Hibees finally get
their Euro bid off the ground!
Flight XLA0132 carries Easter
Road hopes to Athens - STUART CROWTHERA
WEEK LATE BUT READY FOR ALL THAT, Hibernian will board flight XLA0132
from Edinburgh Airport with every expectation that this time they will
leave the tarmac at around 9am and head for Athens and an appointment with
European football.
Less than 500 fans will
be in Athens this time around, as the bulk of the 1400 who travelled a
week ago have now had to return home to work and families. That will
not however halt the small band of Hibs fans from making their presence
felt, although they will be hard pushed to make an impact in the face of a
partisan home support well used to the atmosphere, AEK having been regular
attenders in Europe over the last ten years. But when you have
played before 140,000 in Mexico City, it takes a lot to put you off your
game - and that is the type of experience Hibs have in the form of
Canadian international Paul Fenwick.
"Playing in places like Athens is
always going to be intimidating - you just cannot let it affect you.
You have to try and turn it around and use it to strengthen the way you
play, if you do let it get to you then you are in trouble,"
Fenwick said before departing for Greece. "The
craziest atmosphere I've ever played in has to be the Aztec Stadium where
you get 140,000 into the ground, all of them looking for you to
lose!" Fenwick will be
hoping that Hibs fair better than he did on that visit to the Aztec, when
Canada went down 2-0 - with one of their goals coming from the boot of the
Hibs central defender!
Paul Fenwick - 140,000 in the Aztec! (sns)
AEK will be difficult
opposition for Hibs but as was demonstrated by Celtic last night, going
down narrowly and controversially against £1billion worth of talent at
Juventus, Scottish football is perhaps in a better condition than some
would have us believe and if the Greeks don't pay due attention to that
fact they may have more than a few problems on their hands. "The
are a good team but they are beatable. If we play as well as we can,
then we are confident we can go out and get a fairly good result to take
back to Easter Road," -
sentiments spoken by Fenwick but shared by everyone at Easter Road.
Hibs still have a worry
over the fitness of German midfielder Mathias Jack, with Alex McLeish
still holding out some hope that he will be ready to face AEK.
McLeish said: "He is very tender and we won't
take any risks but he is in great form and we would love him to
play." Hibs.net's
John Campbell will be in Athens with the Hibs squad and sending back
regular reports from the Greek capital.
Meanwhile in the
traditions of Scottish tabloids ahead of a big game for Hibernian, one
newspaper is reporting this morning that English Premiership side
Southampton are showing an interest in Hibs striker Tom McManus. The
basis for the story appears to be that the Saints had a spy at Easter Road
on Saturday to look over Dunfermline target Youssef Rossi, but left having
been impressed by the young Hibee Under-21 international. Charlton
are also said to be interested in the player who has already made it clear
just a few weeks ago that he would prefer to remain at Easter Road for a
couple of years yet.
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