by Stuart Crowther

Date: 8th May 2002

Hibs ask players to take a pay cut ....but Ulises looks set to refuse the offer! HIBERNIAN LOOK SET TO ASK every player to take a cut in their basic wage next season in exchange for bigger bonus payments or longer contracts - but Ulises de la Cruz is telling reporters in Ecuador that he would rather not return to Easter Road to see out his contract in any case! Along with just about every club in Scotland, Hibs are facing massive losses unless they can cut the wage bill.  It was thought that this would mean players who are out of contact leaving the club with no replacements being made - but it would appear that managing director Rod Petrie has to cut much deeper into the wage bill than such moves would allow.  Out of contract players such as Craig Brewster and Mathias Jack, both of whom it is understood manager Bobby Williamson would like to keep at the club, can expect to be offered deals much lower than their existing contracts, while even those players who have contracts will be asked to take a cut. While Hibs held their usual line of refusing to talk about individual player contracts, with manager Bobby Williamson stressing only that such matters were dealt with by Rod Petrie, it is understood that all senior players will be asked to accept reduced wage deals.  Petrie will know however that he cannot force a wage drop on players who have a contract with the club, so is looking for agreement with the Easter Road stars who might be prepared to swap a lesser financial deal for longer-term security, something that in itself right now is a rarity in the Scottish game as clubs seek to sign players on 1-year or, in some cases, month to month deals. Gary Smith could be offered a reduced deal to help avoid Hibs becoming the next Motherwell! (sns) One player who it seems is not prepared to talk about wage reductions is Ulises de la Cruz, who is making it clear that he does not see his future being at Easter Road.  De La Cruz, signed in a blaze of publicity last summer and billed as Hibs most expensive signing ever, has not had the best of seasons at Easter Road, looking at times to be something of a lost soul and at other times downright disinterested in playing in the Scottish Premier League.  "I believe that after the World Cup I am going to be at another club," De La Cruz told reporters in Ecuador where he is preparing with his national squad for the tournament in Japan.  While some of his statements may have been lost in the translation, it seems clear that Ulises plans to put some Spanish sunshine on his back rather than the Sunshine on Leith come August, as he is reported to have said he wishes to seek new horizons - with Spanish football taking his fancy but Italy and England also being quoted by the Ecuadorian defender as real options. While that might come as news to the management at Easter Road, it is likely not to worry too many fans who have appreciated the skills on show from time to time by De La Cruz, but are also well aware that he is luxury that Hibs perhaps cannot afford at this time.  Things however might be looking up for Hibernian and their  SPL partners, as it has been revealed today that the BBC are prepared an £8m a season bid to televise live games from the league.  And that might be enough to prompt Sky, who withdrew a £45m 4-year offer which prompted the aborted attempt by the SPL to set up it's own pay-TV station.