HEARTS' summer clear-out is gaining momentum with the news that defender Ibrahim Tall has followed Neil McCann out of Tynecastle.
The Senegalese internationalist has been axed by interim head coach Stevie Frail who, despite uncertainty over his ow
n future, is attempting to trim the squad for next season. The 26-year-old arrived in summer 2005 from Sochaux under a cloud having been earmarked by club owner Vladimir Romanov's scouts rather than then manager George Burley.
The centre-half never played during Burley's short tenure and had to wait until April 2006 to make his debut, a month before picking up a Scottish Cup winners' medal. Tall's time in the capital was hampered by injury and he managed to make a total of just 32 league starts. The defender joins Neil McCann on the departure list after the former Scotland internationalist signed for Falkirk earlier this week.
Hearts sporting director Anatoly Korobochka said: "We would like to wish both players the very best of fortune for the future. Neil had a tough time with injuries when he was here, but remained one of the most positive ambassadors for the club on and off field.
"He was a model professional and his work rate was second to none. We appreciate that Neil was a total Hearts man, and the doors of Tynecastle will always be open to him. While we were keen for him to stay in a coaching capacity to share his experience with the young players, we acknowledge that Neil was still keen to focus most of his efforts on his own playing career and we cannot fault him for that.
"Ibrahim also suffered a spell with injury, however he showed his professionalism and remained completely focused on the job at Hearts. He has served the club well in the last three years and will, I am sure, be a valuable asset to another club. As a Scottish Cup winner with Hearts, he is sure to be always regarded fondly by the majority of the supporters and deservedly so."
Goalkeeper Steve Banks insists Hearts will be the last club of his playing career. The 36-year-old, who signed a new two-year contract in January after being linked with a move to Rangers, said: "I'd like to finish my career at Hearts. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Hearts, have made a lot of friends within the club and am quite settled where I'm living."
Meanwhile, Hibs duo Abdessalam Benjelloun and Abdel Zarabi face the prospect of having virtually no summer holiday after earning international call-ups.
Moroccan striker Benjelloun and Algerian defender Zarabi have been included by their respective nations for important World Cup qualifying fixtures, starting at the end of May.
While the news is a boost for the pair, their schedules for both club and country will leave them with little time for relaxation over the summer months. Hibs bring the curtain down on their season at home to Motherwell on Thursday night, with the squad then handed barely four weeks off before the return to training on 23 June ahead of their Intertoto Cup campaign.
The first leg of their second round tie – against HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands or Swedes Elfsborg – is pencilled in for 5 July. But Benjelloun and Zarabi are unlikely to enjoy much of a break at all, given the fact they will join up with their countries soon after the final SPL match for a number of international games.
Benjelloun, who scored an injury-time goal for Morocco on his debut in a 4-1 win over Belgium in March, faces five matches, starting with a friendly against Liberia next Saturday. World Cup qualifiers against Ethiopia (31 May), Mauritania (7 June) and then Rwanda (13 and 21 June) follow.
Zarabi, meanwhile, is preparing for qualifying games against Senegal (31 May), Liberia (6 June) and Gambia (14 and 21 June).
For Benjelloun, who has endured a frustrating injury-hit campaign, scoring just once in 18 appearances, it's a chance to impress Mixu Paatelainen. The Hibs manager has told the duo to enjoy their international recognition rather than fret over fitness.
He said: "We'll deal with it at the time, but the players will still get rest. Their last games are on 21 June and then they can have two weeks' rest. We'll see how things develop. But they should enjoy their chance."
Hibs have announced a pre-season friendly against Middlesbrough at Easter Road on 2 August.
The full article contains 772 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
