HOT-SHOT SADIK HOME AT LAST!

Roving forward returns to his roots

- John Lyons

ADVENTUROUS Sadik Balarabe has travelled the world playing football, but now he’s back home and eager to show what he can do.

The 28-year-old striker is hoping to break into the pro ranks here after proving his worth in almost a decade on the road.

The London-born hitman got his first taste of overseas action when he played college football in the USA. Since then he has hit the goal trail in Greece, Portugal, Turkey, Northern Cyprus and Spain.

Looking back on that first experience in the United States at Jackson College in Michigan, Balarabe recalled: “A lot of boys have a dream to play football and I spent a little bit of time at Reading, but it didn’t end the way I wanted.

“I didn’t get a professional contract and I decided go to America. It was my first time out of England and I started my transition from winger to striker. Maybe the play wasn’t so great, but they were so good in terms of coaching and analysis.

“In my first year I scored 15 goals as a winger and the coach said ‘next year you can be a good striker’. I scored over 30 goals and started to learn about being versatile.”