GRANT BREBNER BECAME THE LATEST player to slam the Easter Road club for their lack of ambition this morning, adding fuel to a week of turmoil at the club sparked off by revelations from skipper John O'Neil that he would not be playing for Hibs again and had been told to find another club.  The clubs official web site was used yesterday to report that Brebner, one of five players with a year left on their current deals who are being asked to re-negotiate or move on, had been offered a new three-year deal two weeks ago but had turned that down.  While Hibs insist that talks are on-going with Brebner, goalkeeper Nick Colgan and Finland international Jarkko Wiss, the former Reading and Manchester United midfielder made it clear today that as far as he is concerned there are no negotiations taking place, he was given a take-it-or-leave-it option and has clearly decided to leave it.

"I rejected this deal because of the number of players leaving the club," Brebner said, adding: "I would have found it difficult to sign a contract for three years when I have a year left and the situation is unclear for next season with so many people going.  It would have been different if the club was bringing in new faces and showing ambition for the new season, but all I can see are players leaving, it's not a revolving door, it seems to be all one way!"  Brebner's words will come as a dagger to the heart of club managing director Rod Petrie and boss Bobby Williamson, who have both worked hard in recent days to clarify the situation.  Both will strongly deny Brebner's claims that it is all one way traffic out of the Easter Road door for players, with both insisting this week that funds will be made available to ensure a number of new faces at Easter Road before the start of next season.  Williamson told Hibs.net yesterday that he was working hard on identifying players and was constantly talking to agents, but he could not take any positive action until he knew just who was leaving.

John O'Neil - started a chain of events that have given Hibees plenty food for thought this week (sns)

Given the statements made by the players themselves this week, the Hibs boss at least knows that it is highly likely Colgan and Brebner will be among those no longer available for selection when the new campaign gets underway.  Brebner however is in no rush to seek another club it seems, the former Scotland Under-21 international saying: "I have another year left and I am in no hurry to rush into a deal that I was given only a week to think about.  The offer was a non-negotiable one, I don't want people to think that I rejected a contract because I wanted to leave the club because that is just not the case."  Only a few weeks ago Brebner, appearing on Radiohibs.net, joked that he would play for the club for nothing, and expressed a hope that he would remain at Easter Road for some time to come.  This morning that looks highly unlikely. 

While the club is being applauded for being more open about those players being asked to move on, there remains a great deal of confusion with Derek Townsley hitting back at a statement on the official site yesterday that he had never been offered a new deal.  Townsley was reported in a newspaper as being disappointed by the club who had indicated a two-year deal was on the table back in January, only to then blank attempts by his agent to discuss such a new deal.  Using the Hibs.net message board to refute the club statement, Townsley said: "(I've) just been made aware of this statement on the official site and thought I would clear up this once and for all.  I have just came off the phone to my agent and he assures me he DID NOT deny any of this yesterday and has not spoken to Rod Petrie since Thursday morning, if as he says he denied it then why have they not got a quote from him?
 

"The fact of the matter is that Bobby Williamson spoke to me in January and stated that he wished to keep me for 2 more years and had indicated to Rod Petrie that talks should get underway with my agent.  I'm well aware that people will make their own minds up on this one but all i can say is that my conscience is clear, not only on this topic but also on the fact that i have gave my all for Hibs over the last 2 years.  I will leave Hibernian in the knowledge that the VAST majority of Hibs fans are 1st class."  Clearly there remain a number of communication problems at Easter Road that must be resolved and the club are to be applauded for attempting to do just that this week, however as disgruntled players know their days at the club are coming to an end then further revelations of just how bad the financial situation has become are bound to follow.