Tall wants to be in a different League

IBRAHIM TALL has experienced the high of qualifying from the UEFA Cup groups with Sochaux but he admits that just reaching that stage of the Champions League with Hearts would top the lot.

The defender spent three seasons with the French side, progressing from Group D to the round of 32 in 2005 after beating Dinamo Tbilisi and Sporting Lisbon.

Sochaux, who also faced Newcastle in that group, were eventually knocked out of the competition by Olympiakos but it is an experience the 25-year-old will never forget.

However, he's hoping Hearts' foray into Europe will furnish him with some new memories to take their place. The Tynecastle side kick off their qualifying campaign on Wednesday when they face Bosnian outfit Siroki Brijeg and Tall believes they have a real chance of booking a place in the group stages of the competition this season.

He said: "It is important that we get through this qualifier, we want to get as far as we can in the tournament. If we get into the next round some of the teams that we could face are much bigger but I think that Hearts have a good chance to get into the group stages.

"Every player wants to play in the Champions League. I haven't managed to play in that competition yet, only the UEFA Cup with Sochaux and that was a fantastic experience.

"But I think that the Champions League is the best competition you can be involved in and we want to play in the group stages, that would be a great experience for me, for the club and for the fans.

"With Sochaux we got through the group stages, finishing second after playing against Newcastle, Dinamo Tiblisi and Sporting Lisbon, almost reaching the quarter finals.

"European games at that level and especially in the Champions League will be great experience for the young boys and the new players at the club." Tall realises though that it is not only the younger players who would benefit from a run in Europe's most prestigious competition - a possible £10million windfall would wing its way to Tynecastle if they book their place in the group stages, allowing Vladimir Romanov to further strengthen his squad.

He added: "If we can just get into the group stages then we are guaranteed at least six games and that can benefit the whole club.

"Not only is that good experience for the players, but it is also good for the club because the money that playing in the group stages brings in can be used to help strengthen and improve the team again for the following season.

"There is a lot of money involved in the Champions League and it would be very good for the club if we could be part of it."

The defender scored the first goal of his Hearts career in Wednesday night's friendly against Osasuna with Lithuanian trialist Andrius Velicka also on the scoresheet.

It is one of the few goals Tall has scored in his career and he's looking forward to trying to add to that tally when Hearts return to Murrayfield next week to face Siroki, having only ever been to the ground once before to watch a rugby match between Scotland and France.

"I am very happy because I scored my first goal since coming here and I am also very happy for the team and for all of the fans who came to Murrayfield. I think it was important that we got a victory before our Champions League game next week.

"The first goal is always important. Okay, it was a friendly game, but it was a good game against a good team. Osasuna are a big side.

"I scored a few goals when I was playing at youth level but I did not score when I was playing in the first team with Sochaux. I got a couple in a friendly game and last season I scored in the reserve team so I would like to add to the number in the first team."

"Wednesday night was the first time that I had played at Murrayfield. Last year though I went to the stadium to watch Scotland play France at rugby with my friend Julien Brellier and I really enjoyed it.

"It is a great stadium and the pitch is also very good. I think that if we have more fans here next week it will be very good for the team because the atmosphere will be very important. When I played in France the supporters were very quiet, but in this country the supporters are much louder and that is better for the players."

The Senegal-born defender has been on Hearts' books for almost 11 months yet didn't play his first game for the club until the 2-0 SPL win over Kilmarnock in April.

However, he followed that up with three straight starts for the Tynecastle outfit, missing out only on the meaningless final-day clash with Rangers at Ibrox, and returning to the first 11 for the Scottish Cup final win over Gretna.

He's hoping he can continue where he left off under Valdas Ivanauskas, starting with that match against Siroki, and added: "I want to be playing regularly for Hearts and I want to play in the Champions League with Hearts. Last season was a very difficult situation for me because after I joined the club I did not play any games for eight months, but then Valdas took over as manager and he gave me my chance.

"I played about five games at the end of the season and then I played in the cup final as well. This season I want to play a lot more games, it is very important to me. I want to play for Hearts and I also want to play with the national team. If I am playing regularly for my club I have more chance of being involved with my national team."

New Rangers boss Paul le Guen, below, watched 80 minutes of the match as he tries to brush up on his knowledge of a side who beat his charges to second place in the league table last season. Tall already has some information on Le Guen, having played against Lyon during his time with Sochaux and he warned the Frenchman that Hearts believe they can deny the Ibrox side the title again this season. He continued: "I know a little bit about Paul le Guen because I played three times against Lyon in the French league when he was the manager there.

"Last season Hearts played very well and he would want to see how we play because we face them in the fourth game of the season, because he is still getting used to the championship and the teams in this league yet.

"I think we played well so that is good and I am sure he will be going to as many games as he can to look at other teams before the start of the season.

"We are improving all the time though. There have been a lot of good players coming into the club on trial recently, it has been difficult because a lot of them don't speak much English, but there are enough nationalities in the team to make sure that we can translate.

"We want to win the league, that is our aim for the season and I think that we really have good chance. Rangers have bought some good players and Celtic have too, but Hearts also have a very good squad and there is no reason why we cannot win it."

Taken from the Scotsman