Bamba's international call-up puts his Hibs role at risk

MIXU PAATELAINEN today revealed midfield powerhouse Sol Bamba's chances of playing in Hibs' next match could be wrecked by an international call-up from the Ivory Coast.

Bamba has been carrying a back injury and faces a lengthy journey to Izmir in Turkey for next Wednesday's friendly, a warm-up game for his country's World Cup qualifying matches against Malawi, Burkina Faso and Guinea.

The former Dunfermline star won his first full cap recently in Israel and is desperate to make himself a regular alongside the likes of Didier Drogba, Salomom Kalou, Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue.

But Paatelainen is worried sitting on a plane for hours in each direction could cause Bamba further trouble ahead of Hibs' trip to face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park a week tomorrow.

The Easter Road boss, however, has no option but to allow Bamba to meet up with his international team-mates and allow the Ivory Coast's medical staff to assess his fitness.

He said: "Sol has had a back problem recently and hasn't been training fully. It's not an ideal situation to be sitting on a plane a couple of days before a match.

"However, it's a recognised international week, Sol has been called up by his country and we have to let him go and allow their medical staff to assess things and see what is best."

Hibs badly missed Bamba's physical presence as they drew 1-1 against Motherwell last weekend as the 24-year-old served a one-match suspension.

Paatelainen would dearly love to have both him and Ian Murray, who is battling to recover from a groin problem which has caused him to miss the last three games, as the Easter Road outfit begin a vital run of fixtures against four sides below them in the SPL table – Killie, Inverness Caledonian Thistle, Falkirk and Hamilton, only one of which will be at Easter Road.

While the Finn has his fingers crossed he'll have a full squad available in eight days time, Killie manager Jim Jefferies will have to contend with the loss of two influential players as he seeks to secure a third win of the season against Hibs.

Moroccan midfielder Mehdi Taouil will serve a one-match ban while David Fernandez will begin a two-game suspension.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old Hibs striker Damon Gray has admitted he may need to seek a move to gain regular first-team football.