Finn Harps new signing Wilfried Tagbo. Photo: Declan Doherty
BY CHRIS MCNULTY
WILFRIED Tagbo hopes he can help fire Finn Harps to victory over Cabinteely FC on Friday night (kick-off 8pm).
The 25-year-old Frenchman is set to make his first Finn Park appearance as the First Division newcomers come to Ballybofey.
Tagbo only received his international clearance last Friday when he made his debut as a second-half substitute in the 0-0 draw with Shelbourne. With 90 minutes under his belt from Monday’s 3-2 EA Sports Cup defeat in Galway, Tagbo says he’s ‘excited’ about his home debut.
“I really want to score in Finn Park on Friday,” Tagbo told the Donegal News in an in-depth interview this week.
“That is what I work for.
“I know people will come to see the team, but we don’t have pressure. We know what we have to do and we work hard for it. We really want to have a good result. We have to win. I am excited for my first game in Finn Park.”
Harps supporters have learned not to become giddy at the season’s start after finishes of fifth, sixth, fifth, ninth, eighth and eighth since their drop to the First Division for the 2009 season.
Tagbo is hopeful for the campaign.
He said: “This season, we have a really good squad that can do something, I believe. I think we have a good opportunity.
“Every game will not be easy, but maybe we can make it easy.
“We are training with good coaches and we work very hard with them. There is joy in the group. We work properly and that means it is very good.”
Primarily a striker, Harps boss Ollie Horgan has been utilising him in a wide berth so far.
Of his positioning and play, the Parisian-born Tagbo, who was most recently with FC Velbazhd Kyustendil in Bulgaria, said: “I like to play in front of the attack. I run fast so I like to have this kind of ball that gets me to score goals. That is my job.
“I want to help the team. If I have to make the pass, I make it. If I have to score, I will score. If the coach wants me to play somewhere else I will do that.
“I play with my body. I like the physical, but I also run fast and shoot.”
Tagbo was impressed with the vocal traveling Harps support in Tolka Park last week.
He said: “The fans of Finn Harps were very amazing. It is very important when you play away to know they are there. It is like we say in French, they can be the douzième homme (the 12th man). That is very good. We need that.
“The fans deserve the good result. They are there for the team. We want to make a good result for them.”
SEE FRIDAY’S DONEGAL NEWS FOR FULL INTERVIEW
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