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View Full Version : Pat, the negativity came from yourself



MB62
02-11-2013, 03:23 PM
Personally, I am delighted P.F. has made an very honourable decision and left the club and I seriously wish him all the very best wherever he ends up next (assuming it's not with another SPFL club).

His comments to the media about too much negativity being directed towards himself which was stifling the club is a bit off the mark though. IMO, Pat was the man that created all the negativity with his team selections and tactics and from my own stand point, Saturday against Aberdeen was my breaking point.

Against Celtic, I fully accepted and agreed that the best way for us was to flood the midfield and try and hit them on the break, a tactic that worked a treat and the players were brilliant.

However, the Aberdeen game was arguably far more important for us and a win would have seen us overtake them in the league. A game at home in one that was important to win, however only one team tried to win that day, Aberdeen, we tried NOT TO LOSE as Pat put out the same team (barring injuries) and tried the same tactics.

This is not what I want to see from a Hibs team at Easter Road against teams that are comparable in size and abilities but his tactics gave them the incentive to attack us rather than the other way around.

Of course, this is not the first time and if he was perfectly honest with himself, he would say that he got it totally wrong at Hampden in the semi-final against Falkirk and only a desperate last throw of the dice in that game saved his skin. Starting with one man up front in a semi-final against a lower league team was unforgivable for me and again gave the opposition the advantage.

Our last few games have been dire. Against Partick Thistle we were almost bigger robbers than that lot along the road, and it has been more the norm this season, a negative display that had turned me off.

I said in another thread that I believe Pat has signed a lot of good players for this season but he has not signed a good TEAM, or at least not the he knows how to put out. I believe playing K.T. has been detrimental to our set up. K.T. is undoubtedly a good player but is so slow that he needs the extra player in midfield to cover for him, meaning a forward is sacrificed.

I can accept that away from home where a point is a decent result but at home, I want to see our team attempt to play football and win games, not hit teams on the break, it is meant to be an entertainment this sport.

So if there is negativity Pat, then it stems from you and ultimately the frustrations find the way to the stands. Good luck Pat, thanks for trying and yes, the team is better than when you took it over. Now though, we need someone who will get the team playing good attacking football (Butcher/McColl) and move us forward.

Jones28
02-11-2013, 03:26 PM
To be honest, you look at our passed 12 or so games (league games anyway) and the record isn't too bad, 3 losses and undefeated in 9 games or whatever it was. It's not a terrible record and I don't think the media gave us enough, if any credit for a few decent wins.

Hibrandenburg
02-11-2013, 03:41 PM
To be honest, you look at our passed 12 or so games (league games anyway) and the record isn't too bad, 3 losses and undefeated in 9 games or whatever it was. It's not a terrible record and I don't think the media gave us enough, if any credit for a few decent wins.

Think you might just be on to something there. The media coverage we've received together with folks whipping themselves up into a frenzy on social media has made this all a bit of a circus.

Ozyhibby
02-11-2013, 03:45 PM
To be honest, you look at our passed 12 or so games (league games anyway) and the record isn't too bad, 3 losses and undefeated in 9 games or whatever it was. It's not a terrible record and I don't think the media gave us enough, if any credit for a few decent wins.

We've had 11 league games and we're 7th. It's a terrible place to be considering our resources.

Jones28
02-11-2013, 03:48 PM
We've had 11 league games and we're 7th. It's a terrible place to be considering our resources.

I'm not saying its good, but it's not as bad as the media "**** the Hibs" frenzy would have people think.

matty_f
02-11-2013, 03:49 PM
I thi it was a vicious cycle with the negativity. The Malmo gave the Scottish football media an easy target for the season. It was a terrible defeat, embarrassing for all involved with the club and the media were persistent in heaping pressure on Fenlon and Hibs.

That result shaped our season more than anything else, IMHO. Last season we weren't overtly negative and defensive, we were at times but we were also attacking at times. That heavy defeat had us on the back foot going to the PBS and Fenlon was overly cautious, perhaps worried about another embarrassment. We lost and I don't think the impact of those two defeats can really be overstated.

The press were quick to sling mud at Hibs, we were cannon fodder for them and I think what happened then is a natural insitinct kicks in to avoid making the club an even easier target. The problem is, in doing so it got worse and instead of the flak coming from the press, the support started to get on the players' and manager's case as well because we were rightly making it clear that the performances were not acceptable.

Fenlon needed to be stronger in getting the team to focus on attack. I don't think he showed enough faith in the players to give them the freedom to express themselves.

MB62
02-11-2013, 04:09 PM
I thi it was a viscous cycle with the negativity. The Malmo gave the Scottish football media an easy target for the season. It was a terrible defeat, embarrassing for all involved with the club and the media were persistent in heaping pressure on Fenlon and Hibs.

That result shaped our season more than anything else, IMHO. Last season we weren't overtly negative and defensive, we were at times but we were also attacking at times. That heavy defeat had us on the back foot going to the PBS and Fenlon was overly cautious, perhaps worried about another embarrassment. We lost and I don't think the impact of those two defeats can really be overstated.

The press were quick to sling mud at Hibs, we were cannon fodder for them and I think what happened then is a natural insitinct kicks in to avoid making the club an even easier target. The problem is, in doing so it got worse and instead of the flak coming from the press, the support started to get on the players' and manager's case as well because we were rightly making it clear that the performances were not acceptable.

Fenlon needed to be stronger in getting the team to focus on attack. I don't think he showed enough faith in the players to give them the freedom to express themselves.


All the comments above regarding the start we made to the season are valid, we were an easy target for the press. However, the comment in bold is probably more relevant than anything else and Hibs for me were just really boring to watch and I had had enough.

southern hibby
02-11-2013, 05:26 PM
To be honest, you look at our passed 12 or so games (league games anyway) and the record isn't too bad, 3 losses and undefeated in 9 games or whatever it was. It's not a terrible record and I don't think the media gave us enough, if any credit for a few decent wins.

I agree with your statistics completely. However 4 wins I'n 2013 calendar year at Easter Road tells a totally different story.

I really do wish Pat all the best honourable man who did what he said he would leave if he felt he had taken us as far as he could.

GGTTH

erin go bragh
02-11-2013, 07:23 PM
I agree with your statistics completely. However 4 wins I'n 2013 calendar year at Easter Road tells a totally different story.

I really do wish Pat all the best honourable man who did what he said he would leave if he felt he had taken us as far as he could.

GGTTH

Respect to Pat for doing the honourable thing . Still think he should have done this after the first derby defeat at the PBS .

Ggtth