Zambian forward, Fashion Sakala, has been named the happiest player in football by his Rangers FC coach, Michael Beale.
After Steven Gerard left Rangers, Sakala struggled for game time under Giovanni van Bronckhorst , but he has recently found his form, scoring 4 goals and dishing out 3 assists in 8 starts of 12 appearances thus far this season.
His current coach, Beale, who was Gerrard’s assistant when Sakala was signed from Belgian side KV Oostende, said the Zambian is the nicest player in football and added that he is happy with life.
“He is the nicest man in football, Fashion,” said Beale. “The big smile, he is happy with life. I think you have to meet Fashion with the same energy, he is a bubbly character.
“He always tries his socks off, he always gives you everything and if you can help him with one or two bits of advice – so I thought if you go back a couple of weeks ago in the Old Firm, first half he tried ever so hard, he’s pressing, he’s tackling but not so much in possession.
Beala is confident that Sakala is a great player with so much potential to help Rangers win.
“Genuinely, when we recruited him a couple of years ago, we recruited a really fantastic young man, and I think he is now fulfilling maybe the potential he showed in Belgium before coming here.”
When it was claimed in December that Sakala’s alleged ex-girlfriend was suing him for allegedly circulating her naked photos, the speedy forward received backlash on social media. However, the player turned a deaf ear to the negative reports and kept on playing the beautiful game while grinning broadly.
He went on to score a goal in Rangers’ 3-2 home win against Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership, two days after the news broke out in the Zambian media.
Meanwhile, Sakala told Sky Sports a week ago that he is now feeling like a footballer again under Beala, who reminded him why they brought him to Ibrox.
“I feel that the more I play the more I am getting motivated and getting confident,’ said Sakala. “It was very difficult obviously at the beginning of the season but now I am feeling like a football player again.”
“Obviously he (Beala) just told me when he came in that I know the task (why they signed me) because he was part of the technical staff when I signed for Rangers- he was the second assistant for Steven Gerard, so he just said remember what we talked about when we signed you and you know the task why you are here, I trust you and I want you to get your confidence back and I knew from that time that this is my time.”
