Reaching New Heights

Muhammadu ‘Mo’ Faal was a surprise addition to John Coleman’s Waterford squad last week and he was immediately sprung into action on Friday night. The giant striker, who turned 28 last month, will bolster the Blues’ attacking options for the rest of the season and hope to break into a front three of Amond, Lonergan and Noonan who have scored 22 of the team’s last 28 goals between them.

Standing 6’5”, but somehow looking seven feet tall when he’s playing, this is no traditional targetman. Faal addressed his size in an interview last year saying “I definitely feel that’s played a part in me not getting the moves. I’m unorthodox. People can see me and not know what to do with me. I hope that when I make the step up, I have someone who sees me for who I am: a goalscorer, a good dribbler.”

Waterford announced on Friday morning that Faal had signed on an 18-month contract – the fourth arrival of the summer after Finlay Armstrong, Jordan Rossiter and Josh Miles – with free agents still allowed sign through the month of August. We saw a fourteen-minute cameo from him in Turner’s Cross when his touch was a little loose, but that was his first action since April. He signed off Worthing’s National League South campaign with two goals against his former club, Enfield Town, a full four months ago. 

 

 

Watching his goals and highlights from recent seasons on YouTube, it’s clear that he has quick feet and loves running with the ball. There’s a handful of headers, but his goals are mainly right-footed strikes. He’s a confident finisher and there are some delicious chips and numerous outrageous, low-percentage goals from narrow angles. In researching Faal’s career, I spoke to an industry expert who has scouted him closely and was told, “If you’re asking me can he finish and is he capable of scoring goals (in the Premier Division), then absolutely. Some of his finishing is ridiculous. Some of his goals are out of this world.”

Born in Hackney, East London, Faal is a second cousin to Joe Gomez (their fathers are first cousins) and his family have Gambian roots. Having started out with Boreham Wood on a scholarship, Muhammadu made the brave move as an 18-year-old to sign for L’Aquila in southern Italy. The club played in the regional leagues of Serie D and he made one start and seven substitute appearances in two seasons before returning to London. 

Faal then spent two-and-a-half seasons in the seventh-tier Isthmian League banging in goals. By December 2019, he was being touted as “the new Jamie Vardy” having scored 18 goals in 19 games for Enfield Town and adding nine assists. He was linked with a host of Premier League clubs including Crystal Palace and Sheffield United before Bolton Wanderers of League One were said to have 'beaten them' to the signing in January 2020. 

Mo’s clubmates in his time at Bolton included Daryl Murphy, Alex Baptiste and Jamie Mascoll, but, between injuries and upheaval within the club, he only played two games for The Trotters and it’s generally felt he wasn’t given a fair chance. He was loaned to Barnet in the National League (with another former Blue, Anthony Wordsworth, as a teammate), but failed to score in twenty appearances there. Speaking last year, Faal said “Barnet was a loan that probably shouldn’t have happened. I was coming back from an injury and the Bolton manager (Ian Evatt) just wanted me out.” He returned to Enfield, scored another 35 goals in 43 games, made a guest appearance on Soccer AM, and then moved up to the National League South (sixth tier) where he has played for the last three years. 

 

Faal's unveiling as a new signing by Crawley Town

 

That is apart from a disastrous spell with Crawley Town of League One last year which made headlines around the world. The details are a matter of contentious debate revolving around whether his contract was legally permitted, whether he failed a medical or not, whether he was signed because of the wishes of the owners or the manager, whether he left for a fee or not, allegations and counter-allegations. A nightmarish mess that concluded with Faal back down three divisions with Worthing. 

In total, he has scored 68 goals in 100 Isthmian League appearances for Dulwich Hamlet, Kingstonian and Enfield Town and 47 goals in 121 appearances in National League South for Havant & Waterlooville, Maidstone United and Worthing. He has always made it clear that he believes he belongs at a higher level and even harbours international ambitions having been considered by the national team during his time at Bolton. “The Gambia’s the goal,” he stated last year. “The Gambia’s the dream. I would love to represent my country and make my family proud. There’s nothing better than putting on your colours and hearing your national anthem.”

Lofty ambitions for a lofty striker. If he can produce goals for Waterford, then he may yet scale the heights of his desire.