McLeish ready to call
in the heavy armour
Is 'The Tank' the answer to Hibees
powder-puff attack? - STUART
CROWTHER
ALEX
MCLEISH WOULD HAVE PREFERRED to keep his cards close to his chest over
the likely arrival of Eduardo Hurtado at Easter Road, expected sometime in
the next week, but the ever-shrinking football world the Hibs boss
mentioned not so very long ago has been demonstrated once again as the
Internet plays a major part in revealing, perhaps prematurely, the name of
a signing target to the news-hungry army of Hibernian fans.
After
the initial silence from Easter Road that followed the Hibs.net
revelations that Hurtado was possibly on his way, a flurry of activity
from the 'traditional' media sources forced an admission on the clubs new
official web site yesterday afternoon that the Ecuador international was
likely to join his countryman Ulises de la Cruz at Easter Road.
Admitting interest in the player, a brief statement from Managing Director
Rod Petrie said only: "An
announcement will be made if and when the deal is completed."
Hibs.net understands that a deal over the player is close, with the
same agent who brought De La Cruz to Easter Road very much in the centre
of negotiations. United States-based Eric Manasse appears again to
have listened to the needs of Alex McLeish, this time for a target man who
can ruffle a few defensive feathers, and came back with a player who might
just fit the bill.
Eduardo Hurtado - heavy armour for the Hibs attack
While
there is no secrets as far as the pedigree of Hurtado is concerned, his
record at clubs in Ecuador, the United States, Argentina and even
Switzerland where he had a spell with St Gallen all being a matter of
public record for Internet-based fans who can use a search engine, we can
be fairly certain that the nature of the deal will remain uncertain.
When De La Cruz signed for Hibs, neither Manasse nor Hibernian were
forthcoming with precise details, leaving it to press sources to talk of a
club-record £700,000 fee changing hands. That however was put in
considerable doubt when Alex McLeish commented some time ago that this fee
was news to him, and that the actual deal was worth 'somewhat less' than
the reported figure. Indeed Hibs.net understands that the
£700,000 figure refers to the total value of the deal over the entire
length of the contract signed by De La Cruz, with Manasse's own agency
perhaps also retaining an interest in the players contract.
Agent Eric Manasse playing an increasingly important role in bringing
South America to Edinburgh (hibs.net)
There
is no question that the deal for Hurtado will have the same value of the
one that brought De La Cruz to Easter Road. Although he is yet to
show his true colours for his new club, De La Cruz remains the most highly
rated player in Ecuador's World Cup squad, with a value to match should he
shine in Japan and Korea next summer. Hurtado may have seen his best
international days, although he will hope that by doing well at Easter
Road he can perhaps break back into the squad after missing most of the
victorious World Cup campaign. The deal then, should it be concluded
as expected, appears to be an opportune one not only for Hurtado and Hibs,
but for Eric Manasse. Most Hibs fans would agree that what the club
have been lacking this season, quite apart from the skill of Latapy and
fitness of Sauzee, has been a target man who can prove a handful for
defenders and referees alike!
Should
Hurtado prove even at this late stage in his career that he has sufficient
class to shine in the SPL, then Hibs will of course be well pleased.
If not, the player will likely return to South America in time to watch
his country compete on the big stage via television, with no great
financial loss to Hibernian for trying at least to bring quality to the
club for minimal financial outlay. Hibs fans will of course hope
that the player does demonstrate that a career spent for the most part in
the much-maligned professional leagues in the United States has merely
disguised some massive hidden talents, and in the very least his arrival
might just prove the spark that ignites the true talents of Ulises de la
Cruz. Given that Manasse's agency look likely to retain a financial
interest in any contracts signed with Hibs over and above the normal
agents cut, success for both players would prove a winning situation for
everyone concerned, and herald perhaps many similar deals between Scotland
and South America.
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