Guinea Coach Robert Nouzaret named Celtic defender Dianbobo Balde among his 23 man national squad for this months African Cup of Nations

Guinea meet hosts Ghana in the tournament's opening match in Accra on January 20th. Their other first round opponents are Morocco and Namibia.

Can't yee just envisage the unwashed rubbing their hands with glee in the hope that the big man won't be available for the rescheduled derby game

Born in Marseille, Balde was called up by Guinea for the 2002 African Cup of Nations. He was part of their 2004 African Nations Cup team, who finished second in their group in the first round of competition, before losing in the quarter finals to Mali, and was a regular in 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying. With Balde on board, Guinea also made it to the last eight in the 2004 and 2006 African Cup of Nations.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Kemoko Camara (unattached), Naby Diarso (Satellite FC), Naby Yattara (RACS Couillet, Belgium); Defenders: Dianbobo Balde (Celtic), Habib Jean Balde (Reims), Alseny Camara (Rodez), Ibrahima Camara (Le Mans), Kevin Constant (Toulouse), Mohamed Alimou Diallo (Sivasspor), Daouda Jabi (Trabzonspor), Oumar Kalabane (Manisaspor), Kamil Zayatte (Young Boys Berne); Midfielders: Mohamed Cisse (Bursaspor), Pascal Feindouno (St Etienne), Samuel Johnson (Ismaili), Mohamed Sacko (Etoile Sahel), Naby Soumah (CS Sfaxien), Kanfory Sylla (Sivasspor); Strikers: Ismael Bangoura (Dynamo Kiev), Karamoko Cisse (Verona), Victor Correa (Cherbourg), Fode Mansare (Toulouse), Souleymane Youla (Lille).