Ibrahim Tall

Ibrahim Tall
Personal information
Full name Ibrahim Tall
Date of birth (1981-06-23) 23 June 1981
Place of birth Aubervilliers, France
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Playing position Right-back, Centre-back
Youth career
Louhans-Cuiseaux
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2002 Louhans-Cuiseaux 32 (0)
2002–2005 Sochaux 67 (0)
2005–2008 Hearts 39 (4)
2008–2010 Nantes 38 (1)
2010–2012 Larissa 27 (0)
2012–2013 Lausanne-Sport 34 (0)
National team‡
2003– Senegal 24 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 9 June 2013.

‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 19 February 2012

Ibrahim Tall (born 23 June 1981 in Aubervilliers, Paris) is a Senegalese international footballer who last played for FC Lausanne-Sport. He is a versatile defender capable of playing either right back or centre back.

Early career

Tall started his career with CS Louhans-Cuiseaux before moving to FC Sochaux-Montbéliard in 2002. He soon became a regular for the Montbéliard club, making over 70 first team appearances and helping them to win the 2004 Coupe de la Ligue. He also participated in the Montbéliard club's runs to the 2004 UEFA Cup quarter-finals and the 2003 Coupe de la Ligue Final.

Hearts

Tall moved to Hearts in August 2005 in controversial circumstances, with tabloids speculating that he was signed by club owner Vladimir Romanov, 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".[1] 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 José Gonçalves 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.[2] After this, he formed a solid defensive partnership with club captain Steven Pressley during the final weeks of the 2005–06 season and ended it on a positive note, when he collected his first senior medal as Hearts defeated Gretna in the Scottish Cup final.[3]

On 26 July, Tall scored his first competitive goal for Hearts, in the club's first game in Europe's elite club competition, the UEFA Champions League. His strike against Bosnian club NK Široki Brijeg helped his side to a 3–0 aggregate victory.

On 15 May 2008, it was announced that Tall had left Hearts.[4]

Return to France

On 10 June 2008 Tall returned to France with newly promoted FC Nantes, signing a two-year contract with the Ligue 1 side. [5]

Later career

On 31 July 2010, he signed a two-year contract with Larissa. After one and half years with the Greek club, Tall left on a free transfer and joined Swiss-side FC Lausanne-Sport in February 2012.[6] Tall made 22 (1 as sub) appearances in season 2012/13 but appears to have been released for 2013/14.

International career

Tall has appeared over twenty times for the Senegal national team. Despite his French birth and upbringing, he qualifies to represent the African state through his parents' Senegalese lineage.[7]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ Tall becomes 9th Hearts signing BBC Sport, 1 September 2005. Retrieved 4 October 2006
  2. ↑ Hearts 2–0 Kilmarnock BBC Sport, 15 April 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2006
  3. ↑ Hearts 1–1 Gretna (4–2 pens) BBC Sport, 13 May 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2006
  4. ↑ McCann and Tall to leave Gorgie BBC Sport', 15 May 2008. Retrieved 20 May 2006
  5. ↑ Tall completes Nantes switch Sky Sports, 10 June 2008. Retrieved 12 June 2008
  6. ↑ Les arrivées de Tall et Chakhsi se précisent Lausanne-Sport, 9 February 2012. Retrieved 19 February 2012
  7. ↑ Euro Crunch just the ticket for Tall Scotsman.com Sport', 4 October 2006. Retrieved 4 October 2006
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