Demba Ba reveals West Ham locked him in a CAR BOOT to keep 2011 transfer a secret during fierce relegation battle
IT’S usually a life of fast cars and private jets for professional footballers.
But Demba Ba has revealed how he once had to hide in a car boot to force a transfer to West Ham.
The Senegal striker was desperate to move to the Premier League from Hoffenheim back in 2011.
With the Hammers then embroiled in a relegation battle, bosses at Upton Park were desperate to keep news of Ba’s arrival a secret.
That meant he had to rely on a friend to smuggle him into the training ground to avoid being spotted by any waiting reporters.
Ba told : “They said they didn’t want journalists to find out, so I obeyed.
“It wasn’t the biggest boot. It was like ‘boom, boom’, I’m hitting my head at every corner.”
Ba joined West Ham in January 2011 after seeing a move to Stoke fall through when Potters medical staff discovered a problem with his knee.
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He notched seven goals in 12 appearances under manager Avram Grant but it wasn’t enough to prevent relegation.
Ba added: “It was a good dressing room but ultimately we didn’t have the necessary quality.”
The now 36-year-old left that summer for Newcastle, who last week became the richest club in football following a Saudi-led takeover.
The Magpies are reportedly keen to appoint Ralf Rangnick as sporting director - the man who worked with Ba as Hoffenheim coach.
And Ba has admitted he hopes to live up to his mentor by becoming a sporting director himself now he has hung up his boots.
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