Jemmali gets Tunisia call

David Jemmali wants a chance to taste the big time

French defender David Jemmali has been handed a possible route to the World Cup later this year with Tunisia, the land of his forefathers.

The 27-year-old from Bordeaux, who was born in France and is a regular in the French first division, has agreed to throw in his lot with Tunisia in search of a place at the upcoming World Cup finals.

Jemmali, born in Toulouse, has been included in a 24-man squad named by Tunisian coach Henri Michel on Wednesday for next week's game against Norway.

The squad also includes Adel Sellimi, the 29-year-old German-based striker who looked to have ended his World Cup chances by refusing to play for Michel last December.

Sellimi refused to heed a call-up for a Nations Cup warm-up game against a Spanish regional select XI last December and was left out of their Mali 2002 squad.

Sellimi - back once more

But with Tunisia now having gone five games without a goal, Michel has brought the forward from SC Freiburg back into the squad.

Meanwhile, the Tunisian federation has fired Michel's assistant Albert Rust, saying it would appoint two Tunisian coaches for the World Cup finals.

No reason was given for the dismissal.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Hassen Bejaoui (CA Bizerte), Chokri El Ouaer (Esperance), Ahmed Jaouachi (US Monastir)
Defenders: Anis Ayari (Stade Tunisien), Khaled Badra, Radhi Jaidi (both Esperance), Sabri Jaballah (CS Sfaxien), David Jemmali (Bordeaux, France), Hamdi Marzouki (Club Africain), Mohamed Mkacher, Emir Mkademi (Etoile Sahel), Hatem Trabelsi (Ajax Amsterdam, Netherlands)
Midfielders: Zoubier Baya (Besiktas, Turkey), Slim Benachour (Martigues, France), Anis Ben Choiukha (CS Hammam-Lif), Riadh Bouazizi (Bursaspor, Turkey), Hassen Gabsi (Genoa, Italy), Ahmed Hammi (CS Sfaxien), Lassaad Ouertani (Stade Tunisien), Skander Souayeh (Esperance)
Strikers: Imed Ben Younes (CS Sfaxien), Ziad Jaziri (Etoile Sahel), Riadh Jelassi (Club Africain), Adel Sellimi (SC Freiburg, Germany)