Antoine Semenyo’s goals for Bournemouth have caught the eye this season, with his latest effort setting the club on its way to a first ever win over defending Premier League champions Manchester City.
The 24-year-old has firmly established himself in the Cherries’ starting XI, is a regular for Ghana and has been linked with moves to the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle, but his path to the game’s elite has demanded patience, perseverance and faith.
Semenyo, a Christian who prays before and during games, endured more than his fair share of rejections during his teenage years, with unsuccessful trial spells with the Gunners and Spurs alongside ones at Crystal Palace, Fulham and Millwall.
“As a 15- or 16-year-old, you don’t know how to cope with your emotions – being so high, being so upset all the time,” Semenyo told Football Focus.
“I did have a lot of doubts but I had positive parents. They always told me life’s not always going to be roses.
“They are all experiences that you have to go through. But it’s definitely helped me and motivated me to this day.”
Most painful for Semenyo was finding out he would not be signed by Palace – a setback which caused him to believe his dreams of becoming a professional were over.
“I was there for maybe eight months and loved every moment,” he said.
“My dad told me he’d seen one moment during a game where I should have passed the ball to someone, and I shot and missed. And he saw the coach in the distance just shaking his head.
“From that moment, he knew I wasn’t getting signed. I got called into the office and they told me the bad news.
“I remember going back into the car, just being emotional, crying.”
Semenyo decided to concentrate on his schoolwork and enjoying time with friends, spending a year out of the game.
After lacing up his boots again for an open trial, the forward eventually joined South Gloucestershire and Stroud College’s football academy, where he was picked up by Bristol City.
Semenyo still ranks the day in January 2018 when he signed his first professional deal with the Robins as the proudest moment of his career.
“I remember that day like it was yesterday, and I remember the look on my mum’s face,” he said.
“She was just so emotional, so happy for me, so proud. That always sticks with me.
“I’m going to cherish that moment for life.”
Progress under Iraola
After loan spells with Bath City, Newport County and Sunderland, Semenyo struck 21 goals in 125 games for Bristol City before Bournemouth signed him for a fee of over £10m in January last year.
He had six months adapting to the top flight under Gary O’Neil before Andoni Iraola took over.
Semenyo credits the Spaniard with developing his game and helping him get on the scoresheet more frequently.
“His player management is so good. He is very forthcoming and honest,” he said.
“We look through games [to see] where I can improve, where I can be position-wise, and where I can score more goals and be more effective for the team.
“The main thing he said was being at the back post all the time, and that was the thing he was nagging me about last year.”
Semenyo’s strike against Manchester City was his fourth Premier League goal of the season. He has set himself a target for the campaign, but will not reveal it publicly.
“I do have a number in mind, but I keep that to myself,” he said.
“I have a journal where I write my goals for the year and the only person that knows that is my brother (Jai, who plays for National league side Eastleigh).”
Fatherly influence
Semenyo says his younger brother sees him as a “role model” and, although they “always bicker”, the ambition is to one day face off against each other in the Premier League.
Football certainly runs in the blood, as their father Larry had spells for Okwahu United and Advance Stars in the Ghana Premier League.
But, having been born and raised in London, Antoine did not get much of a chance to appreciate his talents.
“When we were kids, he used to go and play for some local teams,” he explained.
“All our family members remind us that he was the best, that he’s better than us, and they rave on about it all the time.
“But there’s no footage, so unfortunately we didn’t get to see that.”
After games, Semenyo still receives feedback from his father, who was elated when Antoine received his first Ghana call-up in 2022.
“My mum was crying on the phone. Dad doesn’t really jump up too much, but he was so excited,” Semenyo revealed.
“It’s an honour to play for Ghana. It’s just a dream come true.
“I love going back to our home country and seeing family, seeing friends as well. They’re so eager about football.”
Semenyo’s faith is also inspired by his family, even if his parents’ church-going on Sundays made it “hard to get to games”.
“I want to learn more about God and what he’s done in my life,” said Semenyo, who attends church himself whenever he can.
He also speaks to a pastor on the touchline at the Vitality Stadium before every home game, crediting the ritual with improving his mentality.
Off the pitch, Semenyo continues to study the Bible, but also splits his spare time between gaming, walking his 10-month-old dog Bailey and chatting with team-mates as part of Bournemouth’s unofficial coffee club.
“It’s Alex Scott, James Hill, Marcus Tavernier, Ryan Christie from time to time, Dean Huijsen as well,” he said.
“We just go after training and sit there for three, four hours, to spend time with each other.
“I feel like that chemistry that we have off the pitch goes on to the pitch.”
And as for those rumours about a big money move in the near future?
“Family members and friends [are] constantly sending me stuff, but I try not to take notice too much,” he said.
“My mentality is just keep focused, keep doing what you’re doing, and then if something happens, it happens.”
