Let's just
get on with it
Sauzee accepts the blows - STUART CROWTHER
THE NEWS LAST NIGHT that
he would have to do without the services of Paul Fenwick as well as Paco
Luna for the forthcoming Edinburgh Derby was met with typical French
resignation by Hibs boss Franck Sauzee - let's just get on with it.
While
most new managers would be reaching for the valium at this point, Sauzee
treats the setbacks as part and parcel of the game - which of course they
are, and will prepare Hibs first for the visit to Perth on Saturday with
only one thought in mind, putting a win bonus into the pay-packets of
those players who are fit, free and ready to turn things around.
Sauzee already knew he had lost the services of Paco Luna for both the
visit to St Johnstone and the Derby match at Tynecastle a week later,
before the second blow came yesterday when the SFA confirmed that Fenwick,
only recently returned form injury, had crossed the points threshold after
his booking at East End Park and would also miss the Hearts game.
It
will surely rankle with the Hibs boss nevertheless, as while Sauzee was
prepared to admit that an appeal over the Luna red-card was perhaps doomed
to failure, Fenwick's booking was just one of a series of baffling
decisions by referee McDonald, booking the Hibs man for a 'dive' that only
he could see. Hibs fans will not be pleased either to learn that the
same referee will be in charge of Hibs first game in the new year, a home
SPL match against Dundee United, the whistler unlikely to be greeted to
the Capital with a slice of black-bun and a dram! On the Luna
decision, the Hibs boss was philosophical in saying: "I
spoke with Paco and he agreed he did react to the challenge from the
Dunfermline player.
More suspension problems for Hibs (sns)
"There
was not much in it, but he was annoyed at being fouled and there was some
movement from him. We will not be appealing because we have to be
honest and correct, and recognise that something did happen even if it was
not so obvious on television."
Discipline at Easter Road under Alex McLeish was never that much of a
problem, and it looks likely it will be even less so in the Sauzee regime,
players being treated like the adult professionals they are and honesty
being the main criteria, as Sauzee confirmed when he said: "Paco
knows he has to have more self-control in the future, but I don't want to
blame him because I have to remember that, one week ago, I was still a
player myself!"
Fenwick
at least looks likely to retain his place in the Hibs side for Perth, but
the big question mark remains over who Sauzee and his assistant Donald
Park will choose as the front-two. Tam McManus has done enough in
recent games to retain his place, so the decision facing the new Hibs
coaching team will be whether to play Eduardo Hurtado alongside the U-21
international, or push David Zitelli forward for the first time this
season.
Hibs.net
will talk exclusively to the new Hibs boss Franck Sauzee, with the major
interview published on Christmas Day and New Years Day. Hibs fans
who have questions they would like put to the new boss should e-mail them
to editor@hibs.net to arrive no later
than 11am on Friday.
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