HAVE we seen the best of Ibrahim Cissoko – or is his high-point yet to come?
Even Steven Schumacher struggled to answer that question, nearly a week on from what most feel was the winger’s most effective performance, away from home at Bradford City.
Cissoko’s season has been changeable, to say the least, but the on-loan Toulouse man seems to be hitting form at an opportune time for Bolton’s play-off chances.
A match-winner one moment, a frustration the next, the Dutchman has been an unpredictable presence in the Wanderers first team this season.
But Schumacher is hopeful that his late wonder goal against Huddersfield Town has signalled a change in fortune for the hugely likeable wide man.
“He was brilliant on Saturday and, who knows, he’s scored that goal in the top corner after coming on as a right-back in the last minute. It’s the sort of moment that can change someone’s season.
“He has always shown the quality that he's got in training and at times he’s shown that on the pitch as well. But he’s also really frustrating in training and the players lose their rag with him all the time because he tries things that don’t come off.
“You saw on Saturday at Bradford how much talent he has got but the one thing I’ll say is that he never once stopped trying.
“He has always been positive, he's one of the nicest people that I've ever worked with and coached, and I'm really pleased for him that he got his sort of appreciation from the fans.
“Everybody has said to me how good he was at Bradford, so hopefully that can continue because he can be a big player in the play-offs.”
Cissoko’s popularity within the squad can be summed up by the whole-squad celebration when he scored against Huddersfield – but Schumacher knows that football does not always reward the ‘good guys’.
“It isn’t easy and there have been times when I have had to leave him out of the squad on matchday and I have to call him on the day of the game or Richie (Kyle) has to speak to him and he has never once been down or disrespectful and made it all about himself.
“He has always said the coach has a tough job, it’s a big squad, and he has always trained properly, no matter what. He has never downed tools or made it a selfish thing, which can happen in football.
“He has been brilliant from that point of view but also he's shown day in day out the quality that he's got and if he can just get that onto the pitch all the time then he's a top player.”
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