I'd like to show Coventry were wrong
Hyldgaard aims to turn his Coventry disappointment into something good for Hibs

MORTEN HYLDGAARD HAD TO DUCK low through the Easter Road doorways yesterday, the stature of the new Hibs goalkeeper such that not to have done so would have led to concussion before the ink was dry on his new deal at Easter Road!  Standing at six foot six, there is little doubt that Hyldgaard will provide a commanding presence in the Hibs goal this season, and the Dane is hoping that he can add his name to the a list of great Hibs goalkeepers the likes of Jim Leighton, Andy Goram and Allan Rough - certainly none of these Scottish internationals had the massive height and body strength advantages of the giant Dane, who yesterday revealed that one of his main aims at Easter Road is to play regular first team football - and prove to Coventry City that they were wrong to let him go.

Hyldgaard it seems is an easy man to deal with, preferring not to become over-embroiled in transfer dealings and rather leaving that to his agent.  While there were a few clubs interested in picking up the remaining year on this Coventry contract, he preferred that his agent only told him about those with a genuine interest and Hibs it seems were the club that fitted that bill more than any other.  Hyldgaard said: "It is always a relief when you sign a new contract, you want things to happen so it is a relief when everything is agreed so yes, I'm very happy that it is done now and I can get on with my game.  There was a few other clubs interested but I always choose not to know the names of the clubs because that would just screw up my head.  Only if someone is really interested do I like to know and Hibernian were interested so hopefully this is the right decision I have made, I'm sure it is."

It was around this time last year that Hibs fans were in despair at the loss of Ulrik Laursen to Celtic just days before the season got underway.  That was a severe blow to confidence at Easter Road, but it seems that Laursen left another legacy at the club, as Hyldgaard took a closer interest in Hibs as a result of his countryman's involvement with the club.  "I have always known about Hibs of course, in Denmark I knew that they had Ulrik Laursen playing here for a couple of years, so I followed their results a bit, but I've not followed the club through and through of course, I've been aware of them.  Ulrik did well here and if you are good enough people will see you, and that is what it is all about for the club and yourself.  I hope to impress everyone here enjoy my game," Hyldgaard said, although he was quick to point out that he had not sought any advice from any other players before signing up at Easter Road.

Morten Hyldgaard - goalkeeping since he was six (hibs.net)

While Stephen Glass made it clear one of his priorities in coming to Easter Road was perhaps to claim a place in international football, Hyldgaard has no such ambitions just yet, seeking only to establish himself in first-team football.  He said: "I have been with the Under-21 international squad in Denmark, but last year was my first full season so if you like I'm really a newcomer to the game!  But international football is not my main priority to be honest, I would just like to establish myself into first team football and get some games, and if I got a call-up then that would be a great bonus but my main priority at the moment is Hibs and always will be.  Club football is the thing you have every week, anything on top of that is just a bonus.  I expect to be No.1 here if I'm good enough!  Obviously it is a big challenge for the other goalkeepers, and I'm sure they will want to be No.1 as well.   Hopefully I can give that extra bit and prove to the manager that I am better than them, the boss will play the best goalkeeper and that is what the game is about and I hope to pull the long straw!"

Many players might have crumbled under the pressure of first establishing themselves in a first team, and then having that taken away not for football reasons but for financial ones.  Hyldgaard met the mental challenges of that head-on however, and now is a man on a mission.  "It was a big challenge mentally at Coventry, I played 30-odd games and all of a sudden it stopped.  I still had to train with the first team so it was pretty tough but hopefully it has made me even stronger.  I'm not blaming Coventry for anything though, you know it was a decision they faced and had to say they wanted to keep me or not, that is just the name of the game sometimes and there is always a loser.  Hopefully I can turn it around now and prove to them that they made the wrong decision.  Garry McAllister did not apologise or anything, I just had to respect the decision, that's all I could do as there was no point in trying to make him change his mind which was not going to happen anyway because I think the club made the decision for him, they simply had no money so the manager had his hands tied behind his back."

The goalkeeper did benefit greatly from his time in England, in particular under the guidance of a former Scottish international goalkeeping coach.  "Alan Hodgkinson was a good goalkeeping coach for me last season and he has helped me a lot in getting my career started.  I'm very happy that he can see a bit of Schmeichel in me, I'll just do my best to prove him right over the next few years!  To be compared to Schmeichel brings on some pressure but hopefully I can use that in a positive way, and hopefully I can be as good as him - I don't think I am that at the moment but I hope I can be!  First I have to establish myself in the first team and then hopefully I can get closer to his status.  Everybody looks to Schmeichel and knows that is the way to do things, he has always been a big inspiration to Danish footballers, he is an idol of every goalkeeper in Denmark."

They say all goalkeepers are a little bit mad, and perhaps that is true - if it is, then Hyldgaard appears to be a complete nutter, having been playing between the sticks since he was just six years old!  Hyldgaard said: "I've always been a goalkeeper, since I was about six or seven years old, it was never difficult for me to make a decision about playing outfield or in goal as I've always been big compared to other players, and I also like the challenge as it's a bit special to be a goalkeeper.  You know if you make a good save you are a hero, of course if you make a bad mistake you are terrible!  It's a completely different game, it's a mind game and I quite like the challenge because I think it is something special."  Hibs fans will be hoping that all they have heard about the Dane is true, and if so he could well be that little bit special!