2007/08: STOKE CITY

In my first year at Fulham I made the bench a handful of times and played in League Cup and FA Cup matches. I was in and around the first team, learning my trade at the highest level. When the opportunity to go out on loan to Stoke until the end of the season came up in January last year I was happy to take it. I´d learned a lot being involved with the first team squad at Fulham and felt I was up to the tempo of Premiership football, but I needed to get matches under my belt.

It was a good few months at Stoke. The manager liked me and the crowd seemed to take a little liking to me as well, which is always nice. It was difficult being away from Fulham because Chris Coleman – the man who had brought me to the club – left and was replaced by Lawrie Sanchez.

When the season finished I went back to Fulham. The new gaffer didn´t know much about me and he had in his own mind the players he wanted. I worked hard and did everything asked of me in pre-season but I feel the gaffer didn´t get a chance to see enough of me. I asked to see him and we agreed I could come back to Stoke for another year on loan.

It was a great decision because it meant another year in the Championship for a very good side with big ambitions. The people in Stoke are very passionate about their football. Everyone gets behind the team. The club did well in 2006/07 and they wanted to take it a step further in 2007/08.

Some quality players were lost in summer 2007 but the side made up for that in hard work. The team spirit is excellent and everybody in the squad knew exactly what to do. The organisation of the team was first class.

I was really settled in Stoke. I had an apartment across the road from Demar Phillips, who always used to be around borrowing DVDs. When I was first there I was homesick a lot. I went back to London every chance I got. After a while though, I would go and see my parents maybe once a month because I´d always be hanging out with Demar and Ricardo Fuller.

I felt I´d achieved quite a lot already in football by the age of 21. I have many ambitions. I´d love to establish myself in the DR Congo national side. I made my international debut in August 2005 against Guinea. I want to secure a regular spot and play in the next World Cup. I just have to keep playing as well as I can and hope to be given the chance.

I feel proud I´ve been able to get this far already and prove some people wrong. I hope I´ve repaid some of the faith shown in me by others, people like Ian Culverhouse who was assistant manager at Orient. Ian used to keep me passing a ball around in the rain long after training when I just wanted to go back home. That sort of thing helped me get this far. To Ian and all the others who helped me I owe a big thanks.