THE imposing figure of Abrahim Tounkara could be given a chance to impress in a Hartlepool United shirt tonight.

Pool play their second and final game of their trip to Holland and the French triallist is in line for a run-out.

The defender flew into Holland on Tuesday from his Paris home and looked on from the sidelines as Neale Cooper's side played out a 2-2 draw with Top Oss on Monday.

Yesterday he joined Pool in training at the Dutch FA headquarters in Zeist, where Pool are based this week.

FC Eindhoven are the opposition tonight and Cooper said of the 20-year-old defender, who plays for Red Star 93: "I got a shout about him, so he has come over with us for a few days.

"The only problem is the language, because he doesn't speak English - and none of our boys speak French!

"We've got a good squad over here, but we might give him a run out on Friday.''

Paris-based Red Star 93 play in the French amateur divisions and Tounkara joined the club from Montmatre.

Pool will hope tonight's game lasts 90 minutes, after Tuesday's 2-2 draw with Top Oss was cut short with seven minutes to go by the official, who stormed off the pitch after an indifferent refereeing display.

"It was a good, hard work-out on Tuesday,'' said Cooper. "For a first game it was a tough one, the opposition were far stronger than last year.

"The conditions were different too, but we still created chances and worked hard. I wanted to give a lot of the lads a run out and some of the substitutes did really well.

"Steven Istead and Matty Robson changed the game for us. They were quick, direct and in the opposition's face - the opportunities will come along for these young boys.''

* Former England striker Andy Cole could be on his way out of Blackburn by the weekend.

Cole was named in the club's squad for a pre-season training camp in Germany. But instead he looks bound for Blackburn's Barclays Premiership rivals Fulham.

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