Ibrahima Konate Sums Up the (Confusing) Internal Conflict of Players Who Don’t Get Game Time

Ibrahima Konate scored a penalty against Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, and was brought off the bench to play against Norwich City in the FA Cup. Other players who haven’t seen a lot of game time, like Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones, also featured against Norwich. And having required patience to earn playing opportunities with Jurgen Klopp’s side, Konate understands what they might be going through.

Players just have to be ready to play whenever required. “You have to be ready every time and if you play [well], you put some problems in the head of the coach and this is good for the group and for you”, he said.

“If you don’t play it’s normal you are not happy, you are sad. Everybody knows this because every footballer wants to play important games or wants to play normal games, but in the Premier League you don’t have normal games!”

But being on the bench, leaves the player to work out their internal conflict themselves, he explains.

“If you don’t play, it’s you against you because OK, you will speak with the coach [and ask] why you don’t play and he will explain to you, but this will not change [anything]”, he adds.

“Then you have to fight, you have to work more and if you don’t play you have to think and ask yourself [why]. If you have the answer to your question, you work on this and this and this, and after your time will be coming. With the work, your time will be coming, for sure.”

He is of course psyched to have contributed to Liverpool’s Carabao Cup win.

“It was an unreal, unbelievable weekend for me. My first title in professional football and with Liverpool, it was amazing and great”, he said.

“I don’t have the words to describe this moment but I hope I will have a lot of moments like that with the club.”