Ibrahim Tall
Encyclopedia
Ibrahim Tall is a Senegal
ese international footballer
. He currently plays for Football League club AEL 1964
.He is a versatile defender capable of playing either right back or centre half.
in 2002. He soon became a regular for the Montbéliard
club, making over 70 first team appearances and helping them to win the 2004 French League Cup. He also participated in the Montbéliard
club's runs to the 2004 UEFA Cup
quarter finals and the 2003 French League Cup final.
, against the wishes of then head coach George Burley
. Commenting on the signings of Tall and Brazilian Samuel Camazzola, Burley himself would only admit that the situation was "not ideal". Tall then appeared to become the victim of internal club politics as, despite his reported £8,000 per week salary, he spent the first 7 months of his Hearts career either sitting on the bench or in the stand.
An injury to Jose Goncalves
and the omission from the team of Andy Webster, due to a contract dispute with the club, eventually allowed Tall to make his competitive debut, as a substitute, in the 2–0 victory over Kilmarnock
on 15 April. After this, he formed a solid defensive partnership with club captain Steven Pressley
during the final weeks of 2005–06
and ended a strange season on a positive note, when he collected his first senior medal as Hearts defeated Gretna
in the Scottish Cup
final.
On 26 July, Tall scored his first competitive goal for Hearts, in the club's first game in Europe's elite Champions League
. His strike against Bosnians NK Široki Brijeg
helped his side to a 3–0 aggregate victory.
On 15 May 2008, it was announced that Tall had left Hearts.
side.
. Despite his French birth and upbringing, he qualifies to represent the African state through his parents' Senegalese lineage. However, following a disastrous start at Nantes (including 3 own goals and a dismissal in his first two games) his caps have dried up somewhat.
Senegal
Senegal , officially the Republic of Senegal , is a country in western Africa. It owes its name to the Sénégal River that borders it to the east and north...
ese international footballer
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
. He currently plays for Football League club AEL 1964
AEL 1964
AEL 1964 F.C., fully the Athletic Union of Larissa 1964 , is a Greek association football club based in the city of Larissa, capital of Greece's Thessaly region. The club is also known, unofficially, as Larissa. It is the only FC outside the two big Greek cities, Athens and Thessaloniki, to have...
.He is a versatile defender capable of playing either right back or centre half.
Early career
Tall started his career with Louhans-Cuiseaux before moving to SochauxFC Sochaux-Montbéliard
Football Club Sochaux-Montbéliard is a French association football club based in the city of Montbéliard. The club was founded in 1928 and currently plays in Ligue 1, the top tier of French football. Sochaux plays its home matches at the Stade Auguste Bonal located within the city...
in 2002. He soon became a regular for the Montbéliard
Montbéliard
Montbéliard is a city in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It is one of the two subprefectures of the department.-History:...
club, making over 70 first team appearances and helping them to win the 2004 French League Cup. He also participated in the Montbéliard
Montbéliard
Montbéliard is a city in the Doubs department in the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It is one of the two subprefectures of the department.-History:...
club's runs to the 2004 UEFA Cup
UEFA Cup
The UEFA Europa League is an annual association football cup competition organised by UEFA since 1971 for eligible European football clubs. It is the second most prestigious European club football contest after the UEFA Champions League...
quarter finals and the 2003 French League Cup final.
Hearts
Tall moved to Hearts in August 2005 in controversial circumstances, with tabloids speculating that he was signed by club owner Vladimir RomanovVladimir Romanov
Vladimir Nikolayevich Romanov ; born 1947 in Tver Oblast, Russian SFSR, USSR) is an ethnic Russian businessman who also holds Lithuanian citizenship following that country's independence from the Soviet Union. He is chairman of UBIG Investments which is the majority shareholder in Scottish Premier...
, against the wishes of then head coach George Burley
George Burley
George Elder Burley is a Scottish football manager and former player and manager, formerly the manager of Crystal Palace Football Club. Burley had a professional career spanning 21 years as a player making 628 appearances and earning 11 Scotland caps...
. Commenting on the signings of Tall and Brazilian Samuel Camazzola, Burley himself would only admit that the situation was "not ideal". Tall then appeared to become the victim of internal club politics as, despite his reported £8,000 per week salary, he spent the first 7 months of his Hearts career either sitting on the bench or in the stand.
An injury to Jose Goncalves
José Gonçalves
José Gonçalves is a Portuguese footballer of Cape Verdean descent currently playing for FC Sion in the Swiss Super League. He is Portuguese by birth but has Swiss citizenship, having lived there since he was two years old...
and the omission from the team of Andy Webster, due to a contract dispute with the club, eventually allowed Tall to make his competitive debut, as a substitute, in the 2–0 victory over Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock F.C.
Kilmarnock Football Club is a Scottish football team based in the town of Kilmarnock, Ayrshire. Founded in 1869, "Killie" is the oldest club currently in the Scottish Premier League. Home matches are played at Rugby Park...
on 15 April. After this, he formed a solid defensive partnership with club captain Steven Pressley
Steven Pressley
Steven John "Elvis" Pressley is a retired Scottish footballer, who is now the manager of Scottish First Division club Falkirk. Pressley had a long playing career, playing for both halves of the Old Firm and making over 100 league appearances for both Dundee United and Hearts...
during the final weeks of 2005–06
2005-06 in Scottish football
The 2005–06 season was the 109th season of competitive football in Scotland.-2005:*1 June: Gordon Strachan officially takes charge of Celtic after the resignation of Martin O'Neill...
and ended a strange season on a positive note, when he collected his first senior medal as Hearts defeated Gretna
Gretna F.C.
Gretna Football Club was a Scottish football club that represented the town of Gretna, Dumfries and Galloway, close to the border between England and Scotland...
in the Scottish Cup
Scottish Cup
The Scottish Football Association Challenge Cup,, commonly known as the Scottish Cup or the William Hill Scottish Cup for sponsorship purposes, is the main national cup competition in Scottish football. It is a knockout cup competition run by and named after the Scottish Football Association.The...
final.
On 26 July, Tall scored his first competitive goal for Hearts, in the club's first game in Europe's elite Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
. His strike against Bosnians NK Široki Brijeg
NK Široki Brijeg
NK Široki Brijeg is a Bosnian-Herzegovinian team from the town of Široki Brijeg that currently plays in the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina....
helped his side to a 3–0 aggregate victory.
On 15 May 2008, it was announced that Tall had left Hearts.
Return to France
On 10 June 2008 Tall returned to France with newly-promoted FC Nantes, signing a two-year contract with the Ligue 1Ligue 1
Ligue 1 , is the French professional league for association football clubs. It is the country's primary football competition and serves as the top division of the French football league system. Ligue 1 is one of two divisions making up the Ligue de Football Professionnel, the other being Ligue 2....
side.
International career
Tall has appeared over twenty times for the Senegal national sideSenegal national football team
The Senegal national football team, nicknamed the Lions of Teranga, is the national team of Senegal and is controlled by the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football...
. Despite his French birth and upbringing, he qualifies to represent the African state through his parents' Senegalese lineage. However, following a disastrous start at Nantes (including 3 own goals and a dismissal in his first two games) his caps have dried up somewhat.
External links
- Profile at londonhearts.com