It's always been a bit of a cause for wonderment that Joey N'Do played in the 1998 World Cup. Perhaps it's because he's a name that even League of Ireland bandwagoners (a term of endearment of course) can get on board with or perhaps it's because we're just not used to touches of class like this.
One way or another, N'Do became a byword for 'the League of Ireland' isn't as bad as it's made out to be'. But that's a conversation for another day. We don't want to cause a fight at a time when we're really just here to a praise a supremely gifted footballer who came, saw and, for some reason that most of us don't understand, stayed longer than any of the rest of us would have.
Having bossed it for the big four Dublin clubs at one point or another, N'Do headed out west in what should have been the twilight of his career and just seemed to get better. He really settled in Sligo and having taken temporary charge as caretaker manager last season, he's set to return to playing action at the age of 39. This time he's going even further west to represent 2015 FAI Aviva Club of the Year, Achill Rovers.
N'Do has been helping out with the club in a coaching capacity since last February but it's now been confirmed that they've managed to convince him to pull on his boots again to grace the Mayo League.
The novelty of a Cameroonian double World Cup squad member playing in the League of Ireland rubbed off a while ago but that's because we're so used to it. It's still a bit of a novelty elsewhere and the Mirror in the UK have helpfully reminded us of the surprise we used to have that this incredibly talented individual was playing in Ireland when he presumably could have played somewhere more high profile.
Cameroon international who played at World Cup '98 signs for Irish amateur side https://t.co/Vg8HM5Jw1P pic.twitter.com/eRCVNIANPC
— Mirror Football (@MirrorFootball) January 18, 2016
