Cameroon striker Guy Madjo is determined to make the most of his return to the Football League by firing Shrewsbury Town up the League Two table.
The 23-year-old, who made a promising debut at Hereford last weekend following his £20,000 arrival from Conference club Crawley, is also keen to push for an international call-up after attending a training camp with his country in November.
Madjo, who hit 11 goals in 17 games for Crawley this season, is now gearing up for his home debut for Town as they bid to halt a poor run of four straight defeats when they face Morecambe on Saturday.
There could also be a first Oteley Road appearance for Birmingham City midfielder Asa Hall, 21, who yesterday joined Town on loan for the rest of the season.
“I’m looking forward to my first game at home and I hope we can get three points as that’s really important to me,” said Madjo.
“I didn’t really enjoy my first game because I’m a winner. When I lose it’s rubbish, whether I play well or score.”
Madjo boasts an interesting background having moved to England two years ago to join Bristol City following a trial at Argentine giants Boca Juniors. He found first team chances hard to come by at Ashton Gate and spells at Conference clubs Forest Green, Stafford Rangers and Crawley followed.
He struck an impressive 32 goals in 72 Conference starts and was on loan to League One Cheltenham before Town boss Gary Peters swooped.
French is Madjo’s first language but he has worked hard to improve his English since moving to this country and has a real desire to make a success of his move to Shrewsbury.
“I want to play as high as possible, as every player does if you’re ambitious,” he said. “That’s what I’m looking for and definitely in the next two or three years I will be up there because I’m a hard working player and I will make sure I do my best.
“I’ve signed for Shrewsbury and that will make me more confident for it gives me more stability. Football’s my job and I always play with no pressure whatever happens. I just take it as it comes because I believe in God and I also believe in my own ability.”
While doing well for Shrewsbury is Madjo’s main priority, he also admits he would love to represent Cameroon having played for the Indomitable Lions at under-17 level and also in the Olympics.
Receiving a call-up to a five-day training camp with the senior squad was a step in the right direction and he narrowly missed out on selection for the Cameroon squad alongside the likes of Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o for the African Cup of Nations which starts this weekend.
“It’s a dream for all players to be called up for the first time to the national team,” said Madjo, who wears a Cameroon sweatband when he plays.
“To be there with all the big boys like Samuel Eto’o and Geremi, I really enjoyed it, and I hope definitely in the coming years that I will be part of the team. I was definitely surprised to get called up but the assistant manager called and said ‘don’t listen to what people are saying’.
“As I was coming from the fifth division in England (with Crawley), people back home were asking ‘how can they call up a player like that when Cameroon have got players in premier divisions all over the world?’
“But he just said ‘come and prove what you can do’ and that’s what I did.”