BBC Sport's Durosimi Thomas finds Tunisia's French coach in a good mood

Lemerre has a good relationship with the media

A Roger Lemerre press conference should be included in a tourist brochure as one of Tunisia's main attractions.

His interaction with journalists before last week's friendly against Guinea was peppered with such witty banter that I wondered if he has a secret career as a comedian.

A journalist from an Arab language paper asked Lemerre: "What about the Zouabi affair?"

It wasn't a particularly important question but it was Lemerre's rather convoluted answer that caught my ear.

"What type of affair is this, have I been accused of committing murder?"

That strange answer and his unusual response to other questions sent the reporters into fits of laughter.

Mixed experience

Getting to the press conference was a 15-minute taxi ride from my home.

Taoufik, the driver, complained to me about the inability of his 14-year-old son to get a place in Esperance's junior team.

"He will go to France anyway and join my brother who runs a football school there," he said.

Watching the Tunisia versus Guinea tie - my first game at the Rades stadium, where the opening and final games of next year's Nations Cup will be played, was a mixed experience.

Comparing the arena to the stadia I saw during the World Cup finals in Japan, I was not overawed. But it is an impressive structure nonetheless.

From a distance, the dome-shaped Rades looks like a spaceship that landed in the outskirts of Tunis!

Criticism

The 0-0 draw against the Guineans has been the main focus of discussion over the last week.

The sporting media have been critical of the team's performance, despite the absence of some key Esperance players.

Some are even calling for the Nations Cup team to be released immediately.

But I am certain that with his disarming friendliness, Lemerre would find a way to charm the critical media and get them on his side.