John Hughes urges off-form Sol Bamba to forget World Cup and aim for Europe

JOHN HUGHES today urged Easter Road star Sol Bamba to forget World Cup glory and concentrate on helping drive Hibs into Europe next season.

Hughes has seen the big defender's form slide since returning from the African Cup of Nations where the Ivory Coast, the pre-competition favourites, suffered a shock quarter-final exit at the hands of Algeria.

The defeat was the first suffered during the two-year reign of coach Vahid Halihodzic, but it cost him his job.

That was a further blow to Bamba as the former Yugoslavian striker had not only given him his chance at international level but had been his boss when he was a youngster at French club Paris St Germain.

Now, as the Ivory Coast seek a new manager ahead of the World Cup finals which get underway in less than 100 days in South Africa, Hughes believes the disappointment in Angola coupled with the uncertainty of what the future may hold could be preying on the 25-year-old's mind.

Hughes gave an indication everything was not well when he replaced Graeme Smith in goal following the 5-1 defeat by St Johnstone at McDiarmid Park. Although he admitted his January signing hadn't done much wrong, Hughes revealed he felt that Bamba had a rapport with Graham Stack which would benefit not only his game but the team as a whole.

He said at the time: "I just think big Sol needs a hand at this moment in time.

"When I say he needs a hand, I just feel since he has come back from the African Nations he has just not been the Sol Bamba we know.

"I've noticed about Sol's character that he likes a relationship with someone – to keeping him going, gee him along, help him.

"Stacky certainly does that, so I've put him in there, just to help Sol.

"Graeme Smith will be saying: 'Drop Sol, why me?' But trust me, I need Sol's physical presence in the team.

"We need that for now until the end of the season. As a manager, you need to find that balance."

Although he now has 11 full caps, Bamba, who has also played in the Olympics and the Under-20 World Cup for his country, is one of the less-experienced members of a squad which contains the likes of Chelsea hitman Didier Drogba, the Toure brothers Kolo and Yaya, Didier Zokora of Seville and Arsenal's Emmanuel Eboue.

While world-renowned coach Guus Hiddink has emerged as favourite to take charge in South Africa – the Dutchman is available between stints with the Russian and Turkish national sides – Hughes believes whoever becomes boss of the Ivory Coast is unlikely to tinker with the squad he inherits.

The Hibs manager said: "If I was asked to be their manager it would be business as usual and Sol would be in the squad along with the rest of them.

"He's desperate to go to the World Cup but I'm sure that he'll go and have a wonderful tournament.

"Sol is a different case to everyone else at the club because he is the only one who will be going to the World Cup but he shouldn't be looking at what might happen down the line, he needs to take care of business at Hibs.

"He's got himself into that international team, he's very proud to play for his country and he loves playing on that stage.

"There was a real disappointment when the Ivory Coast were knocked out of the African Cup.

"What Sol does have is a manager who totally understands the situation, things like worrying what if I pick up a bad injury, all the bits and pieces. But I also have to ask 'where to Hibs come in to all this?'

"Sol is best when he has a clear mind, the bit between his teeth ready to prove people wrong. He needs to put everything to one side and really go for it with Hibs, to be 100 per cent committed to the cause. I've been speaking to him, telling him to be the man to take us to where we want to go, to put everything into it, flying into tackles, putting his head in, to be the man of the match in our next six matches.

"When he is doing that he is a massive asset for us. I feel for him but my job is to get the best out of him for Hibs."

To that end, Hughes believes there are signs former Dunfermline star Bamba, who played as the Ivory Coast went down 2-0 to South Korea at Queens Park Rangers' Loftus Road in midweek, is returning to the form which catapulted him onto the international stage in the first place.

He said: "I thought he was outstanding against St Johnstone last week for the first 80 minutes, the last ten were a bit ropey but he was probably our best performer, he is a big player for us."