Blue is the colour for 'new Neeskens'
Friday, May 8, 2009
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He may boast a famous footballing name, but France midfielder Neeskens Kebano is determined to prove his own worth as his side prepare to play titleholders Spain in their second UEFA European U17 Championship game.
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If France need a jolt of inspiration in their second UEFA European Under-17 Championship game against titleholders Spain on Saturday, they can always turn to Neeskens Kebano. The late addition to the squad is used to drawing attention because of his first name, but he also has a history of letting his own game do the talking.
Tribute
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Kebano's father was a great fan of Johan Neeskens, the great Netherlands player of the 1970s, and even though he may not be blessed with the most common forename, the midfielder told uefa.com he has no intention of giving it up. "I could have changed my name but now I'm used to it," he said. "This is my name and I want to keep it forever. Plus Neeskens was a great midfielder with a thunderous shot." Although a fan of the Dutch total football connoisseur, the Paris Saint-Germain FC prospect says that more up-to-date comparisons have flourished recently. "People call me 'Little Sessegnon' [after PSG first-team player Stéphane Sessegnon] as we have the same style and build and I like that."
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Called up to the squad in place of the injured Alexandre Coeff on eve of the tournament, Kebano claims he is ready to stake a claim for a starting berth following France's 1-1 draw against Switzerland in their opening Group A game on Wednesday. "I will give all I have in practice to catch my coach's eye and if he plays me I will try to raise the tempo, find openings and do my best to score." It would not be the first time he has made an immediate impact, after striking on his first appearance for Les Mini Bleus earlier this year in a friendly against Poland.
'No accident'
Kebano is also used to late call-ups having been a last-minute replacement during the Elite round, but he has certainly had no trouble slotting into the squad, with two PSG team-mates, Alassane Tambe and Jimmy Kamghain, also in Germany. He is also determined to show his worth, insisting: "I want to prove that it's no accident that I'm here today." And, no doubt, that it has nothing to do with his famous name either.