Adelaide United’s outgoing striker Baba Diawara was consumed by negative thoughts during an injury crisis

Papa Babacar Diawara has revealed his wife and children inspired him to stay in the game after the Adelaide United striker contemplated giving it all up.

Baba Diawara in the United changerooms at Coopers Stadium. Picture: Sarah Reed

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Papa Babacar Diawara admits to having constant bad thoughts of giving up the game he grew to love as a young footballer on the streets of Dakar.

Soccer had thoroughly consumed him.

He had been cursed during a nightmare injury run in SA but the unconditional love from his teammates for the Adelaide United striker was evident after critics continually mocked him despite his injury misfortune.

The Reds flocked to him to help him celebrate when after a 181-day absence from an Adelaide United clash, Baba scored after his first touch in a 5-3 win over Brisbane Roar away on Anzac Day.

Before that goal and a first appearance since round two the Senegalese said he had become an emotional wreck a number of times.

A knee problem saw him suffer for months on end before demons telling him to quit soccer subsided last November.

“I was struggling mentally and was going loco (crazy),” Baba, 31, said.

Baba Diawara in the United changerooms at Coopers Stadium. Picture: Sarah Reed

“It was really tough especially when I had a good start to the season but when I got injured and being without the family, my mind was thinking to give it all up.

“I was too far away from my family, they were in Senegal but the good thing is they came to me last November, they supported me and helped me go forward and that’s the main reason I made it through.

“There was times I didn’t have the strength, my head wasn’t right, my thoughts were “that’s enough, maybe I’ll go back home and be with my family.”

“When they (family) came here they gave more strength and my happiness came back, they gave me the will to recover as soon as possible.”

Baba Diawara during his time in Spain, facing Spanish international and Real Madrid legend Sergio Ramos.

His troubles started a week before the season kicked off.

Baba heard his knee crack during a duel in a friendly at Hindmarsh in October.

He was rushed back into action fortnight later only to re-injure the knee before undergoing surgery in December after he had reached his lowest point mentally since he was signed in February 2017.

“I had problems with the kneecap, I got in a tackle against Melbourne Victory, I jumped and heard a click and a part of the knee was smashed,’’ Baba said.

“They tried to help me recover without surgery, I played against Newcastle and the injury came back when I passed the ball inside the penalty box, a simple movement.

“After three or four weeks the problem came back and then I had an operation.”

After the arrival of his wife and children from Senega l, they reignited his lust for life.

Baba was ultimately reward for beating his melancholic thoughts with that go-ahead goal on Anzac Day.

The jubilation was extreme Baba said after arriving in SA with a big reputation as the Reds marquee star after learning to play soccer in the streets of Dakar.

He had good times in the street game.

Fighting was common place in heated matches he said but the melees were never nasty.

It was street football that gave him a taste of the winning mentality he added.

Baba got into the system when he was scouted by Senegal’s oldest professional club Jeanne d’Arc after starring in his first organised soccer match when was about 13.

Kids from Dakar suburbs were pitted against each other and Baba was the leading goalscorer of the tournament.

“But I wasn’t interested (in signing for Jeanne),’’ he said.

“I wanted to stay with my friends, stay at home but in the end I realised it was the right thing to do.”

However, as injury restricted the striker to 34 Reds appearances in 77 matches in the A-League, AFC Champions League and FFA Cup and scoring eight goals, Sunday is looming to be his farewell to SA.

Papa Baba Diawara during Adelaide United's training session at Coopers Hindmarsh Stadium. Picture: AAP/Mark Brake

There is a sense Australia never got to see the best of Baba because of injury.

His ex-Maritimo of Portugal coach Pedro Martins described Baba as being a lot like legendary Cameroonian Samuel Eto'o, saying he the power of Côte d’Ivoire star Didier Drogba, when he signed for Seville in 2012.

Celtic were also chasing the golden striker so too was Scottish rival Hearts of Midlothian.

Unsure about his future Baba is again expected to feature in the elimination final clash against Melbourne City at Hindmarsh before his contract expires later this month.

“In this moment I’m happy because we’ve won the FFA Cup (2018) and that gave me a lot of satisfaction, and now we’re in the play offs, I want to lift the A-League trophy,’’ Baba said.

“I’m not thinking about my future, I’ll go home, stay with my family and start thinking about other things.

“But (the goal last week) it was a moment which showed me that everyone was supporting me in my times of crisis and I’m very thankful they were there.”

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