2001 Athens

[heretoday]

Just been watching Hibs v AEK in 2001. Our players were giants. De La Cruz, Zitelli, Luna and Sauzee.

What the hell happened?

[rossi]

What happened was that McLeish went off to Rangers leaving us close to bankruptcy - we had to play a team of teenagers the next season.

[ScottB]

Exactly, we nearly bankrupted ourselves fielding that team and set the stage for the near decade long budgeting exercise we've been on since!

[Iain G]

Just been watching Hibs v AEK in 2001. Our players were giants. De La Cruz, Zitelli, Luna and Sauzee.

What the hell happened?

If Paco Luna was a giant he would have connected with that bloody ball and scored... :grr:

[Beefster]

What happened was that McLeish went off to Rangers leaving us close to bankruptcy - we had to play a team of teenagers the next season.

Wasn't McLeish only spending what the Board authorised? Can a manager ever be blamed for a club's financial woes?

[Ray_]

Wasn't McLeish only spending what the Board authorised? Can a manager ever be blamed for a club's financial woes?

I've always thought that it was far more to do with having a squad of 50 odd players, a lot bought under the Duffy era that & had cost money to buy, were on decent money and doing absolutely diddly squat to the team that was the main contribution to the debt.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Wasn't McLeish only spending what the Board authorised? Can a manager ever be blamed for a club's financial woes?

Arsene Wenger thinks so - I read him say something about a manager being in charge of more than the team.

I believe Harry Redknapp disagrees though.

[poolman]

If Paco Luna was a giant he would have connected with that bloody ball and scored... :grr:


Did he no head it just past the post :confused:

[Hibernia Na Eir]

Best hibs team in a good few decades that was, at times we were scotlands best

[Hibby Bairn]

Athens 2001......most expensive night out in my life.....£500 for yer tea and a few beers!.....and a great sing song.

[Hibbyradge]

TV money went south.

[The_Todd]

With that amazing team we still didn't win anything and almost wiped ourselves off the face of Scottish football since the TV money went as well.

That said, that team now would have a much better chance of winning something in the current SPL.

[lucky]

More importantly where did you get the copy of Hibs v AEK

[Danderhall Hibs]

More importantly where did you get the copy of Hibs v AEK

The Club Shop used to sell them - I've got one in the attic somewhere.

[Part/Time Supporter]

Maybe my memories are playing tricks on me, but I remember at least two of the cited players were slaughtered on here on a regular(ish) basis. Particularly de la Cruz after a notorious game v Aberdeen where he helped set up 3 goals, but was largely to blame for the defence conceding 4.

And three of the players were heavily involved in a gargantuan winless run under McLeish and Sauzee.

[Hibs90]

Did he no head it just past the post :confused:

:agree:

Was behind the goals that night. Remember the frustration on his face just after it.

[AFKA5814_Hibs]

Did he no head it just past the post :confused:

:grr:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hv4DaALdyMI

[LancashireHibby]

More importantly where did you get the copy of Hibs v AEK

I've got it on VHS - remember those?! Think it was titled "Alex's European Knights", geddit? :greengrin

[Iain G]

:agree:

Was behind the goals that night. Remember the frustration on his face just after it.

Aye, so if he was only 2 inches taller :greengrin

[Sherlock Jones]

More importantly where did you get the copy of Hibs v AEK

You might get a VHS issue from the programme shop on Albion Road.

Almondvale Programmes... (http://www.almondvaleprogrammes.co.uk/)

[3pm]

Exactly, we nearly bankrupted ourselves fielding that team and set the stage for the near decade long budgeting exercise we've been on since!

We couldn't have been skint because Rod was in charge then and he never does anything wrong. :wink:

[bawheid]

Maybe my memories are playing tricks on me, but I remember at least two of the cited players were slaughtered on here on a regular(ish) basis. Particularly de la Cruz after a notorious game v Aberdeen where he helped set up 3 goals, but was largely to blame for the defence conceding 4.

And three of the players were heavily involved in a gargantuan winless run under McLeish and Sauzee.

I remember that Aberdeen game! It was during Franck's ill-fated 69 days in charge. :boo hoo:

DLC was absolutely sublime going foward but leaving massive gaps at the back. It's completely true to say he was responsible for every goal in that game.

Hibs played some great football going forward in that game compared to the previous few months under McLeish. Probably my biggest regret as a Hibs supporter is that Sauzee wasn't given more time...

[heretoday]

The reason for my thread was just that I was struck by the dynamic way we played in those days. It was in such stark contrast to the way we play now.

I imagine most Scottish fans could say the same about other clubs too. The drop in standards is a general one.

[cwilliamson85]

If Paco Luna was a giant he would have connected with that bloody ball and scored... :grr:

Don’t... I still think about that header scrapping the bar

[bawheid]

Don’t... I still think about that header scrapping the bar

Did it not go past the post? :greengrin

[KWJ]

Paul Fenwick such an unsung hero of that team.

[ahibby]

Did it not go past the post? :greengrin

One header straight at the keeper and the next header by the post. Strangely for a short guy he was very good in the air (usually), it was probably his best attribute. Wee Tam McManus was also good in the air but could also score from well just about anywhere.

[cwilliamson85]

Did it not go past the post? :greengrin

From my seat in the North Upper I thought it went over the top of the keepers right hand post / bar (junction)

[madabouthibs]

I was in the west that night, it went down and bounced up, the wrong side of the left post. :boo hoo: I'm sure there would have been a pitch invasion if that had went in. That was for his hat-trick too.
Still the best atmosphere I've heard at ER for many years. :thumbsup:

[Hainan Hibs]

In fairness to Luna he did get a double which took us to extra time, think it's a wee bit unfair just to remember the miss at the end.

[Steve-O]

Watching it again, the miss is not quite as bad as I remember. He still had a fair bit to do to score, even if he'd got it on target it was going to have to be well placed to beat the keeper.

Remarkable game, will likely never be repeated at this rate.