7th June 2001
Silly summer places McManus with Hearts 
Rumours that just won't go away
(Stuart Crowther)

AS THE SUMMER MONTHS of no football take a grip, the rumour mills continue to churn out transfer talk that at times descend towards farce, and none more so than the current talk of Tom McManus switching from one end of Edinburgh to the other.

Fed from a throwaway posting to a Rivals.net message board, picked up by the 'Teamtalk' network famous for getting most things wrong, and now finding it's way onto the pages of the Scottish Daily Mail who, you would think, really should know better, the story goes that Tom McManus is set for a move to Tynecastle, with perhaps Gary McSwegan coming in the opposite direction.  However the fact that McManus, who last season was capped at Under-21 level for the first time and became an important part of Alex McLeish's first team squad, is under contract to Hibs for another 3 years does seem to have been lost in all this talk, making it unlikely that Hearts could afford the player even if Alex McLeish was minded to sell him - which, Hibs.net understands, he is not.

McManus's agent, Andy Nicholson, even went as far as to post to the Hibs.net message board in the last week, in an attempt to halt any further spread of this particular rumour.  Nicholson told Hibs fans on the forum: "As Tam's agent can I reiterate that this story is nothing more than a rumour which probably started on one of these boards!  Tam is highly rated at Hibs and has been told as recently as last week that he is an important player for them.  Alex McLeish has high hopes for Tam although it is true that we have seen nowhere near his best yet."

McManus for Hearts?  Don't be daft (sns)

In this particular rumour, the story has also been told that McManus, who was the 'odd man out' from the Hibs squad at Hampden for the Scottish Cup Final, was upset at being dropped by McLeish, and after a fall-out was told that if he could find a club he was free to go.  Quite why Hibernian would release a player in such a manner who was clearly of considerable promise and value to the club is beyond comprehension, but on the subject of his client being left out of the Hibs squad, Nicholson told Hibs.net: "Due to the injury to Sauzee Alex (McLeish) felt that he needed cover in that area.  There was also a doubt over Fenwick.  Murray and Jack were being issued with specific roles and could not be moved for cover in case of injury.

"As it was Tam was the one who had to drop out.  Zitelli is obviously a more complete player to have on the bench for that position at this stage.  Alex was actually gutted that he needed to do this, especially given that Tam had been in every squad up until then with the exception of his loan period and had also scored two of the goals that got Hibs to the final.  Tough decision but although Tam is disappointed he knows he just has to work hard, get consistent and in the team."

One of Russell Latapy's closest friends at Easter Road meanwhile, John O'Neil, is predicting big things for the Trinidad and Tobago star regardless if he ends up at Bradford or Celtic.  O'Neil said today: "Russell was a very popular player at Easter Road, he is confident and never had a bad word to say about anyone.  The Hibs dressing room was a happy place and the Celtic one seems to be pulling together in the right direction, so he would fit in well there.  I have no doubt he will make an impact, he has a great deal of experience and no one at Hibs doubted for a minute he would find a big club when he left."

Hibs managing director Rod Petrie is expected to fly out to Toulouse for talks today about the future of Marc Libbra, with Hibs once again favourites for the signature of the striker provided the asking price is not over the top.