Bromley forward, Soul Kader is eager to “just stay injury free” in the 2025-26 season.
Kader had missed much of the last two seasons due to a serious injury which required two surgeries and a slow recovery process, plus loans at AFC Croydon, Carshalton Athletic and Cray Wanderers before he made his EFL in Bromley’s final game of last season as the Ravens beat Cheltenham at home.
The 21 year-old striker now is targeting an injury-free season and establishing himself in the first-team squad after a solid start to pre-season as he sat down with Bromley’s media team in a YouTube interview.
“I think the main thing is just stay injury free. As I’ve said, it was a long two years so hopefully I just get through the season. Added on top of that, I want to be in and around the squad. I want to get a few starts and a few goals and if we’re going proper out there, I want to play every and you know be one of the top goalscorers in the league.
But I just want to be in and around it in the squad, start a few games coming on and just sort of build up my CV and my reputation. But yeah they’re the main things and hopefully as a team get promoted to League One and because that would be ridiculous.
“But yeah just play as many games as I can in League Two, score as many goals as I can and who knows who knows what can happen in football. Football’s a crazy game.”
Kader also reflected on the “horrible two years,” which ended with his EFL debut in May which he felt was like hitting the top of a mountain, after three separate loan spells in Non League football as he rebuilt his match fitness.
“A horrible two years, but yeah that Cheltenham game just sort of like the mountain peak really. Obviously there is so much more to go and so much more I want to do but to come off such a long 15-16 months out, you know, two surgeries, crutches for probably about three months altogether, it was really tough.
“So to sort of come back and play when I was out on loan and then to come back for the final game of the season, it was just a very nice sort of way to close that chapter of being injured, being on crutches, having surgeries to then go into pre-season where we’re in now and this season and hopefully many more and sort of put that chapter to rest.
“So it was a very nice feeling to come on even it it was the seven minutes and uh just to make my EFL debut after the two years that I had which were very tough. So yeah that was a very big moment for me and my family have obviously put up with me when I was a bit you know not the best person to be around but yeah it was really good.”
As with any footballing injury which can affects a player’s mental health, Kader acknowledged that it is difficult to understand their struggles until you find yourself in a similar situation.
“It was a journey and I think my dad and my mum and everyone who saw me on a daily basis would tell you like it’s tough. It’s tough and I never really understood that.
“You know when you see these players get injured and they get really down, I never really understood that but when it actually happened to me I understood where they come from and I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy because you’re still coming in every day and you’re stuck seeing the boys go out to training, boys go out to play a game and you know sometimes you can’t walk and it was horrible.”
Bromley’s pre-season is already underway during which Kader netted their first goal in an eventual 5-2 comeback against Tottenham Under-21s from 2-0 down in their first friendly fixture, which left the striker happy to be back on the scoresheet at Hayes Lane.
“Oh that felt good you know to score again in front of a packed out Hayes Lane you know 2000 people there. So that felt really good. Obviously, last time that happened was in 2023 and it seems like a lifetime ago.
“So to hear that roar again and play in front of the fans and obviously playing on the grass pitch now since I played on the Astro when I last played there.
“It was very nice and it was a sort of good opening chapter to the life after injuries and Cheltenham was closing the book and this was opening the book and getting the first goal puts me in a good contention to go into next season hit the ground running.”
Bromley have since been aboard in Albufeira, Portugal, where they lost to Rotherham in their second pre-season friendly before they beat Lincoln City in a seven-goal thriller.
This pre-season also marked Kader’s first proper pre-season back with the first team in two years which he found “fun” and light-heartedly joked that “… obviously it’s nice to sort of get out of the country.”
The squad have had to deal with “warm weather” which Kader found tough but was pleased at how the squad have bonded on the trip.
“It’s been tough. Uh obviously 34 degrees heat when there’s no not much clouds in the sky, it’s tough and it drains you a little bit but look, it’s a good chance for all the boys to sort of gel together for the season.”
This season has seen Will Hondermarck and Mitch Pinnock join from Northampton Town and Kyle Cameron arrive from Notts County, with Kader impressed at how the trio have been able to come in and quickly settle with the current players on and off the pitch.
“The new signings for them to come in and sort of get get in the click of of all the boys that have been here. Um so yeah, I think it’s been amazing . You know get out in the sun, play some football, play some snooker. You know you don’t really want much more than that.”
Kader also addressed the importance of the team developing a strong bond in pre-season as it allowed them to understand their teammates as individual people beyond the pitch and build a spirit to motivate and push them across the season.
“I think it’s massive because you know when you’re on the pitch, obviously you’re footballers and you’re teammates but when you’re when you’re stuck with each other pretty much for seven days, it really gives you an insight of your teammates as a person a little bit more.
“Um and it gives you a chance to sort of know people and cos for the next nine months, we’re all going to battle together every Saturday and every Tuesday.
“So it’s sort of good to get to know the people around you. And the gaff has been saying it like it just the team morale alone that gets you seven to eight points a season just from digging in and having your mates’ back who’s next to you and putting everything on the line for each other.
“So I think it’s been really important for everyone to just gel and the new boys coming in to sort of find their feet and you couldn’t tell who is new and who is old in there because everyone is just gelling really well. So I think it’s massive.”
Kader however is aware that he has “tough” competition for a starting spot with last season’s League Two Golden Boot winner, Michael Cheek considered a guaranteed starter, whilst Marcus Dinanga has scored five goals in two of their pre-season games on his return from an Achilles injury.
Nicke Kabamba meanwhile netted the winning goal in their victory over Lincoln City which Kader hopes will give him plenty of opportunities to learn from as he develops his game this season.
“It’s tough because they’re all had good careers and all very good players but they’re very very good to learn off. You know they’re all older boys. Cheeky been doing it since, you know, god knows when. Same with Nicke and Dinanga so it’s really good to get around them and you know, just get that little bit of wisdom and, maybe a point here and a point there,
“Obviously it’s tough for competition to get into the team but to be around them and learn from them and watch how they move and how they protect and how they play, I think it’s been massive for me just even being in training and in a couple of games.”
Kader is also reunited with his best friend, Ben Krauhaus who has rejoined the club on a season-long loan from Brentford, which he was initially pessimistic about despite knowing that there had been discussions in recent weeks but is glad to have the midfielder back.
“He said about it that it was in the talks but you know how football is, nothing is done until it is done so I was like ‘oh okay cool might see you might not’ And then I wake up and he was there and it feels good.
“You know that we’ve been together since 16 and it’s five years and he’s come back home for us. So now I’m buzzing that he’s back and you know he’s one of my best mates.
“So hopefully he can put that extra step next season and get us promoted.”
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