He’s bubbly. He’s exciting. He’s unique. And he’s always smiling. That’s Ibrahim Said off the pitch. On the pitch, he’s proving to have been a shrewd piece of business from manager Jens Berthel Askou, who brought the Nigerian forward to the club from Viborg FF for an undisclosed fee during the summer window.
And the signing has paid off thus far. After getting up to speed, having not started a game since December, Said has become a pivotal point within the Motherwell attacking system. His pace, trickery and strength have got the Fir Park faithful excited about his exploits and what he could achieve in a Motherwell shirt.
Unlucky not to have his first Fir Park goal against Falkirk, Said hasn’t let that wrong VAR call dampen his spirits, not that anything would, to be honest.
“Everything is going personally how I expected it fitness-wise,” the Nigerian said.
“I’m getting fitter day by day. It’s not easy, and I’m loving it here. It’s so difficult because my first days were just running constantly; I was thinking, ‘This is not football.’ But the more you do it, the fitter you get, and your confidence grows. Not being here for pre-season maybe helped me slightly, because the matches and minutes I’ve played in have brought my fitness back quicker, because I spent so long not playing.
“The games have also allowed me to get to know the player inside the dressing room here. It’s all good!”
Although in the present day he may be playing top-flight football in Scotland, receiving daily feedback from professional coaches and training in top facilities, it wasn’t always the case for Said. Back in his younger days with Nigerian Academy side Dabo Babes Academy, facilities and coaching education weren’t what he’s used to now. And it was when he moved to the Danish side, Viborg FF, at the age of 18 that he would get his first taste of that professional environment.
“The move to Denmark wasn’t easy initially,” he explained.
“I remember the first two or three weeks I was calling my mum, complaining and upset. It’s not easy, but I also moved there in December in the middle of the winter. There was snow, and because I grew up in Nigeria, I hadn’t seen snow in my life because it was always sunny. It was very hard.
“Luckily, I have friends, and they helped me a lot. The tactical stuff was not easy because I would be so confused sometimes. In Nigeria, it’s more free. Like I could move and do what I wanted on the pitch and play the way you want. But when I moved to Viborg, it was more technical, and they needed to show you so many things. But the more you do it, the more you understand it because then it becomes easier. So here, I don’t find it difficult.
“I was 18 when I moved, and I stayed with a Danish family. They helped me so much, and I still stay in touch with them now; they are so lovely. I remember my flight to leave; she couldn’t come to see me off because she would cry! She’d been crying the days leading up to me leaving, so I said to her that she could stay at home and I would head off. They’re older, so their own children are not home anymore, so I was the only one they could talk to, and I had nice conversations with them, and I love them. They are so sweet.”
But for all the difficulty that he had to encounter, Said reflects on his time in Denmark with a positive outlook. Taking his football and education to the next level has ensured that Said was able to improve physically and mentally on the pitch.
“Going to Viborg has been so important for me,” Said stated.
“They showed me the different things that I need to know and remember to play football at the highest level. The time there showed how much you need to focus on the pitch. The family I stayed with gave me advice that has stuck with me too. Before matches here, I call my mum and brothers. They all say I need to focus and do my best. Because if I’m not focused, I can’t do anything, so you need to have a fresh mind. I know I’m a crazy guy, and that’s how I like to live my life.
If I try not to smile and play football, it’s not me.
“I get crazy in my head if I don’t smile. I need to smile even if things maybe aren’t going well, but it helps me. That’s who I am because I’ve got a temper. If I start to get angry, it’s s**t. So, I smile a little bit. I just like to feel the vibe and then continue doing my thing.
“When you get the experience of moving away so young, it means everything after has become easier. You can make a mistake, and I made a mistake a lot in Denmark, but I’ve grown up, and I know what is right and what is wrong. When I came here, the people were so lovely, and that helped me get to know the surroundings quickly.”
Having played 100 games in Denmark, Said had many admirers for what he was achieving on the pitch. One of whom was Jens Berthel Askou, who, when managing FC Horsens, crossed paths with Said as the Nigerian winger caught the eye of the Danish manager.
“I knew he was a coach at another club in Denmark, but I didn’t know him personally or anything,” Said added.
“We played a couple of games against his old team that he was coaching, and I was lucky because I played so many good games in Denmark, so he must’ve seen me. Maybe that’s why he called me. I liked his mentality; I like to get to know the coach. In football, you don’t get everything you want, and sometimes it can be difficult. So, I liked his mentality, and his style of play is who I am.”
But it’s not just the manager who has taken a shine to Said’s wonderful personality and impressive displays on the pitch.
The fans in the stand like the cut of his jib, but his teammates love his infectious personality, and pretty quickly, he has become a huge part of the dressing room. But once again, he has his spell in Denmark to thank for part of that.
“When I was in Denmark and got my first contract, I found it difficult because I didn’t talk a lot,” he laughed.
“It was difficult for me at that point, and it affected me a little because I didn’t know my teammates that much. But the longer I stayed, the more I got to know them. So, that’s why in the dressing room, I’m a Nigerian guy, and they see me with loads of energy, and I’m talking and laughing, but it’s because I have experience of when I was quiet. It doesn’t help me.
“Sometimes in a game or during training, there may be a misunderstanding. But that’s normal. When you’re on the pitch, that’s your job. Everyone wants to do the same thing and push hard. After the game, you can talk and smile and have a little comedy in the dressing room, and that makes all the team better.
“To have fun and interact with your teammates is what I love. And that’s how I am. It’s not like I change my personality when I come through the door; that’s who I am. I am Iby! I like to smile, but when I’m angry, everyone knows and can see.
You can just look at me and know I’m not in the fun mood. You cannot be happy every day, but I try to smile and just enjoy life.
“I want to show everyone more about me. I want to create more goals and assists, but every day, my mindset is to push. I want to show the club that they didn’t just buy a player. They bought someone who will give everything for the club and the badge. That’s who I want to be, and I want to show the coach what I can do and not disappoint him. I want to show him he made the right choice by bringing me here. I want to achieve more with the club too. We’ve got huge matches coming, and I can’t wait for it.
“But going into every game we’re ready. I’m ready to fight and show people what we’re capable of as a team. We’ll keep pushing as one.”
