EL HADJI DIOUF was always quite happy to be the centre of attention during his brief stint with Rangers.
Now, that’s actually part of his current role!
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Diouf became a cult hero at Rangers during his short loan stint at Ibrox back in 2011.
A deadline day January loan signing from Blackburn, he went on to help the Gers win a third consecutive league title under Walter Smith.
Prior to joining the Light Blues, Diouf had enjoyed a successful career at the top level in England with Liverpool, Bolton and Sunderland.
He’d burst onto the scene with Senegal at the 2002 World Cup, earning his move to Anfield.
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Throughout his playing career, Diouf was regularly at the centre of plenty of drama.
That was the case at Rangers, too.
There was the arms outstretched celebration that Scott Brown did towards him after scoring for Celtic at Ibrox nicknamed the ‘Broony.’
Among Gers fans, it subsequently became known as the ‘Dioufy’ with the striker borrowing the celebration as he held both the league trophy and League Cup aloft.
Diouf was also sent-off after the final whistle of a heated Old Firm Scottish Cup clash at Celtic Park in March 2011, the THIRD Gers star to see red that day.
Earlier in the game, he’d been involved in a touchline bust-up involving Hoops manager Neil Lennon.
14 years on from his spell at Rangers, it looks like Diouf’s national team are using both his fame and his fondness of a wind-up to their advantage!
These days, Diouf holds a role within the Senegal national team’s setup.
However, he does NOT hold an official title.
And it appears like one of his roles is to simply take the heat off of the players on the pitch!
Senegal travelled to Kinshasa to take on DR Congo in a massive World Cup qualifier last night.
It was a massive game with Senegal heading into it trailing their opponents by a single point in Group B.
Kinshasa’s Stade de Martyrs is an intimidating arena, holding 80,000 fans.
And a video has emerged online showing how Senegal utilised Diouf to interact with the crowd.
Posted by African sports journalist Gary Al-Smith, the video shows Diouf emerging from the tunnel.
He can be seen waving to the home supporters and pointing to the Senegal badge on his shirt.
The journalist explained: “El Hadji Diouf plays a very unique role in Senegal’s national team setup: with no official title, one of the things he does so well is to absorb pressure so the players can focus.
“Here he is ‘engaging’ hostile DR Congo fans in Kinshasa.”
The fans can certainly be heard responding to Diouf but it certainly isn’t all negative!
Amid plenty of boos, there’s also clear applause and many fans can be seen getting off of their seats for a glimpse of Diouf.
Whatever his role may or may not entail, it might have worked some wonders.
Senegal were starting a potentially devastating defeat in the face, trailing 2-0 after 33 minutes.
But they produced a dramatic fightback, with Tottenham star Pape Matar Sarr striking late to secure a remarkable 3-2 win.
The victory saw Senegal leapfrog DR Congo into top spot in the group with a lead of two points.
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There are just two games left in the qualifying process and only the group winners will secure guaranteed qualification for the World Cup.
Years after his spell at Rangers, Diouf was videoed with a fan belting out “we are the f****** people.”
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