Ba relishing success in England

Newcastle United striker Demba Ba has spoken of his pleasure at playing in the English Premier League following early set-backs in France.

Ba appears to be enjoying life in the northeast of England and is the Premier League’s third leading goal-scorer with 16 strikes so far this season.

Things were not always so simple for the striker, who said he struggled to break into professional football as a teenager in France.

“At 16 years, I tried to get into a training centre in France to learn from great coaches. Unfortunately, it did not happen for me,” Ba told RMC Sport.

“They did not really believe in me in France. I started in CFA (Championnat de France amateur) in Rouen before leaving for Belgium.”

Ba’s career took him to Excelsior Mouscron in Belgium, before a switch to Hoffenheim in Germany.

He joined West Ham United in January 2011, impressing despite the team being demoted from the top flight.

A relegation-release clause in his West Ham contract allowed Ba to join Newcastle United in June.

The club have prospered with the help of the Senegal international and occupy sixth position in the Premier League, one point away from the Champions League qualification zone.

Ba was linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain in the January transfer window, but reaffirmed his loyalty to Newcastle.

“My future? I am already in the best league in the world with all the big teams there is,” he said.

“I’m very focussed on this end of season, we want to achieve something and I would like to see it happen.”