Russia’s bitter cold, a racist environment and difficulty with the language have all conspired to make Shilla Illiasu’s first season in Europe less enjoyable.

But he isn’t giving up hope yet.

A year ago, Shilla Illiasu did not turn heads neither did his name register in the minds of many football fans. He was a decent enough defender with King Faisal, coveted by Kotoko and thought then of as one of those acquisitions who would make the Porcupine Warriors thick in Africa.

But it was a script that went very wrong for the Porcupine Warriors but very right for the player. In January this year, he wasn’t even in contention for the 2006 Nations Cup but after the tournament, he grew in stature thanks to some terrific displays for Kotoko before finally making the world cup squad.

The rest , to use an abused phrase is history. Samuel Osei Kuffuor’s error in the first game against the Italians and Emmanuel Addoquaye Pappoe’s poor form in the same game meant that a player who traveled to the tournament very much a fringe squad member emerged from it with his reputation enhanced and football fortunes improved drastically.

Shilla’s explanation for the extraordinary tale of events at the world cup in a way sums up the sort of person he is. Cool, calm and super confident he comes across as someone who is unfazed by no challenge.

“As a player you need self confidence”, he says. “I had not played a high profile game before the world cup and yet when I was thrown into that game against the Czech Republic, the second best team in the world, I told myself it was just another game. For me self confidence is the driving force.”

That self confidence saw him through what is easily the defining moments in his career.

His defensive job in the game against the highly fancied Czechs got the likes of Arsene Wenger and Gerrard Houllier scouring for the telephone. He was dominant against the USA and didn’t disappoint against Brazil.

“The world cup was a very important was turning point in my career. I can never forget what happened in Germany. I have kept some of the things I used in Germany for future reference. It was very important for me.”

After the tournament it was no longer a matter of whether he will move but where he will move to.

Arsenal was talked off very loudly, Blackburn was mentioned and it was suggested he might end up in France with Lyon or Nantes. It all proved to be talk as is often the case in player transfer.

In the end, it was the Russians Saturn FC who came up with a million euro and took on Shilla as the latest member of their Ghanaian contingent.

Given that Russia is his first club in Europe, he has few complaints. He says he is just eager to be playing but some of the things that Vladimir’s Putin country is noted for clearly doesn’t sit well with him.

“I will learn a lot from Russia because it is my first destination in Europe. But since I went there I have realized there is a lot of racism in the Russian league. We always have problems with our colour but it doesn’t stop us from playing football”, he said.

“Russia is very cold too and I have struggled with the weather plus the language is very difficult so I have struggled but I am getting around it.”

The problems with the weather notwithstanding, Illiasu is bent on making a mark.

He says: “The Russian league is tough and comparable to many of the second tier leagues in Europe as attested to by the performance of the Russian clubs in the champions league. I am happy that it became my first destination in Europe but my target is to move on to a bigger league sometime.

“I think I will land a big contract soon in one of the big leagues of Europe. For me the most important thing is to play in a country where people will often here about me and Spain and England seems to offer that.”

Talk of a playing in a bigger league inevitably leads to questions about Arsenal and why he didn’t get the deal to play alongside Thierry Henry when so much had been made of a deal happening.

He is edgy about the subject but he leaves you in no doubt that the deal that didn’t happen was a dream gone bad. Still he has a feeling it will happen. When asked about his how he envisages his future as a player, he says.

“I cannot predict it but the most important thing is to keep head up and concentration because there is still massive room for improvement. There are many opportunities like the Nations Cup and world cup ahead and if I play well, who knows, Arsenal may be Arsenal will be keeping an eye on me. And if I get the chance to play there it means my dream has come true.”

Until then, his only option is to keep pushing, keep playing well and keep impressing. But Shilla’s ambition is not all about getting a fat new contract or playing in all those glamorous league with the attention of the world’s media fixed on him.

He is eager to win some major team titles too and he reckons his best bet for any in the next few years is the Black Stars.

In barely thirteen months, if Shilla has played well enough to merit a place, he will be a member of a Ghana squad that will be seeking to equal Egypt’s record wins at the Cup of Nations with Ghana’s first trophy in twenty-six years.

The thought of glory in Accra inspires Shilla but he knows there is still great work to be done.