© EuroFootball.com
Currently playing in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Egypt, Senegal national team striker El-Hadji Diouf promised journalists that the "bad boy" label attached to him is a thing of the past.
"People should forget the images captured by television cameras of my bad behavior on the field, because that will not happen anymore," Diouf told journalists. "I am here only to play football. I have done many inappropriate things, but all of that is in the past."
Diouf, who has been named African Player of the Year twice, was disqualified for four matches during the quarter-finals of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Tunisia for his rough play, which dashed his team's hopes of winning the title and caused him to miss the first matches of the World Cup qualifiers and the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
Diouf also faced similar problems while playing in the English Premier League for Bolton. However, now the player is ready to correct his mistakes and help his team win the Africa Cup of Nations, redeeming himself in front of the national team fans who are disappointed that Senegal did not qualify for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.
"Senegal is a great nation and I am ready to do everything to win this tournament," the player stated. "I know it will be very difficult, but we are ready to bring the African Cup to Dakar for the first time in history."
Senegal made a strong start to the tournament, defeating Zimbabwe 2-0 in their first matches of the deadly group stage called Group D. On Friday, the Senegalese will face Ghana's team, and a win would secure their place in the quarter-finals.
