ECK'S BACK
Ulrik planning his own
welcome back for McLeish
by John Campbell
HIBS FACE UP TO GLASGOW RANGERS tonight knowing that they visited
Ibrox recently and came away with a well deserved point and also
knowing that although their form of late has been pretty poor they
will be more than ready for the challenge. Add to that the fact that
Alex McLeish returns to Easter Road for the first time since he headed
West on the M8 in what many have described as 'suspicious
circumstances' and I think the near sell out crowd is guaranteed a
match worth the not insubstantial admission money.
Speaking of their chances, Hibs' Danish defender Ulrik Laursen said
"We had a lot of motivation for
that game a few weeks ago, what with all that had happened in the days
before the game although to be fair you don't really need any extra
motivation when you go to Ibrox or Parkhead as playing in front of
50,000 fans should be enough! With the exception of the 4 - 0 defeat
just prior to the Cup Final last season, I reckon we've done pretty
well against Rangers, especially away."
Inevitably, the McLeish factor will once again be a feature with many
fans still very bitter at his departure but Laursen sees things a
little differently having known the man as his gaffer.
"The fans will no doubt give us an
extra lift and I can't honestly see them shouting good words towards
Alex McLeish although they should because he did a very good job for
Hibs but that kind of thing tends to be forgotten when a Manager or a
player leaves for another Club. At the end of the day the fans will
support their own Club of course and I respect that. Alex McLeish
knows all about the loyalty of the Hibs support and he will hear some
of it tonight!"
There
is little doubt that Laursen still holds his former boss in high
esteem but he realises that in Franck Sauzee the Club have appointed a
superb replacement with a personality and character every bit as big
as the man he replaced. "I owe
a lot to Alex McLeish because he brought me to Hibs and he helped me
develop as a player and, I hope, become a better player but I am sure
that Franck can do the same for me and take me that step further. He
has a different approach to football than Alex but there is nothing
wrong with that. We have been using the ball a lot more in training
and still putting in the same amount of physical effort but we're all
in a good mood and know that we should have won at Perth on Saturday.
If we keep making those kind of chances they will start to go in and
we'll start moving back up the table."
Ulrik Laursen - happy at Hibs (sns)
Every
time Hibs face Rangers and more so since McLeish moved West, the
subject of a possible move to Ibrox for Laursen himself is picked up
and aired. In response to that the likeable Dane is never naïve
enough to get caught up in any speculation simply reminding everyone
that he is a Hibs player and as such is totally focused on helping
Hibs to victory in every game they play, no matter the opposition.
When asked what he expected from Rangers on Boxing Day he fired back
"I expect them to lose to us"
which more than took the wind out of the sails of the seasoned
journalist who had posed the question!
"I don't know really what to expect from them but I do expect us to
make it very hard for them and to go for the three points. It could
be they are a little more vulnerable right now as Alex changes things
about to try and get the team the way he wants it."
Laursen seems very tuned in ahead of this game and you get the
distinct feeling there is a determination to succeed as he explains
that although he still has a high regard for his former Manager he
will be doing everything in his power to inflict defeat upon Rangers.
"I can't speak for everyone of course but I personally thought that
Alex McLeish was getting too big for the Club. Every week we were
reading of some other Club wanting him to be their Manager and whilst
we laughed at some we knew the day would come that he would leave. We
just didn't expect it to be so soon and so sudden but we work with
Franck now and that's all that matters. I've no interest in how
McLeish does with Rangers as I am only concerned with Hibs right now"
It
will be a difficult game but with the right effort and application,
Hibs can take the points tonight and I tip them to do so, by 2 - 1. |
Odds
