I won't stand in the players way
Young players in Scotland are not so bad!

WHILE MANY CLUBS ARE LOOKING TO STRENGTHEN THEIR SQUADS with more experienced players, Hibs manager Bobby Williamson believes that Hibs already have the foundation of a good team for the future.  With so many names now being seriously linked with departing the club over the next few weeks or months, one set of players who Hibs fans did talk about leaving seem set to stay, the young stars.

In the days of tighter financial controls, the Hibs boss sees youth as the key to Hibs future with some of the better first team players being younger.   "We've got a lot of decent kids at the club, you look at the Riordans, the O'Connors, the McManuses, the Murrays and none of them have been mentioned as moving on or being sold.  I would find that disappointing if that were the case and we had to do that more than the players that we can ill-afford.  It's nobody's fault.  These contracts were signed in good faith and they'll be honoured but nobody had any idea that the market was going to fall out of the TV deal."  The Hibs support with Alex McLeish and Rod Petrie being the main targets for the fans as they seek to apportion blame for the current state of the club.  "There's no finger pointing here, it's just something that's got to be addressed and I'm the man in charge to address it and I'm going to give it my best!"

One player who took advantage of a longer term deal in return for a cut in his wages was Frenchman Frederic Arpinon.  Injury has played a large part in the midfielder's absence from the starting line-up his year although lately he's struggled to make it off the bench at any time during a game.  Reports that Arpinon had asked to leave because of a bust-up with Williamson appear to be wide of the mark though.  "I said to him that I couldn't guarantee him first team football next year.  He's 34 now and he 's not played many games this year so I had a discussion with Freddy and we'll see what he says after that."  While he's not actually been told he can leave in the summer, it's clear that if Arpinon decides that he wants to go, neither Williamson or Rod Petrie will be unhappy at another wage bill saved.

Arpinon - future not yet certain at Easter Road (sns)

However, Arpinon isn't the only contracted player to be considering his future at Easter Road.  With Colgan, O'Neil and Brebner all being told that they are allowed to find new clubs, the question of transfer fees and how much each player can command is being asked.  Some suggestions have Hibs just looking to get the players off the books and will let them go whilst others say that fees will be involved, however Williamson won't take part in those conversations.  "It'll be a club decision if they want x amount of money, I don't decide that."  One player who could surely command a fee is Nick Colgan.  Now promoted to number two in the International stakes, he would surely be of some value in the market place.  "Is there a market?  That's a concern!  Obviously you don't want to see International players walking out of the place for nothing but we've not had an offer for him so I can't really talk about that just yet."

The majority of the staff cuts though will be coming from those that are out of contract.  With a total of nine players looking to sign new deals at Hibs, only one has actually been told that he won't get one, Derek Townsley.  With four games remaining this season, there's still everything for the Hibs squad to play for as they get a final chance to show their worth to the Hibs management team between this weekend and the end of May.  "I've not had any discussions with these guys yet.  There's a month of the season left.  I don't know what employments you work in but if you give someone a month's notice, what sort of atmosphere do you have around your place if you do that.  I've got to get the best out of these guys until the end of the season and it's up to them to keep playing and playing well and show the fans that they want to be here, and if they're good enough then we'll try and make offers."  Not all nine will get offers of contracts though and there is always the possibility that none of them will.  With one eye on not having to make a decision over some players perhaps, Williamson spoke of his wish to see the players interests looked after first

"Of the nine, there's a few who haven't been close to it.  I've said to all the players agents to look out for them.  I don't know how the strategy's going to be when Rod (Petrie) has his discussions with them about the contracts but look out for the guys and if they can get a deal somewhere else then it can't be ignored because it's going to be difficult in the summer for players to pick up contracts and I wouldn't want to hold anybody back if they felt that they could get a deal elsewhere.  I've always looked for that side for players but I'd like to keep the better ones here obviously!"

One player who has already left Easter Road is Craig James, the youngster returning to Sunderland after picking up an injury which cut his season short.  Another injury victim is Mixu Paatelainen.  The Finnish-born striker though has not yet been shown the door and has been given every chance to make a final mark before the end of the season after his injury did not appear as bad as first thought.  "He might be back before the end of the season.  The big man was doing a bit of jogging today so I don't when he'll be back and be available for selection."  Three players who have been added to the squad for today's game are young striker Scott Brown while Alen Orman and another injury victim Jarkko Wiss have also been added.  However, whether they appear on the team sheet or not remains to be seen.

Mixu - out with injury but not yet out the door (sns)

When Williamson arrived at Easter Road just over a year ago, one of the first problems he identified was the size of the first team squad.  While this has been significantly reduced, the Hibs boss wants to bring this down further still, believing that clubs should work with a tight unit of experience while encouraging the younger players to break through.  "I believed in this for long enough and it's been well stated that clubs should be running with 22 to 24 players maximum.  The days have having six or seven first team guys sitting in the stands are wrong.  These guys should be out playing football somewhere earning their living, and that's what they want to be doing!  The French system was certainly that I could remember because they had that in place and that was your squad and that's what you went with.  You could supplement that with any talented players under the age of 21 and I think that's the way forward."  There was an ill-fated attempt at something similar with a set number of Under-21 players having to be included in the sixteen kitted out players for each game although this was dropped reasonably quickly afterwards.

"It's not been imposed in Scotland, Rangers and Celtic wouldn't have that but I think most clubs' are doing it.  I think it's right!  I don't want to see six or seven talented players sitting in the stand and I don't want to be the one disappointing them by not selecting them so they should be out playing football.  And if that happens then the rest of the divisions can be stronger!  If we've only got twelve teams then there's going to be surplus.  If they want to play football then they've got to drop down leagues and stuff like that."

But what about Scottish football in general and what lies ahead.  Given the rather poor run of results that the International side has had since Berti Vogts took over the reigns, the future has been painted as black as night by some sections of the media and by fans themselves, but Williamson is not as convinced.  "I think that the picture's not as bleak as what people point out.  Scotland had a poor result the other night there but we've got a lot of talented youngsters in Scotland that have not had the opportunity to be in the Premier League and I think augers well.  As I said, we've got out O'Connors, Murrays McManuses and Riordans and guys that like that and every other club's the same.  Aberdeen have got talented youngsters, Kilmarnock have got them in abundance and Motherwell have certainly got them."

Clubs are still learning how to deal with the new 'world of football' but some are further ahead of others.  With a Scottish club making the final of a European tournament for the first time in ages, there is perhaps the evidence that it can be gotten right.  Whether all clubs will adapt to the changing times well remains to be seen but what Williamson sees as certain is that clubs are starting to find their way in the new era.  "As I've been saying it's very much a transitional period for football with the transfer windows as well coming into force.  It's making sure you'll be able to get through it.  I think everything's still looking reasonable well.  Celtic have qualified for a European final from a so-called 'Mickey Mouse league' but I've never thought it was and most of the respected people that come into the game will tell you it's not as easy as people are suggesting."

"I don't think it is that bad and they've proved that if you're good enough then you'll get to the latter stages of a competition and Celtic are certainly good enough!"  Whether Hibs ever return to being good enough for any final stage of competition remains to be seen!