissa Gana Gueye Discusses His Rapport on and Off the Pitch With Morgan Schneiderlin, Impressive First Season With the Blues – and Pride at His Maiden Club Goal.

- Mike Taylor

In the multilingual environment of the modern-day Premier League, translators have become commonplace when it comes to interviews like this one.

But a footballer becoming the language go-between made this a sit-down with a difference.

It is more of a favour than a necessity as we spoke with Idrissa Gana Gueye about his successful first seven months on Merseyside. Coincidentally - or not, as it transpires - the Senegal international has arrived with close friend and midfield colleague Morgan Schneiderlin.

The latter, of course, first moved to English shores nine years ago when he joined Southampton from Strasbourg, while Gana has spent just 18 months in the Premier League.

“I need to improve my English - Morgan’s is better than mine!” concedes Gana, with perhaps an unfair, yet comical degree of self-deprecation. “He can tell you my proper answers.”

Such is the pair’s rapport on the field, it seems fitting Schneiderlin is the one to assist Gana off it as well as he is called on to translate the latter’s answers in French. And the January arrival is more than happy to oblige, despite a busy morning of training and afternoon of media duties.

Their friendship is obvious, their billing as one of the Premier League’s finest midfield partnerships not in question - but how does Gana assess the start to his Everton career?

“I feel great here - the Blue shirt is good for me,” he says. “I settled in very quickly and while the time has gone fast, I feel like part of the Club. I am happy with the way things are going and the progression of the team. We are always improving and that is the important thing.”

There is a brief pause before Gana interrupts Schneiderlin’s translating, in his best English.

“You missed something,” he says, urging his teammate to translate the rest of his answer.