By James Copnall BBC Sport Online

El Hadji Diouf has launched a heartfelt plea to keep Bruno Metsu as head coach of the Lions.

Metsu is reported to be in an advanced stage of talks with a United Arab Emirates club side, and Diouf believes that if Metsu leaves the Lions could disintegrate.

"Metsu is the coach that we need and we all have lots of respect for him," Diouf said.

"The best thing to do is to work to keep him in his current post because his departure runs the risk of blowing the group apart."

Metsu has been linked with a number of clubs and national teams following his exploits with the Lions.

And according to an Al Ain official, Metsu's next destination could be the UAE club.

The general secretary, Sulaim Suroor al-Shamsi, told Gulf News that Metsu had been in talks with the club in Paris, and was due in the UAE on Wednesday to give a press conference.

Nevertheless, Metsu has recently spoken of his "desire" to complete his contract with Senegal, which runs until November 2003, and even of continuing on past that date.

It would take a substantial offer to tempt him away from a group of players he has struck up a real rapport with - but that may be exactly what Al Ain are proposing.