Euro crunch is just the ticket for Tynecastle defender Tall

HE might be an international defender with over 20 caps for Senegal, but Ibrahim Tall considers himself strictly French. So much so that he will park himself amongst the friends and family of Les Bleus at Hampden on Saturday as a guest of his closest ally, the Lyon midfielder Alou Diarra.

Tall is eligible to represent Senegal, which was at the centre of France's west African empire until gaining its independence in 1960, through the parentage rule. But the Hearts player was born in the Parisian suburb of Aubervilliers, little more than a free-kick from the St Denis district which houses the Stade de France.

Six years as a pupil at the country's Centre of Technical Footballing Excellence, also known as Clairefontaine, saw Tall mix with a host of the superstars that make up Raymond Domenech's luminary squad for this weekend's engagement with Scotland. Defensive midfielder Diarra, though, was the one he turned to for a ticket.

Tall will sit alongside his Hearts team-mate Julien Brellier at Hampden whilst former opponents at club level like Florent Malouda and Louis Saha, pictured right, are likely to be asking question after question of his present-day colleagues Steven Pressley, Craig Gordon and Paul Hartley. It is little wonder, then, that Tall is utterly intrigued by the outcome of Saturday's European Championship qualifier. In one camp, he is able to count on several close associates, yet in another are four men, including Robbie Neilson, with whom he is looking to win the Scottish title this season.

"I'm looking forward to the match. Diarra is a good friend of mine and we played together for six years at the French football academy. I don't think he will start the match on Saturday but he is a good player for Lyon," said Tall.

"I admire the Scottish players a lot, especially my team-mates at Hearts - Craig, Robbie, Elvis and Paul. I consider myself French and I know a lot of the French players. If they win I will be happy for them but a victory for Scotland would be fantastic for football here.

"Maybe a draw would be best for me. If it's a draw then my French friends will not be too upset and the Scottish players will come back to Hearts quite happy, I think."

Only if a certain Andriy Shevchenko can also be subdued in Kiev next Wednesday. But for now France is enough for Walter Smith and his squad to contend with. Tall, like virtually the rest of Europe, has been in awe of the French for the manner in which they disposed of World Cup final dejection to take the Euro 2008 qualifiers by storm. Italy were categorically swept aside in Paris last month just 59 days after the Azzurri had usurped the French on penalties in Berlin. However, Tall remains optimistic about Scotland's prospects of holding their own at the weekend.

"The French midfield is very strong with Makelele and Vieira, but if Scotland play 100 per cent with their heart they have a chance," said the 24-year-old. "I think the Scottish players know it is a big game for them. I watched the last Scotland matches against the Faroe Islands and Lithuania, but France had a bigger result by beating Italy."

The emergence of striker Sidney Govou and winger Malouda since the World Cup has captured the imagination of the French public, a vibe picked up on by Tall this week during a four-day break on the other side of the English Channel. He returns to Edinburgh tomorrow night, doubtless with a watering mouth as he anticipates his trip to Glasgow at the weekend.

"I have played against a lot of the players in the French squad, not just Diarra.

"Saha was my opponent in the InterToto Cup when Sochaux played Fulham.

"He is struggling for fitness but he's very fast and good in the air and Elvis will have to watch him. He can come alive in the box.

"I have also faced Malouda when I played against Lyon and his strength is his skill and technique.

"He is also very strong and has started to score goals for Lyon. He now has four this season and previously he has not been recognised for his shooting.

"They will all make it tough for Scotland, but if the Hearts players play well then maybe the team will be inspired."

Taken from the Scotsman