“I’ve stopped crying and whining” – Sheffield United player says he’s no longer acting ‘like a small child’

Sheffield United’s Ismaila Coulibaly has admitted he’s undergone something of a personality change and stopped acting ‘like a small child’.

The 23-year-old has been speaking to Aftonbladet about his career so far and his loan spell at Swedish club AIK.

He’s been with them since February, joining on loan until the end of the season after a frustrating time at Sheffield United so far.

He joined them from Sarpsborg 08 in September but has only made seven appearances since, instead going out on loan to Beerschot that same year before moving to AIK on loan in February this year.

The loan has not been an entirely successful one, though, with him making just five appearances for the Swedish side all season and managing just 263 minutes of action to date.

That’s naturally led to some frustration for the youngster and presumably Sheffield United, who had agreed to the deal so he could presumably get regular playing time and develop himself rather than sit on the bench or not feature in the squad at all.

Coulibaly, though, insists he’s learned to accept the situation and is no longer airing his frustrations in public.

“I have stopped crying and whining like a small child,” he said.

“Sometimes you have to be strong mentally. I have been playing in the wrong position but have now stopped crying and whining like a small child because of it. Nobody wants to hear my whining and the coach is always right. He decides.

“We had a conversation about it. So now I know where he will play me. Then I simply get to work and try to do my best there. I can’t keep crying because now I know where to play.”