THE road from Kinshasa to Darlington is not a particularly well-trodden one. The capital of the war-torn Democratic Republic of Congo has little in common with County Durham but, for the last four months, one man has been providing a common thread.

At first glance, the tale of Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu might seem an exceptional one. Born in the Congo, raised in a Parisian suburb from the age of seven, and settled in Darlington via spells at Sheffield, Preston and Colchester.

But, in the weird and wonderful world of football, such stories are the bedrock of the globalised game.

Didier Drogba uses the skills he learned in the Ivory Coast to fire Chelsea to the Premiership title. His compatriot, Kolo Toure, adds some African defiance to the heart of the Arsenal defence.

In England's lower reaches, Zaire's Gabriel Zakuani plies his trade in the Leyton Orient back four, while Ghana's Junior Agogo tops the scoring charts at Bristol Rovers.

The same story is repeated from one end of Europe to the other. Africa's footballers are playing just about everywhere - everywhere, that is, apart from Africa.

"I think most Africans would like to be playing in a successful league back in their own country, but that still seems quite a long way away," explained Ndumbu-Nsungu, who could not be much further from the place he still regards as home.

"Africa has some of the best footballers in the world - but it does not have the best football teams.

"As an African, it is frustrating because the potential is there, it is just that things do not fall into place as they should.

"The skill is there, the athleticism is there and the desire is there - the problem is that there is no organisation.

"Nobody seems to take responsibility for pulling things together and, as a result, it is difficult for top players to stay in Africa to play their football."

The problem is a circular one. African football will never improve unless it can persuade some of its leading figures to remain in their homeland - its leading figures will always look to leave unless the game is strong enough, and rich enough, to make it worth their while to stay.

Tellingly, the seemingly intractable dilemma is not unique to football. While Africa's health service stands on the brink of collapse, Ghanaian doctors are keeping the NHS afloat.

African leaders are attempting to address the situation on a daily basis but, while the constraints of the global economy hardly help their countries develop, widespread corruption and a lack of legislative control continues to contribute to domestic failure.

Football mirrors this general trend, with Ndumbu-Nsungu's trips to the Congo exposing the myriad of problems that affect both sport and society in general.

"Football is like the rest of society," he said. "It contains the same good things and the same problems.

"Africa should be as successful as any other part of the world - but it isn't.

"Just like in football, African countries lack some of the organisation that is taken for granted in other countries.

"I see it when I go back to the Congo. I will always love the country and my roots will always be there but, when I go back, I see the differences to England.

"There was a lot of fighting there two or three years ago and it was hard for my family and friends to live.

"The fighting is over now, but some of the problems still remain. That is why most people who live there dream of moving to England or France where they can have a better life and better chances."

The striker's family were no different. They left the Congo for France when he was just seven, in an attempt to provide their son with a safe and successful life.

Like so many immigrants in the Parisian suburbs, Ndumbu-Nsungu discovered football as a means of release from the trials and tensions of everyday life.

Within eight years, he was making his first appearance for Amiens' youth team and, within 18 months, he was taking his first steps in the French league.

"In the end, I stayed there for six years and started to make a bit of a name for myself," said the 22-year-old.

"I enjoyed playing in France but, when the chance to move to England came, I jumped at it. English football is well known all over the world and any young player would want to play there."

That jump took him to Sheffield Wednesday and an eight-month loan spell that brought ten goals in 33 games.

The fans made him their player of the year but, just as a permanent contract looked like making his future secure, disaster struck.

Paul Sturrock was made manager at Hillsborough and, within weeks, Ndumbu-Nsungu's face did not fit. For a Franco-African still settling into English life, the rejection was inevitably hard to take.

"I was never really given a chance and that hurt me a lot," he said. "I had changed my entire life to come to Sheffield and, all of a sudden, I was being told I wasn't wanted.

"I don't mind admitting that I cried a couple of times. I was happy in Sheffield.

"I liked the city and I had a lot of friends there - I didn't want to move."

He did though, enduring difficult loan spells at Preston and Colchester before putting pen to paper on a five-month deal with Darlington in August.

His 14 appearances for the Quakers have brought four goals - an impressive return given that nine have come from the substitutes' bench - and he is already looking to the future.

"I still have a lot of ambitions in football," he said. "Firstly, I want to do well in the next few weeks to persuade the manager that he should give me a new contract.

"I want to stay when my contract runs out in January, but I know I have to prove to the manager that I am worth my place in the team.

"If I can do that, I want to help Darlington win promotion. This is a big club with a big ground - we should be playing at a higher level than we are."

Inevitably, though, his thoughts are also with Africa. He may have left the Congo 15 years ago, and spent little time in his homeland since, but his dreams remain inextricably linked to the land of his birth. Africa has its problems, but it will never lack the one thing that continues to keep it afloat - hope.

"One day, I want to play for Congo in the World Cup," said Ndumbu-Nsungu. "People might say it is impossible, but look at what Togo, Angola and Cote D'Ivoire have achieved this year. If they can do it, so can we."

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