Kamaldeen Sulemana insists he’s been unfairly tagged with a “bad attitude” and is eager to set the record straight.
Kamaldeen Sulemana has dismissed claims that he has a bad attitude, shedding light on the pressures he has faced at Southampton.
The Ghanaian winger has revitalized his Saints career under Ivan Juric, emerging as a key player for the Croatian manager. His resurgence follows a challenging spell under former boss Russell Martin, during which he struggled for opportunities.
“There is a lot of misunderstanding,” Kamaldeen said in Southampton’s matchday programme. “I was out for two months, and when I returned, expectations were sky-high. As the club’s record signing, I was expected to be the best player on the pitch right away. That’s when the pressure kicks in.”
He emphasized the importance of game time, trust from coaches, and confidence within the squad. “People don’t see the full picture. You need a run of games to settle. At times, I felt like I was fighting alone, facing criticism and questions about my character.”
Addressing the perception that he has an attitude problem, Kamaldeen refuted the claims. “I’ve never disrespected anyone at the club. I’m always on time, and when I play, I give everything. The idea that I wasn’t playing because of my attitude is completely false.”
He revealed that he had to work even harder to prove himself, despite the negative narratives surrounding him. “I doubled my efforts because I knew I had to fight for my place. But when people with influence spread misinformation, it spreads quickly. Fans believe it without evidence.”
https://twitter.com/rees_julian/status/1878515448204898543
Kamaldeen stressed that he has always trained well, with positive feedback from both coaches and teammates. “Unless you’re saying my coaches and teammates are lying, I’ve never been told I wasn’t training well. If that were the case, would my current coach be playing me now?”
Since joining from Rennes for £22 million, the weight of being Southampton’s record signing has added to the pressure. He endured a long goal drought, failing to score under Martin. His first goal since the 2022/23 season came in the Carabao Cup against Swansea City.
“With my price tag, there’s always been huge pressure,” he admitted. “Even when I play well, if the team doesn’t win or I don’t score or assist, it feels like I haven’t done enough.”
Despite scoring just three goals for Saints, Kamaldeen has looked more dangerous under Juric. His strike led to Southampton’s winner at Ipswich Town, with Arijanet Muric spilling his shot into Paul Onuachu’s path.
“Sometimes, even when I’m playing well, it still doesn’t feel enough. The pressure is constant, and I don’t think it’s talked about enough,” he said. “Every player aiming for the top in England faces it.”
He also highlighted the impact of social media abuse. “We’re always on our phones, so we see everything. Some people even send insults straight to your inbox. The internal pressure at the club is good—it pushes us—but the outside pressure can be overwhelming.”
Leave a Reply