Boidu Sayeh hopes to be back in maroon and white next season after stepping away from the Westmeath football squad for 2022.
The 26-year-old defender fell out of love with the game and missed the Lake County’s Tailteann Cup success during the summer, but the Rosemount clubman has already been in touch with the new Westmeath management team about a return.
“I was extremely proud of the lads, the way that they won, it was an unbelievable win,” said Sayeh. “I wasn’t disappointed not being involved this year because for me it was more a mental health issue, I wanted to sort out my own stuff that was going on.
“I needed a bit of a break from it, I needed to get my head right – to fall in love with playing GAA again. The only reason we all play this sport is because we love it. I was not loving it; I didn’t really want to be there. I started playing poorly in a few games, I needed to step away from it to focus on myself. Now this year I’m eager to get back, I can’t wait to get back.”
New Westmeath manager Dessie Dolan was a teacher at his secondary school, while coach John Keane is a fellow Rosemount clubman. Sayeh attended the Tailteann Cup final in July as a supporter, hobbling about at the time with a broken foot.
But he is fit and rejuvenated again, and the chance to work with Dolan and Keane is something that excites him. One of the first GAA matches he attended was the drawn 2004 Leinster final.
“My grandfather brought me to that Leinster final,” recalled Sayeh. “It was the first game, there was a replay after that, that was the first time I was introduced to the GAA.
“I wasn’t long in the country, I think only a couple of months. First time in a stadium like that and first time watching the sport, it was a huge moment for me.
“It hasn’t been done since [winning Leinster] and it’s something that us, as young lads looking up to them, we definitely want to bring that back to Westmeath. We’re unlucky in having a Dublin team that’s so dominant in Leinster, but we really want to bring Leinster back to Westmeath, that’s been our goal ever since I was first on the panel.”
Boidu Sayeh was speaking at the launch of Zambrero, Ireland’s first ever meal packing event which is taking place on World Hunger Day this Sunday. With the help of over 100 volunteers, Zambrero Ireland aims to pack 30,000 nutritious meals which will be donated to people in need in developing countries.
