leicester city
Strength forged in grief helps Daka hit top form
Mental strength forged from family tragedy has been a key factor in shifting Patson Daka from the Leicester City sidelines to the Championship’s hottest striker.
Daka had played just one minute of league football as a substitute this season when, with Jamie Vardy and Kelechi Iheanacho both unavailable, he was named in the starting line-up against Plymouth on 9 December.
Patience, perseverance and a positive outlook have since paid off with seven goals and three assists in nine league appearances.
“It’s been an up and down season and I’ve just tried my best to always stay focused, to know my role in the team,” he told BBC East Midlands Today.
“I’ve just been focused to control what I can control, working on myself to be ready at any time that I’m called upon and that’s all I’ve been doing.”
Daka’s mature approach and refusal to sulk following his fall down the pecking order after 31 Premier League appearances in 2022-23 perhaps deserved reward.
“I’ve always tried to stay positive,” he said.
“My family has been a big part of that journey, always trying to make sure I’m straight in my head, and I’ve always tried to understand the fact that I can only control what I can control.
“So, if there’s something that I can do about the situation then I will do it.
“If there’s nothing I can do I don’t have to stress because it’s beyond me, there’s nothing else I can do.”
‘Responsibility at a very young age’
The death of his father, Nathali – a retired footballer himself – while Daka was still in his early teens was a huge life moment which helped shape him into the player he is today.
Grief has an unerring way of putting life, and particularly problems, into perspective.
Concerns that might have once caused sleepless nights suddenly no longer hold that power – such as losing your place in a football team.
The promising young forward suddenly had more to fret about than how to improve his game.
“When I lost my dad that’s when I started taking up the role of being the father of the family,” he recalled.
“That really helped me a lot. Family has been a big part of that – always try to be yourself, never try to change for anything, just be true to yourself, so I think that has really helped me.”
He continued: “It has also made family really important to me. I always try to be there for my family because I know how far we have come and the responsibility I took on at a very young age.
“So as long as my family is happy, then I’m happy.”
Back with a bang
Armed with mental strength rooted in adversity, Daka was primed and ready when his chance came a couple of weeks before Christmas.
He scored against Plymouth and again in a 3-2 win over Millwall five days later.
The 25-year-old has started every Championship game since, either side of African Cup of Nations duty with Zambia.
After netting once in three matches in the Ivory Coast, Daka hit the ground running on his return, scoring three times in as many games.
It has taken his season’s tally for club and country to 13 goals in 19 appearances, a ratio normally associated with the likes of Erling Haaland or England’s Harry Kane, and it has helped propel Leicester 11 points clear at the top of the Championship ahead of Tuesday’s home clash with Sheffield Wednesday.
Yet the story could easily have been so different.
Daka came ‘close’ to King Power exit
After only four goals in 37 appearances in all competitions last season, Daka admits he came ‘close’ to leaving the King Power Stadium last summer following Leicester’s relegation to the Championship and Enzo Maresca’s arrival as head coach.
He opted to stay but an autumn on the fringes might have caused many players to try and firm up a January move.
Playing the long game, though, looks to have paid off.
“Fortunately it didn’t happen because here we are, it’s a different story,” he said.
“During the winter window, honestly, I didn’t want to go anywhere. I had a lot of talks with the gaffer and I knew what he wanted me to do and what he wanted from me.”
Daka’s current form would appear to make him undroppable.
However, with competition from Vardy, Iheanacho and the emergence of 21-year-old striker Tom Cannon, life experience guarantees he will not be complacent.
“It could be more, a lot of work needs to be done,” he added.
“It’s not a bad return, but I think it could be better. Hopefully it’s going to be better.”
The full interview will be aired on BBC East Midlands Today from 18:35.
