KANSAS CITY, Mo. – If it weren’t for the keen eye of Kansas City assistant coach Octavio Zambrano, Wizards forward Birahim Diop may not have ever become a professional soccer player.
More than 10 years after Zambrano helped discover Diop during his stint with the MetroStars, the Senegalese striker finally got his opportunity to shine in MLS last weekend, scoring twice and adding an assist in the Wizards' 4-1 victory against New England.
Zambrano discussed Diop’s career performance and career development with MLSsoccer.com on Thursday.
MLSsoccer.com: Looking back from when Diop was a young guy coming into the MetroStars system to now, what kind of growth and development have you seen from him?
Zambrano: One of the things that I draw from Birahim's performance last weekend and the fact that he managed to assert himself as a bona fide MLS player is that it gives me satisfaction that what I did 10 years ago with the MetroStars was the right thing. We created a structure for immigrant players to come into the league, something that I felt was needed because there are so many good players who play in the local leagues.
With MetroStars Red [New York City] and MetroStars Black [New Jersey] being created, it was really the first reserve system in the league. I'm just happy that 10 years later, some of that paid off.
Birahim is, obviously, one of many many players that can fall through the cracks unless you have a net, a mechanism to bring them into the league. That's what I tried to do for the MetroStars, and it eventually worked out for the Kansas City Wizards.
MLSsoccer.com: So Birahim was a guy who found his way onto the team as an amateur just living in New York City?
Zambrano: Absolutely. He was part of the program that I put in New York to attract players from the fringe leagues – the Latino leagues, African leagues, Asian leagues. Birahim was just one of many players who tried out for the team.
I remember he was a young guy then, about 19 years old, and a tall guy with very soft feet and good technique. It's unfortunate that when I left, he did, too. To be honest with you, the fans in New York did not believe in him. They treated him as if he was one of the worst players that ever came to the franchise. It was unwarranted because he was only a young guy trying to make his mark.
Obviously, as a new immigrant, things are not so easy. You have to give them time. That's past history though. I am happy for him. It was later on, but he managed to show everyone that he belongs.
MLSsoccer.com: How did his name pop up during preseason, before you guys had him in for the invitation-only tryout?
Zambrano: We were in the draft with Peter [Vermes, KC head coach], and I had just joined the team. Peter asked me about players that could come and be part of our club – not necessarily starting players, but players I knew … that could help solidify this unit.
I immediately started scanning all the players that could be available. I had Birahim in Moldova when I was in Europe, and he did very well for me playing as a center forward. Birahim got hurt in Moldova, and when I went to Hungary, I couldn’t take him with me with that injury.
Then I found myself in Kansas, and I wrote him an e-mail asking where he was and if his injury was taken care of. He told me he was ready to go but a bit out of shape and would relish the chance to get back into MLS. He came for the tryout, he impressed the guys even though he wasn't fit and that was the beginning.
MLSsoccer.com: After the game, the whole locker room seemed really happy for him. What do you think it meant to him to be able to really show people what he can do even though he hadn't had the chance to showcase it?
Zambrano: It was huge. It was huge because, throughout the years, he has always told me, “Coach, I can play in that league. I just need a chance.”
I have to be honest with you, during the years that I was not in the league, every now and then somebody would ask me about players and I would mention that I knew this guy and he was a good player.
It's one of those things. You have to really believe in someone to make it happen. I know for him it’s the world because I know he still has at least another four years. He has managed to keep himself healthy throughout the years.
For me, it is just a validation of things that I did 10 years ago. Here we are, and I am just happy that the Wizards got the best of it.
