VERY few players can combine a life on the world’s biggest stage with that in the lower league, but Andre Boucaud’s career has been full of contradictions.
If anything, the higher the standard of the opposition, the more he feels at home.
“I was playing in League Two for Dagen ham and then for the Trinidad & Tobago national team, playing in front of guys who were playing all across Europe, in the Champions League, in MLS,” Boucaud, who won 47 international caps for his country, told The NLP.
“That used to bother me, to be honest, but after a while, I just got used to it.”
The summer of 2014 was perhaps the epitome of this stark contrast. In June, Boucaud played against Argentina in a World Cup warm-up match, locking horns with Lionel Messi, Javier Mascherano, and Angel Di Maria, among others.
A month later, while Messi & Co took on Germany in the World Cup Final, Boucaud was on trial with Dagenham & Redbridge.
Reputation
“I don’t think I reached where I could have, or I should have,” admits Boucaud, now looking forward to life at Maidstone United in National League South next season.
This story is from the July 12, 2020 edition of The Non-League Football Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the July 12, 2020 edition of The Non-League Football Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BILLY BAGS A CRUCIAL GOAL AS YORK EASE DROP FEARS!
YORK City took a huge step towards National League safety, while plunging Woking deeper into trouble in front of a record-breaking crowd at the LNER Community Stadium.
Spitfires top guns over Harriers
RELEGATION from the National League was confirmed for Kidderminster Harriers as they were defeated by an Eastleigh side who banished any slim fears of suffering the drop themselves in the process.
HULME SEALS TITLE IN STYLE
Champs Boro hit 100-goal mark
HOT TOWN CHARGING INTO THE PLAY-OFFS
BRACKLEY TOWN closed in on a top-three finish while Chester will now need a miracle to make the play-offs.
MOSES IS ANSWER TO BLUES' PRAYERS
A SUBLIME Moses Emmanuel strike nine minutes from time proved to be the difference as Billericay Town boosted their play-off aspirations with victory over relegation-threatened Cheshunt.
QUORN MINCED AS BEES RUN RIOT
HARBOROUGH hit Quorn with a five-star showing as the Bees emphatically maintained top spot with only two matches of the season remaining.
RYAN ON SONG AS VICTORY SECURED
RYAN CLARKE proved to be the hero of the hour as a solid display from the Crusaders secured the points at Bulpit Lane against a battling AFC Totton.
PARKER IS THE HERO AS TOWN EYE TITLE
ROBBIE Parker's late injury-time winner kept the Waders on course for automatic promotion in this top versus bottom clash.
BOTTI'S STRIKE LIFTS CURFEWS
CHERTSEY became Town divisional champions in emphatic style in front of over 1,100 Alwyns Lane spectators with this comfortable win.
Rovers' Wembley joy thanks to Luis!
GREAT WAKERING Rovers keeper Luis Shamshoum saved the vital penalty kick in a tense shoot-out to set up a dream all-Essex showdown at Wembley.