El Hadji Diouf - What an insufferable Boer!

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Apologies for the title pun...

 

The 3 course meal was worse!

[ian1964 10,431]

IN some of El Hadji Diouf's darkest hours, Sam Allardyce was the boss who stuck by him.

 

Now the former Blackburn gaffer believes the Senegalese star is the man to light up Rangers' Europa League campaign.

 

Ibrox boss Walter Smith is likely to roll out his tried and tested cagey formation for Thursday's first leg clash with Sporting Lisbon.

 

With Kenny Miller long gone, Smith needs someone prepared to run himself into the ground, hold the ball up and bring others into play.

 

Allardyce believes Diouf would feed on the pressure of leading the line for Gers.

 

He insists there's no chance that facing a Sporting Lisbon side in the midst of a crisis in front of a full house in Govan will faze the 30-year-old Diouf.

 

He said: "There's no doubt El Hadji Diouf will thrive at Rangers.

 

"His ability, when he gets settled, will allow him to play at any level.

 

"Of course he has been playing in the Premier League, albeit in a wide position in a three rather than up front.

 

"Once he comes to terms and gets to know the players he's playing with and their strengths and weaknesses he'll get better and better.

 

"He actually started his career as a lone striker over in France.

 

"It was the position he was used in when he was with Senegal at the World Cup in 2002 when they reached the quarter-finals.

 

"That was the reason Liverpool paid so much for him. His capabilities of playing up there are very good. He obviously likes to drop off in the hole and make the play, keep the flow of attacking moves going.

 

"He's capable of taking the physical contact that comes with playing in that position.

 

"He enjoys the intensity of the larger crowd and Rangers are supported fantastically well. The bigger the atmosphere, then the better he plays. He just loves playing football."

 

Allardyce signed Diouf for both Bolton and Blackburn.

 

He knew how to get the best out of the wayward star and wasn't put off by the gobbing and goading that has dogged his career. Had Allardyce not been sacked by Rovers in December, chances are Diouf might never have signed for Gers.

 

Instead new Ewood Park boss Steve Kean shipped him out and now Allardyce believes he has all the credentials to fill Miller's shoes - even down to the possibility he might struggle to score on the continent.

 

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Miller went over 1,100 minutes without scoring a Champions League goal for Gers before finally hitting the net, ironically against Turkish side Bursaspor who he joined last month. Allardyce believes the only area missing in Diouf's game is his goal return.

 

He said: "The one thing he has probably lacked in the last few years is scoring enough goals.

 

"That's probably been a slight problem. He can make them, he can get in positions to help other people.

 

"He hasn't scored as many as he'd have liked or he should do.

 

"In terms of hold-up play, bringing other players into the game and creating chances he'll be very good. Whether he can do what Kenny Miller did depends on how much service he gets.

 

"He can score goals but he's not a natural finisher.

 

"Iin terms of everything else, he has what it takes to keep Rangers' attacking moves going.

 

"He will bring other people into the game and he will get chances himself if the right service is given to him."

 

Allardyce wasn't shocked in the slightest when news broke of Diouf's deadline day switch to Glasgow.

 

He's yet to speak to his former player but watched on TV as Diouf kept his cool in the 2-2 Old Firm Scottish Cup clash.

 

Diouf didn't react to the taunts from Celtic skipper Scott Brown that day - and Allardyce insists whatever abuse the ex-Liverpool man gets, it will be NOTHING compared to what's been thrown his way in England.

 

Allardyce said: "So far I've only watched the Rangers-Celtic Cup game. That's the only time I've seen him.

 

"I didn't see Saturday's game with Motherwell but I saw the Old Firm game live on the television.

 

"He's had more taunts down here than he'll ever get up there.

 

"He got booed every game away from home here each time he touched the ball so I'm sure he'll learn to live with that one!

 

"I wasn't really surprised when he went to Scotland.

 

"The size of that club and the history of that club makes Rangers so attractive.

 

"I've not spoken to him since he joined Rangers but at some stage before the end of the season I'll probably pop up and watch him live when I get the chance."

 

As Smith becomes the latest boss to try to get the best out of Diouf, Allardyce revealed the secrets to how he handled him.

 

He added: "I would talk to him about how he should play and promote his game, how he should go about applying himself to always make sure he has the capabilities to prove to people the outstanding ability he's got.

 

"Whatever happens on the fringes of football, he should ignore it.

 

"I wanted him to always focus on himself and the team he's playing for.

 

"Irrespective of what anyone else does or says outside of that, I wanted him to always focus and not get distracted from it. It seemed to work."

 

Smith will hope it does too.

 

Read more: http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/sport/spl/3411462/Heaven-and-El.html#ixzz1E1JvY9op

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