TEN YEARS TO GET TO SCOTLAND
HAMILTON new boy Xavier Tomas finally made it Scotland – almost a decade after Madjid Bougherra urged him to complete the move.
The French stopper revealed his friend and former team-mate Bougherra told him he would be a perfect fit for the Scottish game.
Bougherra was at Rangers at the time and knew Tomas after they both started their careers at French side Gueugnon.
Tomas admitted he was keen on the switch but it has taken until now for his agent to fix up the move.
Martin Canning signed the no-nonsense defender on a one-year deal to end a miserable spell at Swiss side Lausanne-Sport.
Tomas, joined by former Liverpool keeper Ryan Fulton and paraded alongside Giannis Skondras who has signed on for another year, said: “I started my career at Gueugnon where Madjid was one of my team-mates.
“It’s funny but he said to me lots of times to move to Scotland but I was always under contract at another club.
“Madjid told me I had the attributes to play in Scotland and now I am finally here. Football is funny like that.
“It’s one thing for him to say I would be suited to Scotland but you need an offer from a club.
“My agent tried to get me the best offer and sometimes it’s not easy to go to a specific country, however, I’m delighted to be at Hamilton after all these years.
“Madjid was a big player so it’s not fair to compare. I was only a teenager at the time we played together and he was more experienced.
“He was like a father figure to me and I tried to follow him. He helped me a lot because I was a younger player coming through.
“Madjid was a strong character and knew what he wanted. When you are young then you look up to players like that.
“I would love to be a successful as him in Scotland but I need to prepare myself to be ready for the start of the league campaign against Aberdeen.”
Tomas hopes Georgios Sarris can help him settle into his new life in Lanarkshire as he looks to put a tough spell in Switzerland behind him.
He said: “I had a difficult six months in Lausanne. The team went on a 13-game winless run and the president wanted me to play but the coach didn’t.
“The relationship wasn’t good between the two of them.
“I ended up cancelling my contract in Switzerland and signed here for one year.
“My agent also represents Georgios so there is a connection.
“I also played in Greece but only against Georgios and not with him but it’s good to have someone like him who I know and he can help me settle in Scotland.”