Mitchy Ntelo has revealed that Nico Raskin and Michel-Ange Balikwisha helped sell him on his move to Aberdeen. The new Dons signing played with the Rangers and Celtic stars as they came through the ranks together at Standard Liege.
Ntelo called them and they both told him to jump at the chance to move to Pittodrie and to join them in the Scottish Premiership. The striker can’t wait to face them both over the coming weeks and he has warned them that their friendships will go out the window when that whistle blows.
Friendship put aside
Ntelo admitted: "They told me not to hesitate as I was coming to a big club in a big league. Nico spoke to me about the league and the team and he knows Aberdeen are a very good side."
"He mentioned that they are a club with a great history and I should take any chance to go there. He said: 'It is a big step up or you from where you are but I know where you have come from'."
"So he was very happy that I was coming to Aberdeen but he also told me how Rangers and them are big rivals. We have to win the game not matter how we play when we go up against them."
"Of course we face them up here in a few weeks and the aim is to win and take the three points for us."
"Balikwisha told me 'good luck' but mostly he spoke about the weather warning me it’s not the same as Belgium but I will deal with it."
"If I have to tackle them and take their boots off then I will because there are no friends on the pitch. I want to win against them and they want to win against me and that’s the reality."
Cup ambitions
The signing from Yverdon will make his debut against Dundee in the Premier Sports Cup. He was in the stands as the Dons lost at Dens Park in the league last week.
The former Belgian youth international is looking to turn the tables at Pittodrie and get a long, overdue cup run. He accepted: "The result was not a good one for us but the second half was way better than the first."
"I could see the players did react and do better and I know it will be different against Dundee this time. The cup is special and you never know who is going to eventually win it but we aim to go as far as possible."
"I’ve never won cup in my career so far and I hope that this can be the first one Personally I haven’t gone beyond the first round in any cup competition so far in my career."
"So it will be big progress for me if Aberdeen and get through to the quarter final. And of course I have seen the photographs for when the club won the Scottish Cup two years ago."
"It was something massive for the club and the city and I want to be part of that."
Career journey
Ntelo is well travelled. He turned professional at Dutch club MVV and returned to Belgium with Charleroi. He had a successful stint in Bulgaria with Lokomotiv Plovdiv. That put him on Darren Mowbray’s radar.
He said: "This is the biggest challenge in my life and my career so far so I’m proud to be here. It’s a massive step forward as I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in my career so far."
"But hopefully it’s going to be all good for me as I’m here to prove myself to the coach, the club and the fans. I know that this is a bigger challenge, it is not the same standard as this one."
"This is a league with a lot of good, physical teams in it and while that is not one of my strengths I will work on it."
"I will do everything I can to adapt to Scottish football and give my best on the pitch."
Stephen Robinson will bring him in to add to his attacking options, including Kevin Nisbet, Ayoub Mouloua and Toyosi Olusanya. He told his new signing what he expects. Ntelo added: "He (Robinson) told me about the league in Scotland and how tough it would be so I know what’s coming."
"My pace was the main thing he wanted me to add to the team so I have to prove to him how quick I am. It is my main strength so I have to make the most of that on the pitch."
Ntelo insisted that his move to Scotland is a big one for one of his family. He explained: "I just wanted to be a professional football and if I can play more for big teams in big leagues this will be something good."
"It wasn’t about sacrifices as football was all I wanted to do with my life. The only drawback was being away from home, from my parents and my sister."
"They didn’t see me a lot when I was growing but hopefully they will be over to Aberdeen."
"It’s a new country for them to experience and my sister told me she loves Scotland but I don’t know why as she’s never been here."
