The young ones will come good
Keith Small is happy with the way that the young stars are improving while a former loan star is linked with Hibs again....

I HAVE TO ADMIT TO BEING LEFT A BIT SHORT THIS WEEK.  Thinking ahead to what I was going to write about, I considered that the derby would take care of this week. And I don’t think that I was naïve to think this. Given that last minute goals, sending-offs, crowd disturbances and historic wins have all been amazingly common place over the last few years, Sundays mundane and largely uneventful defeat seems, well, mundane and uneventful. However, I have to say that given the poor quality of the game I was remarkably upbeat as I strolled out of sight of the pink floodlights. Why I hear you ask?

Well let me ask you something. When was the last time you saw a Hibernian team, the majority of whom have come through the ranks and a decent number of whom are actually Hibbies? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that the team should be full of young Hibbies for the sake of it, but given the promise shown by them, I think there is plenty to be optimistic about.

Riordan - has the ability to go far (sns)

Yes young players are inconsistent, but they will improve. And without being blindly optimistic, I think that most of these young players have the ability to go pretty far in this game, or even better to take Hibernian pretty far. Look at Motherwell for example; a lot of the young players in that team were thrust, no doubt prematurely into the first team more than a season ago. They are now starting to develop into a good SPL team.

I am not saying that this will definitely happen to Hibs, but I think there is a good chance that these players will develop into a formidable team. There is one thing that I do know for sure. And that is that after a couple of seasons of watching under-performing ‘stars’, it is great to see a team of bright young Hibernians who will get better with every game and make the club stronger, rather than a team of overpaid ‘seasoned pros’, their major contribution being making us poorer.

So before you let the obvious pain at losing a derby match see everything too negatively, take time out to think how many times over the last couple of years you have thought, spoken or shouted that well-worn fans sentiment when a team is not performing; ‘ put out the youngsters, they couldnae do any worse!’. Well we are, and they are definitely not.

The other point that struck me this week was the occurrence of another ‘flag debate’. Now to those not familiar with the Hibs.net Messageboards I apologise, but I cannot help but indulge in the debate. As a Hibs.net ‘traditionalist’, I am starting to get bored of the same debates. If a Hibernian fan wants to wave a symbolically Irish flag, I have no problem with it. In fact I would personally encourage it. I do however respect the right of Hibs fans to not wave it; it is I believe the individual prerogative of each and every Hibernian to display their support for the club in the way they see fit. Therefore I would say if you don’t like this happening, by all means argue against it in a very good debate on the messageboard, but remember that just because people don’t agree does not make them wrong, and those who choose to display their support for the club in this manner have the right to do just that.

Editor's notes:  Roland Edge has returned to full training with the Easter Road side after recovering from the knee injury he suffered in the CIS Cup victory over Queen of the South almost a month ago.  with Gary Smith having to fill in on the wrong side of the Hibs defence, Hibs boss Bobby Williamson will be keen to get Edge back for Sunday's visit by Rangers.  Another player who has been recovering from injury is Stephen Glass.  The midfielder started Monday night's Under 21 derby but had to quit at half time after taking a heavy knock just half an hour into the first half however it's hoped that he will be fit enough for at least a place on the bench this weekend.

Meanwhile Hibs have been linked yet again with a move for Newcastle and Scotland defender Gary Caldwell.  Caldwell, who spent a successful period on loan during the first months of Williamson's tenure, will be out of contract in the summer and can also play in a holding midfield role similar to that played by Jarkko Wiss who could leave as early as January.  Another player who has contract issues with Hibs at the moment is midfielder Grant Brebner.  Speaking about his current situation, Brebner said, "I still have until June. Hibs offered reduced terms last term but they have not done that again. I have made noises about what I would like and that's all I can do."