Rangers signing Serge Atakayi's incredible story of tears torment and seeking asylum

[pete 2,499]

THE Congo-born kid was thousands of miles away from his family and couldn’t even speak to his mum on the phone.

 

FINNISH wonderkid Serge Atakayi has lifted the lid on the tears and torment behind the rise to stardom which led to his dream move to Rangers.

 

The talented teenager penned a three-year deal at Ibrox to join the Light Blues Academy side after trial spells with English champions Leicester City and Fulham.

 

Atakayi impressed Gers boss Mark Warburton in a trial over the summer and is tipped for the top.

 

The 17-year-old is the youngest every player to score in the Finnish top flight after netting for former club FF Jaro before their relegation from the Veikkausliiga.

 

But Atakayi’s tale is one of courage and determination after he was part of a talented youth side from the Democratic Republic of Congo who claimed asylum in Finland.

Rangers deadline day signing Serge Atakayi: I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time

 

The youngsters walked into a police station after competing in the 2010 Helsinki Cup and are now scattered throughout Europe after suffering tough times.

 

Atakayi admitted there were some dark days when he sat crying alone every night, pining for his family who were thousands of miles away as he tried to reach his mum by phone.

 

But he stuck it out and football helped him with Alexei Eremenko Snr, father of the former Kilmarnock star, a big influence on him in the past couple of years at his club FF Jaro.

 

Atakayi has now been rewarded by fulfilling his ambition of moving to Britain. He explained: “When I was young my mother told me to forget about football and focus school.

 

“But I had an uncle who lives in England and he urged me to take an opportunity to represent the best Congo players in the region at a tournament in Europe.

 

“We went from the capital Kinshasa via Rome to Stockholm where we travelled by boat to Turku for the first tournament. We finished third.

FF Jaro Serge Atakayi celebrates a 2-1 victory for FF Jaro over VPS

Serge Atakayi celebrates a 2-1 victory for FF Jaro over VPS

 

“The journey continued to Latvia and were runners-up. The third tournament was the Helsinki Cup where we reached the semi-finals and the plan was to return to Congo via Stockholm.

 

“But we decided, ‘No, we stay here’. We knew that only a difficult life awaited us back home and that Finland was probably better. We would be able to help our relatives if we succeeded.

 

“So we walked into a police station to apply for asylum. The players were all broken up and are in Holland, Belgium, France and other Finnish cities such as Tampere, Oulu, Turku and Helsinki.

 

“At first it was really difficult. I cried all the time. I didn’t have my mother’s phone number. My head was aching all the time because I just cried. I didn’t go to school for three months.

 

“Eventually I got through to my mother and she talked to me and I listened. I returned to school. My mum said that if I cried then she would also cry every day.”

The former FF Jaro winger endured tough times as a young teen

 

 

Rangers new Phillipe Senderos says running out at Celtic Park could be the biggest city derby he's ever played in

 

Football saved Atakayi as he watched the English Premier League stars on TV and dreamed of emulating his heroes like Raheem Sterling who he has been compared to in style.

 

He made friends at FF Jaro who he joined to give him something to focus on. Atakayi said: “It was a difficult time for me when I didn’t have any friends.

 

“But I went to Jaro for a trial and asked me to stay with them. I decided that was what I wanted and made some good friends. I was always interested in football and admired Cristiano Ronaldo and Raheem Sterling at Liverpool.

 

“I didn’t have a lot to do at weekends. I would sometimes rent a movie but I liked to watch videos of games or Sterling. I liked watching Liverpool, Real Madrid and Chelsea. I was lucky that the Finnish family I stayed with helped pick me up when I was sad and also Alexei Eremenko who was my manager at Jaro.”

 

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/rangers-signing-serge-atakayi-incredible-8753174

[JFK-1 1,693]

Well good luck to the boy. He's now taken a major step on his journey.