Fulham : Bouba Diop utilise le voodoo

PAPA BOUBA DIOP has revealed a voodoo ceremony involving sprinkling animal blood around Craven Cottage has put the magic back into Fulham's season. The Senegal midfielder performed the ju-ju ritual - the West African version of voodoo - at the end of December when Chris Coleman's team were sliding towards the relegation zone. And since the turn of the year, Fulham have lost only one in 10 games in climbing up the table and into the fifth round of the FA Cup. They are unbeaten at Craven Cottage in 2005.

"Voodoo is practised in my part of the world and I am cultured into it and will help Fulham if needs be," said Bouba Diop.

"I can perform the rituals and all that needs to be done. I have done it and we got results and will do it again if we start to lose.

"I have to be careful how I talk about this form of magic as it's a taboo thing here in the West but it's all good since it can help the cause.

"I am committed to Fulham and when you are employed by someone you give your all to help that employer and do what you can to help when and if things get rocky."

Bouba Diop is understood to have sprinkled a mixture of animal blood, incense and soil on the pitch and on the goalposts when he first joined the club last summer and again in December. The potion was prepared by a voodoo priest. The aim is to seek the protection of friendly gods - and cause confusion among the opposition. And results in recent weeks suggest it has been working. After beating Crystal Palace at home on New Year's Day, their next home game saw West Brom miss half a dozen chances before Boupa Diop headed an injury-time winner. Then in their next match in SW6, Edwin van der Sar saved two penalties by Aston Villa's Juan Pablo Angel before Lee Clark scored a late equaliser. Then Coca-Cola Championship side Derby missed a hatful of clear chances in the FA Cup fourth round replay last Saturday before Fulham fought back to win 4-2 after extra time. The Cottagers only defeat in 2005 came at Anfield on February 5.

A Senegalese friend of Boupa Diop said: "Papa is into witchcraft and voodoo.

"It's part of his culture and he is very much into it. They practice an ancient form of magic called ju-ju which is a force for both good and evil.

"In Senegal and most other African countries footballers use it to better themselves and their clubs.

"Diop has protection and can perform ceremonies and rituals himself as he was brought up in the tradition of that."

Senegal claim to have used the power of ju-ju at the 2002 World Cup when they beat defending champions France in the opening game.