Hibees must wait
as the lights go out on Livi
Power plug pulled on CIS Draw - STUART
CROWTHER
HIBS
WILL HAVE TO WAIT to learn who they will face in the Semi Final of the
CIS Insurance Cup, as the lights went out over West Lothian last night and
wiped out the Quarter Final tie between Livingston and Celtic.
The
power failure threw Scottish Television's carefully laid plans into
turmoil, and while there was no obvious reason not to go ahead with the
Semi Final draw and allow the other clubs involved to make plans for
5th/6th February next year, the television company and CIS decided to hold
over the draw until later in the week. Livingston and Celtic
meanwhile look likely to play the tie early next month.
Hibs
managing director Rod Petrie meanwhile was furious that once again press
speculation is linking players to a move from Easter Road, with continuing
speculation over the Hibs future of Ulrik Laursen. While Petrie can
do nothing about such speculation, he is angered by suggestions that Hibs
need to sell the player to keep a smile on the face of the clubs
bankers. "It's a load
of rubbish to say that we are simply waiting on bids for players to please
the bank manager," Petrie said,
adding: "We said at the time we
revealed our accounts we were under no pressure to sell any player.
It is not something that has been discussed with the manager or in the
boardroom. We are concentrating on the season in front of us and are
pleased to we through to the semi-finals of the CIS Cup."
While it is true that Hibs are in a reasonable financial footing, in spite
of reporting losses of £1.6m for the last year, Hibs would be hard pushed
to turn away any decent offer for players at the club.
Ulrik Laursen - speculation unlikely to stop (sns)
The
figures being banded about in respect of Laursen however are unlikely to
tempt the Easter Road board into incurring the wrath of Hibs fans by
selling off one of the prize assets at the club. Petrie and Hibs
manager Alex McLeish are well aware of course that Laursen is attracting
attention, not surprising given the number of scouts who attend every Hibs
game, a point noted by Petrie when he said: "Over
the years we have got used to the fact that good people, managers and
players, attract attention, it is part and parcel of football.
Tuesday's match was the only major game in Scotland and there were lots of
scouts at it. But these people go to games on a regular basis, there
were 22 players on show, and by coming they are only doing their
job." Around a dozen
scouts looked on as Hibs returned to winning ways on Tuesday, and while
one or two may have indicated privately that they were looking at a
particular player, it would not be in their interests to say who that
player was - leaving some to speculate, but with little substance.
Alex
McLeish will cast aside all such speculation however and concentrate Hibs
efforts on yet another assault on Glasgow, as his side face are next up to
face the 'mission impossible' task of taking something from a game at
Parkhead. The champions have the bonus of a surprise night off last
night, and will be facing Hibs on the back of another triumph over Rangers
and a ten-point gap at the top of the SPL. McLeish should have Paul
Fenwick fit again, although it remains to be seen if a place will be found
for the Canadian, while Franck Sauzee remains out of action.
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