Jarkko up for the
challenge
International recall for Wiss - but Matyus must wait
THE FOCUS THIS WEEK is firmly on the international
scene and for Hibs fans in particular, the trio of O'Connor, Murray and
McManus with the international Under-21 squad, there are another couple
of Hibees for whom the call of international football is providing a
welcome break from the domestic scene. Nick Colgan is once again
with the Irish squad after being called up by Mick McCarthy, albeit
still as third choice goalkeeper, but greeted rather more quietly
perhaps was the news that Hibs midfielder Jarkko Wiss has been recalled
to the Finland national squad, to the bemusement of a group of Hibs fans
hell-bent on dismissing the basic football credentials of a player who
has not only played many times for his country but skippered them!
For Colgan the season was a little late in starting.
After finishing last season playing second-string to Tony Caig at Easter
Road, the goalkeeper was left out of the Irish squad at the World Cup
finals, and the feeling was that unless he recaptured his place at
Easter Road then there would be little chance of an immediate recall by
McCarthy. A poor start for Hibs though saw Colgan recalled to the
side, and having been beaten just once in about half a dozen games the
Hibs goalkeeper appears to have put most of his troubles behind him for
the time being at least! Colgan looks unlikely to see any of the
action when McCarthy's side take on Switzerland this weekend, but Wiss
has every chance of finding a place in the Finland side that takes on
Azerbaijan in Helsinki.
Matyus - no international recall (sns)
Wiss has taken some time to settle in at Easter Road
after being signed by former boss Frank Sauzee during his brief 69-day
spell in charge last season. Fitness was cited as the main problem
for Wiss, who always maintained that a full pre-season would sort out
many of these problems and allow him to show his true worth to both club
and country. And in spite of a regular slot in Bobby Williamson's
midfield of late, some in the Hibs support remain unconvinced about the
quality of the player - but not it seems his national coach, who has
noted the performances put in by Wiss and recalled him to the
international side. Playing in that unattractive and largely
unappreciated midfield 'holding' role previously occupied at Easter Road
by the likes of Brian Hamilton, Wiss is always likely to attract
attention of the worse possible kind from many fans who simply fail to
appreciate or recognise the importance of the job being done by Wiss.
One Easter Road player left disappointed for now is Janos
Matyus. The defender had hoped his recent performances at Easter
Road would be enough to regain a place in the Hungarian squad set to
face Sweden and San Marino in the European Championships, but it is
perhaps a little too early for a player who has still not reached his
full fitness level since arriving at Easter Road. If recent
performances are anything to go by however, it will surely not be long
before Matyus is once again knocking at the door of international
football, and joining the ever-growing number of Easter Road players
performing at the highest possible level.
