Booth
needs a Hibee rescue
But the price might still be too
rich for Hibs - STUART CROWTHER
SCOTT
BOOTH WAS JEERED by his own fans this week when coming on as a
substituted in Twente Enschede's 1-1 draw against Fortuna Sittard, a
reflection of how far the former Aberdeen striker has fallen in grace at
the Dutch club.
The Scottish
international striker is desperate to escape his own personal hell
following a major bust-up with coach John van't Schip, and with Dundee
United now being accorded with an interest in the player as well as
Hibernian, a return home might be the best option available for
Booth. Hibs enquired about the striker last season, with Alex
McLeish passing on a glowing report on Booth's form which led to his
recall to Craig Brown's Scotland squad. The asking price scared Hibs
off, and this time around things might not be much different with an estimated
£300,000 expected by Twente to part with a player they have under
contract for another two years.
"Scott
has made it clear he is not happy at this club," Schip said
last night, confirming that he would be happy to sell the player by
saying: "There is no reason for me to have an
unsettled player in my team, therefore he can leave. He will not
however be going for anything other than a price that reflects his true
value." Alex McLeish would dearly love to bring
Booth to Easter Road, and the Hibs boss has been scouring Europe for a
striker since the Allan Smart's loan deal ended last month without the
club feeling they could make that move permanent. The Hibs boss has
other targets in mind, with company perhaps for Ecuador international
Ulises de la Cruz possible according to reports in some South American
newspapers.
Paul Fenwick - back in training (sns)
Hibernian are being
linked with striker Eduardo Hurtado of Argentinos Juniors, a player with
some international experience and top scorer for his club in the last two
seasons. However these reports are unconfirmed and as in the past
could prove to be nothing more than agents talking up their players, as
has proven to be the case on a number of occasions since Hibs first
entered the South American market to sign De La Cruz in the summer for
what was reported as a club record fee.
Meanwhile Gary Smith
is expected to resume training today, having been out this week with a
virus complaint, while Paul Fenwick continues to make progress and looks
certain to be added to the squad for the visit by Motherwell on
Saturday. Gary O'Connor is likely to retain his place in the squad
having once again been on target for the Under-21's on Monday, however
both Derek Townsley and Lyndon Andrews look set to depart on short-term
loan deals. Andrews has already been told he has no future at the
club beyond his current contract which ends in the summer, while Townsley
need first-team games and that will not, it seems, come at Easter Road in
the immediate future. McLeish said: "I
can appreciate it is difficult for these players and I might possibly see
about a loan deal. I know people will say it should not be
soul-destroying playing in the Under-21's but it can be if you are showing
you want to get in the first team and it does not happen."
Townsley expressed
just how unhappy he was with the situation, talking to press about his
frustration at not breaking into the first team. McLeish pointed out
at the time that he would have been unhappy had Townsley simply accepted
his lot, and expected his players to complain should they not be able to
command a first-team place.
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