Stoke striker Mamady Sidibe is putting club before country as he returns from a serious knee injury.
Mali striker putting club before country as he returns from injury
Stoke striker Mamady Sidibe is putting club before country as he returns from a serious knee injury.
The Mali international scored his first goal of the season in the Potters' 3-2 win over Fulham on Tuesday night.
Now he wants to push on and score more to help Tony Pulis' side stay in the top flight - and is putting Stoke's priorities ahead of that of his country.
Sidibe, whose injury problems cost him the chance of playing at the African Cup of Nations, said: "I am happy to get my first goal of the season and we won the game as well.
Important
"It is important I am back playing and to score a goal is good for my confidence.
"The knee is a lot better and everything is going well but I am just coming back and I need the games.
"I need to play with Stoke here, which is more important for me.
"The national team is important but they have to understand that when you come back from injury the club did well for me with all the treatment.
Everything here
"I want to give everything here first and after that I will think about going away with my country."
The win was Stoke's first in seven Premier League attempts and lifted Pulis' side six points above the drop zone - although they had to hold on after going three goals ahead.
Sidibe added: "It was a win we needed - it has been a long time.
"We gave 100 per cent and did a lot of running and at the end it was a little bit hard but we held on."
