The deed is done
McLeish heads off to Ibrox to agree
terms - STUART
CROWTHER
HIBERNIAN
HAVE AGREED a compensation
package with Rangers for manager Alex McLeish, who is this afternoon
locked in talks with the Ibrox club over what is seen as the formalities.
While
no details on the compensation Hibs will receive have been released, it is
understood that a figure of around £1m has will be paid by the Ibrox club
for both McLeish and his assistant Andy Watson. The writing was very
much on the wall for Hibs early this morning, with McLeish himself making
it clear that he wanted to talk to the Ibrox club. While the clubs
were locked in talks over the compensation package, McLeish told the
Edinburgh Evening News: "I was
aware there was interest because the speculation was gathering momentum
but I spoke to Rod Petrie yesterday morning and told him I'd had a
terrible Sunday with all the press calls. But then contact was
made. There is not a lot I can say, we will have to wait and see
what happens. If the club grant me permission it would be hard to
refuse an opportunity like that, that's all I can say. However,
there is nothing final yet - I have to stress that."
McLeish - in charge of the Rangers dug-out tomorrow (sns)
It
would now appear that the matter is very much in the final stages, and
after a torrid 48 hours for Hibernian fans they now know that they have
lost their manager just a day before the club travel to Ibrox to play
Rangers. Hibs Chairman Malcolm McPherson and managing director Rod
Petrie were clearly taken completely by surprise at the pace of events,
but from the moment the Ibrox club made it clear that McLeish was the man
they wanted to take over from Dick Advocaat, they were fighting a
rearguard action that could only result in the level of compensation paid
with never a chance of their keeping hold of the manager they had always
knew would one day move on to a richer club.
McLeish
will not look back at an army of disappointed Hibernian fans, for whom he
promised much, but he will have a job on his hands convincing Rangers fans
that he is the man for the job. The decision to employ McLeish has
already brought fierce condemnation from Rangers fans, while Hibs fans
seem largely to have accepted his departure with a degree of
resignation. The talk now at Easter Road will switch to the problem
of who will take immediate charge of the first-team squad, with that task
likely to fall to Donald Park. The Hibs board will then need to
consider their options for replacing McLeish, with club skipper Franck
Sauzee emerging as the clear favourite in the eyes of the fans at least.
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