Is El-Hadji Diouf the most hated man in football? Ex-Sunderland team-mate Phil Bardsley tells all...

08 February 2011 11:45
Phil Bardsley has been caught up in the eye of the storm that El-Hadji Diouf invariablycreates wherever he lands. [LNB]Even now, the Scotland defender smiles with a mixture of amusement and bemusement when he recalls the turbulent six months in which they shared a dressing room. [LNB]The controversial Rangers new boy was on his best behaviour when he refused to rise to the bait offered by Celtic skipper Scott Brown during Sunday's enthralling derby draw at Ibrox.[LNB]Diouf instead waited until afterwards before insisting he was 'too big' to respond to taunts from a player whom 'no one knows'. [LNB] The centre of attention: Scott Brown (right) goads El-Hadji Diouf after putting Celtic level at two apiece[LNB]In doing so, he ensured an additional spicy heat will run through the four derby meetings still to come this season. [LNB]The fact the 30-year-old has attracted so much attention since moving on loan from Blackburn does not surprise Sunderland full-back Bardsley. [LNB]Diouf's time as a colleague on Wearside may have been brief, but it was not exactly without incident.[LNB]Signed by Roy Keane from Bolton in the summer of 2008, Diouf made it only halfway through the season before he was on his way out to Blackburn. In between, there were bust-ups with team-mates but no goals to help Sunderland's battle against the drop.[LNB] Short stint: Diouf did not last long on Wearside[LNB]Bardsley does not harbour any ill-will against the former Senegal international and believes he has the talent to make a positive impact at Ibrox. [LNB]'He had rows with a couple of lads at Sunderland,' said Bardsley, who had a loan spell of his own at Rangers under Paul le Guen. [LNB]'At the time, Sunderland were going through a sticky patch, as well. We were fighting relegation and nothing was going right. [LNB]'Tensions were running high and one thing led to another. But that is all in the past now and everybody has moved on. It's nice to see him come up here and doing well for himself.[LNB]'Is he a popular guy in the dressing room? It depends on who you ask! Seriously, though, he is. [LNB]'He is lively and had his moments with a few of our lads. But that is just football and that's what happens. It's nice to see him playing for Rangers.' [LNB]Finding the right words to sum up what makes Diouf tick is a tricky proposition for Bardsley.[LNB]'El-Hadji's a bit of a character, a bit of a live-wire. I don't really know what to say about him. He is a pretty colourful character,' added the 25-year-old, who is hoping to win a third Scotland cap against Northern Ireland in the Carling Nations Cup tomorrow night.[LNB]'But if you didn't have those characters about, then punters wouldn't have much to talk about. [LNB]'Off the pitch, he is actually a decent lad. It's just on it that you want to give him a clip round the ear now and again. [LNB]'I can understand why punters give him grief and opposing teams want to kick him. But if you forget all that, then he's a decent player, as well. [LNB]'That is why he has been playing in the Premier League and why he is at Rangers now. It's his ability.' [LNB] Tough tackling: Phil Bardsley goes in hard on Chelsea's Nicolas Anelka[LNB]That ability was exhibited on Sunday as Diouf's instant control enabled him to glide past Celtic opponents. He was perhaps the best player in a Rangers side which struggled to capitalise on being a man up for 38 minutes.[LNB]Yet Diouf's talent was not enough to make him part of Blackburn's plans under Steve Kean, with the Scottish boss shipping him out not long after taking charge. [LNB]'I'm not so sure what went on with him,' added Bardsley. 'Clearly, the manager at Blackburn didn't see him in his plans and he wanted to go and play some football.[LNB]'He's come up here and played in a fabulous game yesterday, which I'm sure he'll always remember, as he caused a bit of controversy. That is what he's all about.'[LNB]Salford-born Bardsley is clearly relishing his involvement with Scotland, which has already seen him experience both ends of the quality spectrum, having followed a debut against world champions Spain with a second cap against the international minnows that are the Faroe Islands. [LNB]'Playing for Scotland is something I'm very grateful for,' admitted Bardsley, who qualifies through his Glaswegian father. 'If I keep enjoying my football, I'm sure there will be more caps to come. [LNB]'At Sunderland, the only other Scot is Craig Gordon. The others give me a bit of grief about having haggis on Burns Night and stuff like that, but it's all good banter.' [LNB]Gordon is in competition with Allan McGregor to be Scotland's No 1 ahead of tomorrow's match in the Aviva Stadium and it is a battle Bardsley feels can onlybenefit the nation.[LNB]'It's phenomenal, they are two top goalkeepers,' said Bardsley. 'In the last few months, Craig has shown that he is back to his best. [LNB]'It's not every country that has two goalkeepers of that calibre. The manager has a decision to make, but I'm sure whichever one he puts in goal will do a job for the team.'[LNB] Brown's blast: Celtic 'nobody' fires back at Rangers' bad boy DioufEl-Hadji Diouf warns Celtic skipper Brown: I'm just too big and strong for youEXCLUSIVE: Celtic legend Collins is spying on Rangers for Sporting Lisbon [LNB]  Explore more:People: Roy Keane, Craig Gordon Places: Spain, Scotland, Northern Ireland

Source: Daily_Mail