McLeish could be back
for Booth
Hibs boss considers another move for
FC Twente striker - STUART
CROWTHER
ALEX
MCLEISH IS CONSIDERING A MOVE for Scotland striker Scott Booth, after
it became clear the former Aberdeen star will be released by Dutch side FC
Twente after a major fall-out with manager John Van't Schip.
The
Hibs boss was interested in Booth last season, but after making an initial
approach was scared off by the asking price for a player who was then very
much in Twente's plans. So impressive were the performances from the
29-year-old that McLeish was instrumental in tipping off Scotland coach
Craig Brown, who recalled Booth to the international squad. "We
did have a look at Scott last year,"
Alex McLeish admitted, adding: "But
we didn't follow it up because the price they were asking wasn't right,
and we wanted to see him again. In the end, we were put off by the
asking price but it's something we could look at again. I certainly
wouldn't rule it out but, at this stage, I have not actually taken it any
further than that."
Booth slots home a penalty for Scotland against Poland (sns)
Hibs
renewed interest in Booth comes when it was revealed earlier this week
that the player had been dropped for a game against Ajax, former
Dunfermline striker Jack De Gier taking his place. That prompted a
furious outburst from Booth, who told a Dutch newspaper: "I
have not enjoyed the confidence of the coach since the beginning of the
season, and the feeling is mutual now."
With just one goal in 13 appearances this season, Twente are now ready to
off-load the player they signed two years ago from Vitesse Arnhem - the
problem for Hibs however could well be the asking price, with Booth
remaining under contract to the Dutch side until the summer of 2003.
While a loan deal for the player may not be out of the question, Booth is
bound to attract the attention of other clubs in the UK and if that is the
case the it would seem unlikely that McLeish could gather the financial
muscle required to do a deal.
Ayr's Eddie Annand is delighted to be facing Hibs in the CIS Semi (sns)
Meanwhile
McLeish will be delighted to have avoided the Old Firm in the CIS
Insurance Cup Semi-Final draw yesterday. Rangers were drawn against
the winners of the remaining Quarter Final tie between Livingston and
Celtic, while Hibs were drawn against the sole SFL survivors, Ayr
United. The Hibs boss will not however be taking anything for
granted, in particular as United have former Hibees John Hughes, Paul
Lovering and Pat McGinlay in their ranks, all of whom would love nothing
better than to put one over on their old boss. "We
are happy to avoid the Old Firm but Ayr are a team who have lifted a few
big scalps over the years,"
McLeish commented, adding: "They
have also got a few ex-Hibs players and they will be trying tenfold
against their old club."
The venue for the tie is yet to be decided, however a precedent has been
set in previous years that all ties at this stage are played in the
national stadium, indicating that the game will go ahead on 5th or 6th
February in Glasgow.
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