Friday, 5th July, 2013
Djibril Cisse has shot a word of warning to critics who have laughed his France career off following the move to Kuban Krasnodar, by claiming he has history on his side.
Cisse yesterday penned a one-year deal – with an additional year’s option included – at the Russian club, who are due to play Europa League qualification football this summer.
The former Liverpool and QPR striker is hoping to resurrect his international career, that has been stalled since 2011, even if the prospects look weak given the difference in level between leagues in western Europe and that in Russia.
"I will not lie; with Les Blues, my career has stopped for now", he told L’Equipe. "But if I score 20-25 goals in the season, it will be a different story.
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"A scorer is a scorer; whatever be his shirt, he must score. I know people criticise my choice, saying ‘he will be buried in Russia’, but when I went to Panathinaikos [in 2009], the same was said.
"A year later, I returned for France and they said, ‘oh, Djibril is smart, and what a good career choice it was’. This must stop. Yes, I am far from a Les Blues return, but if I score as many goals with Kuban as I did with Panathinaikos, then we’ll talk."
Cisse, who spent part of last season on loan at Qatari club Al Gharafa, had been gunning for a move to Montpellier in Ligue 1, but was rejected by club president Louis Nicollin who deemed him "an expensive DJ".
Nicollin, in turn, was branded as "an idiot" by Cisse, who has taken another parting shot at the president, adding: "With Montpellier, I was really close to an agreement until the president makes his comments.
"If it starts like this at a club then the relationship can only degenerate further going into the season."
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