Donald has suffered
worse at Tynie!
Jambos have the all the pressure - STUART CROWTHER
IN
WHAT CAN ONLY BE DESCRIBED AS A HELL OF A TURN-UP FOR THE BOOKS, Hibernian
go to Tynecastle for a Derby today on the back of just one defeat in 4
years in these games - and yet Hearts are the strong favourites to take
all three points!
These
are strange circumstances brought about by, well, strange
circumstances! Hibs have not recorded a victory since playing their
city rivals off the park back in October. That however was to prove
to be the lowest point of the season so far for Hearts, and sadly for the
Hibees it was their high point. Just about everything that could
possibly go wrong at a football club has come to pass for Hibs since that
day. Hearts meanwhile, who saw Ricardo Fuller make his debut in the
Easter Road defeat, have like Fuller risen in stature once more and now
stand a comfortable six points ahead of the Hibees. Truth is on
their recent performances they deserve to be in that position, but an
equal truth is that on their performances Hibs do not deserve to sitting
just eight points off the relegation pace being set by St Johnstone.
Recent
games have typified the rotten luck being gathered down at Easter
Road. In his first game in charge, Franck Sauzee could only look in
in horror as after dominating Dunfermline, Paco Luna was sent off for an
offence that at any other time would have led to a wagging finger and
little else. Even then, a ten-man Hibs were a match for the Pars,
but goals win games and Hibs simply could not find any in spite of
creating sufficient chances. A week later at Perth, and after a
dismal first half Hibs turned up the heat for 45 minutes, a period during
which thoughts drifted to Harry Potter magic as being the only possible
thing that could have kept the ball from crossing the St Johnstone
line. Then came Rangers, the side now led by Alex McLeish hardly
setting Easter Road ablaze and Hibs very much in the game as again the
held the ball in a fashion that gave lie to anyone claiming this side
lacked confidence on the ball. Of course, again they could not
convert possession to goals, and lady luck dealt the cruel blow. One
shot, one arm that could not move quickly enough, and Hibs are minus two
more influential players for today's derby!
Franck Sauzee won't be getting this close to Fuller today! (sns)
Hibs
fans however are not (all) ready to throw in the towel just yet! The
away stand at Tynecastle will be full, the noise created every bit as
passionate as it might have been a year ago. Adversity brings out
the best in some, the worse in others - but in general, Hibs fans will
remain passionate if perhaps lacking in optimism! Speaking to the
Scotsman newspaper this morning, Hibs Assistant boss Donald Park
demonstrated that he knows better than most that surprises can and will
always happen in these games. It was inevitable perhaps that before
his first derby in his new role at the club, Donald would be asked about a
certain game back in 1973! Donald remembered it well, very well! "It
was the first time both Jim Jefferies and myself played against Hibs and
needless to say it was an experience neither of us would ever
forget," he said, adding: "Bobby Seith had signed me the
previous year from Inverness Caley. I'd just celebrated my 19th
birthday and played in my favoured position wide on the right. Although we
started all right, it was to be a traumatic day.
"I remember I had a good chance to put us in front early on and so
did Tommy Murray. But we didn't take those opportunities and Hibs, who
had a good side, punished us. To be honest I'm sketchy on the
details of the rest of the game because over the years I've tried to
block out the memory. It's not something I've ever wanted to talk
about much. As Basil once said in the famous episode of Fawlty
Towers - don't mention the war!"
This
is not war of course, it's just a game of football. OK, it's an
important game of football, as while 3 points are all that is at stake
here there is also the little matter of bragging rights around the city
for the next 8 weeks or so! The pressure is on both sides, it always
is, but it has to be said that Hearts have more to lose. Expectation
is with their fans, and that is why Hibs fans should have little to fear,
Hearts know they are playing a weakened Hibs side and any subsequent
victory will be tainted by that fact. On the other hand, defeat for
the Tynecastle side against such a brutally weakened Hibees could make the
next few weeks very uncomfortable indeed for the Jambo fans.
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