 Balde is a hero back in Guinea |
Guinea may be without Bobo Balde at next year's Nations Cup finals after the defender's decision to put club before country this season. The news is sure to be greeted warmly by his Scottish Premier League club Celtic but fans in the West African country will be alarmed.
The giant centre-half is a superstar back home but insists he regarded club duties, which he hopes will include post-Christmas European action for the second successive season, as his top priority.
He said: "We'll have to see when the games start. I would stay if Celtic wanted me to.
"If a game there (in Tunisia) clashed with a game in the Champions League, I wouldn't go. The Guinea coach knows this so it won't be a problem. He understands."
 |  I would stay if Celtic wanted me to |
But Balde admitted the lure of the Nations Cup finals, to be held between 24 January and 14 February, was nevertheless a strong one. Guinea were runners-up at the 1976 finals in Ethiopia but since then have hardly made an impression.
"For a long time we haven't played in the finals. It's great to get there. Two years ago we were disqualified by Fifa and before that we didn't play very well," said Balde.
MMIX
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