Pierre Shoots Through!
(Stuart Crowther)

THEY SAY HE is the new Dwight Yorke, but then they would!  He was reported to be looking to join West Ham in the English Premiership for a fee of £1m, and Bristol Rovers were very upset at not keeping him after impressing in a trial with their club last season - and Rovers are still reported to hold his registration!

It is with this background that Nigel Pierre flies into Edinburgh for a trial with Hibernian, having only failed to remain at Bristol Rovers because an application for a work permit was refused, Pierre not having, at that point at least, taken part in the required number of international appearances.  It is unclear just how many hoops Alex McLeish will need to jump through if he decides that Pierre is the man for him, but when it comes to talking up their players there are none better than those connected with Trinidad and Tobago football!

Of course Alex McLeish has a good relationship with T&T boss Ian Porterfield, the Aberdeen 'old-boys' network coming into play once again for the Hibs chief, and having first seen Pierre in action last month when Porterfield had his T&T side on a mini-tour of England, McLeish has been convinced enough by the advice of Porterfield to take a longer look at the 21-year-old sensation.  "Someone has to take a chance on Nigel, and I've told Alex McLeish as much," Porterfield said last night of the advice he has already given the Hibs boss, adding: "With good coaching and application by the player himself, he could be a tremendous talent.

Nigel Pierre - £1m rated striker

"He is a player with great potential and I think he is ready to make the move from his homeland now.  Nigel is a target man who leads the line and links play - he has pace and an eye for goal with good feet."  The usual questions will be asked of Pierre, could he handle the Scottish climate, let alone the Scottish Premier League?  Porterfield thinks so, pointing out that he played Pierre up front against Mexico and he was not phased by that, and the fact that Pierre also scored for the national side against Panama suggests that perhaps he is indeed ready to take the step up.

Porterfield believes Hibs could be just that step, saying: "If he went to a family club such as Hibs and was coached, he could turn out to be a great player.  One of my players, Lyndon Andrews,  has improved greatly by playing alongside better players at Easter Road, everyone in his home country can see that.  While West Ham were keen on Nigel, I would like to seem him at a club where he would have a better chance - I think he knew that he would only be a squad player in London.  Nigel would suit the Scottish game fine, he is a big lad with pace and good in the air."  Alex McLeish now has three irons in that particular fire, with on-loan Marc Libbra finding his hopes of joining the club challenged not only by Pierre but Abdeljilil Hadda, who will also play in a closed-door game against Dundee United at Easter Road this afternoon.

Hibs meanwhile now know their Scottish Cup fate for Saturday is a fourth trip to Rugby Park to face Kilmarnock.  Hibs fans will at least this time be able to travel in daylight, each of the previous visits having been in midweek, and certainly know their opponents better than they would have done had Inverness Caledonian Thistle prevailed.  Alex McLeish expects to have everyone fit for the tie, which will see Franck Sauzee return.