Omar Colley pays tribute to KuPS boss Marko Rajamäki

Omar Colley pays tribute to KuPS boss Marko Rajamäki

Gambia international Omar Colley has paid glowing tribute to Kuopion Palloseura coach Marko Rajamäki as he prepares to leave the club for Sweden.

The Gambia defender has decided to leave KuPS at the end of the Veikkausliiga season after an impressive two year spell at the Kuopio club.

Former Finland international and Greenock Morton striker, Rajamäki, inspired Colley to what would seem as the best season for the Gambian after he notched four league goals, bettering his two goals last season.

And as the 21-year-old versatile defender prepares to leave KuPS when the season ends this weekend to join Swedish Allsvenskan giants Djurgården IF, he decided to pay tribute to Rajamäki for the confidence and believe shown in him.

“I have a good relationship with Marko [Rajamäki] and he’s an unbelievable guy on and off the pitch. He’s a bit disappointed because his plan was to be in the top two next seasons and losing me would affect his style of play and the team but football is like business,” Colley told this blog.

“When the time comes, you have to take it because you never know what’s going to happen next season. But thank God [that] he understands everything after I spoke with him because he is a former footballer himself and have been through this kind of situations also.”

“He gave me some advice and told me to keep working harder like I did with him in order to make another step in my career, I am grateful to him.”

The former Wallidan and Real de Banjul defender thanked the Kuopion Palloseura fans and his teammates two months ago, singling out his compatriot Ebrima Sohna and goalkeeper Tomi Maanoja, who he shares great banter with.

“I will like to say a big thanks to the management, staff, players and fans for being there for me during my time with the club. I will miss my funny and crazy teammates as they’re really awesome particularly Tomi. I will miss his jokes but also his tussles in the games because he’s shouting everywhere which is sometimes annoying.”

“Sohna is a great guy and teammate, he encourages me a lot and we do our communication on the pitch in Wollof, which makes it harder for our opponents to understand – that’s something I will miss as well,” he told this blog at the time.

Colley signed a pre-contract agreement with Swedish Allsvenskan giants Djurgården IF in August.

He is set to move to Stockholm in January 2015 on a three-year contract once his spell at Finnish Veikkausliiga club Kuopion Palloseura ends on October 25.

Colley has spent two seasons at Kuopion Palloseura, where’s he’s been a dependable and key centre-back for the Kuopio club and the Djurgården hierarchy has been aware of the 6ft 3in Scorpion defender for some time after attending trials with German 2. Bundesliga club Arminia Bielefeld and recently, FC Kaiserslautern.

Omar will bring great pedigree to the Djurgården back line next season, which was recently boosted with some other new signings.

He will join Amadou Jawo, brother to Scorpion international Omar, at the Blåränderna (The Blue Stripes).