Rousset happy to joust again with Ginola

Darryl Broadfoot
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24 Jul 1999

Hearts v Tottenham Hotspur GILLES Rousset and David Ginola have more in common than sharing the same nationality.

For a start, they both grew up in Hyeres, in the south of France, and they also left their homeland in the same year, 1995, to seek success and happiness on the other side of the Channel.

Ginola left Paris St Germain to join Kevin Keegan's Newcastle revolution in a #2.5m transfer and, immediately, his unpredictable skills, spectacular goals, and film star looks had the male and female sections of the Toon Army foaming at the mouth, albeit for two totally different reasons.

Rousset, on the other hand, lumbered into Tynecastle as a virtual unknown, even though he had been capped twice by the French national team.

He cost nothing, after having walked out on his previous club, Rennes, and was signed initially on a short-term contract.

Four years on, the towering goalkeeper is something of a folk hero down Gorgie, while his compatriot, Ginola, has endeared himself to a new horde of supporters at White Hart Lane.

After taking part in many a duel during their days in the French premier league, the two will come face to face once again at Tynecastle, when Hearts will field new signing Gary Wales, as George Graham brings his Worthington Cup holders to the capital, and Rousset is only too aware that a busy day between the posts lies ahead.

Rousset said: ''He is a very exciting player and the fans will love to see him.

He is not a prolific goalscorer, but he is very skilful.

''I played against him many times in France and remember saving a penalty of his when he played for Racing Paris.

I cannot recall him ever scoring against me, but I'm sure he must have.'' Discarded by Celtic's technical director, Kenny Dalglish, when he took over at the St James' Park helm, under-pressure Tottenham manager Christian Gross forked #2m of chairman Allan Sugar's cash to bring the flamboyant Frenchman to London, in the hope he could halt the club's slide and ensure his employment.

Ginola achieved only half of that objective and last season, when Graham took over the reins at White Hart Lane, many expected the first action by the renowned taskmaster would be to dispose of his luxury in favour of labour.

Instead, the team pattern was based around Ginola, who played a huge part in taking the club to Wembley, where they defeated Leicester City to end their silverware famine.

The Frenchman was also nominated Player of the Year amid calls for him to be reinstated in the national team, his running feud with Eric Cantona the main reason why both of them were discarded after the country's failed attempt to qualify for the World Cup in 1994.

Rousset admits that he is a few weeks behind schedule after having to return home to look after his sick daughter, but he sees the match against Spurs as the ideal opportunity to fine-tune ahead of the new campaign and firmly lay to rest ''the strange season'' that almost resulted in relegation to the first division.

Although the club have only made one addition to the squad, Fabien Leclerq joining his brother-in-law Stephane Adam, Rousset believes that the club are back on the right track, with their very own Ginola poised to emerge from the background.

Former Barcelona prodigy Juanjo has had an outstanding pre-season after spending much of last term out of favour and the 36-year-old is convinced the youngster has all the ingredients to make it to the very top.

''He is a very continental player; he is quick and he is very skilful,'' said Rousset.

''There is really no-one else like him in Scotland and, even though he did not play very much last year, it is always difficult for a foreign player to settle in to a new country.

''You have to remember he is only in his early twenties and I'm sure he will have a big future here.'' Another Hearts man with a bright future, Paul Ritchie, will be involved this afternoon, and Rousset admitted that he is delighted the player looks likely to remain at Tynecastle this season.

''I don't know exactly what his sitiuation is now, but from personal point of view I am really glad he will be with us this season,'' he said.

''He is a very good defender and I can only hope that he can come to an agreement with the club to sign a new contract.'' While much has been made of Ritchie's proposed move to Rangers, with supporters aghast at the prospect after the recent transfers of David Weir and Neil McCann, midfielder Steve Fulton has warned that his future is also far from secure.

The midfielder's contract expires next summer and he has yet to be offered a new deal from Jefferies, which means, come January, he is in a position to negotiate with any prospective buyers and sign a pre-contract agreement before making a Bosman transfer once the season has finished.

The 28-year-old has become a fans' favourite since his move from Falkirk four years ago and, while he insists that he would like to see out his career at Tynecastle, he said: ''All the speculation is on Paul at the moment, but I'm in the same boat as him in that I've only got one year left on my contract.

''Nothing is being said about me and I don't know what's happening with my situation.

I'm quite happy at Hearts and I wouldn't be too hard to deal with if they're going to offer me something.'' Hearts will include #50,000 signing Wales after the Tynecastle club agreed a deal with Hamilton Academical for the 20-year- old striker after weeks of negotiations.

Wales rushed through to Edinburgh after the agreement was reached for a medical, with the paperwork due to be completed this morning.

St Johnstone had also been interested in signing the player, who had asked for a transfer following Accies' relegation to the second division last season.