Tout Puissant Mazembe

Amongst the players who could be one of the revelations of the AFCON 2013, it would not be surprising to find the name of the midfielder of the Eagles of Mali and OGC Nice Mahamane TRAORE. The young midfielder missed the AFCON 2012 because of injury, will eager to take his revenge the fate.

Achéfa, a nickname inherited from his grandfather, was the captain of the Eaglets (Junior Team of Mali) and currently he is an essential component in the system of Patrice CARTERON. What makes  Mahamane TRAORE strong  is his ability to play in two positions or more, and that is what said his former coach of FC Metz,  Dominique BIJOTATB "Mahamane TRAORE is a clever player, subtle, fluid in his game and can play in  two positions "

If  with the Eagles of Mali  he plays  more as a right or left midfielder, with OGC Nice and under the command of Claude PUEL, Mahamane adapts to the choice of coach and plays as a defensive midfielder, a position he discovered without altering his performance, "When I came back from my loan to Metz, the coach asked me to play more down field. At first, I thought it was a temporary solution. Then I realized that I had to play that position. He told me he wanted me to be at the heart of the game, in order to maximize my vision. I did not question myself. After all, if I was suggested that position it means that he thought about it before. "

The Beginning at 17 of age...

He maintained that ease since his first appearance in League 1 at the age of 17 with Nice 2006-2007 and in 2008-2009 he played 22 games and ended up by scoring 3 goals. The following seasons, with the arrival of Eric Roy at the head of the technical staff of the club and especially the recruitment of the playmaker Camel MERIEM he will be less used by the OGC Nice. Mahamane TRAORE will be loaned twice to FC Metz, where he became the possessor of the Metz game and impressed fans.
He is among the current members of Riviera at the end of the year 2011/2012 by extending his contract until June 2013.

His first half season with Nice is remarkable (18 appointment at the same position - 2 goals) and this great shape, the player would like to put it in favor of his team by giving the best of himself during the AFCON 2013. Mahamane TRAORE knows very well that the task will not be easy in a group consisting of Ghana, DRC and Niger. But the stability of the number of Eagles of Mali, although Patrice CARTERON replaced Alain GIRESSE as coach, makes the strength of the team, ranked among the top three African nations.

The 24-year-old player would like to offer a small parenthesis and bring smile to his people for this AFCON and makes them forget the atrocity of the current situation in the country. "I wonder when these problems will end. Formerly, Mali was a quiet and peaceful country. We hope to quickly find back the Mali we know. During the CAN, we will do everything to bring a bit of peace and unity to our citizens, "he said.

FLASH PORTRAIT
El Hadj Mahamane TRAORE was born on August 31, 1988 in Bamako (Mali). Versatile midfielder, 1m75. Bright, perceptive, active. Club: OGC Nice. Previous clubs: Cercle Olympique de Bamako, OGC Nice, Metz (on loan 2010-2012) Nice. 21 selections 2 goals.