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Keith_M
25-04-2017, 07:40 AM
According to Neil Lennon, Hibs are the "Second best team in the country" (http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/hibernian/hibs-are-second-best-team-in-scotland-says-neil-lennon-1-4428396). That's quite an about-face from him after calling the team 'pathetic', surely.

I wonder if he felt bad about his previous comments and this was his way of making amends.

:dunno:

Kind of contradictory, though.



Maybe he should heed the advice, "Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt"




....not that I do, but anyway

:wink:

Coults1875
25-04-2017, 07:45 AM
According to Neil Lennon, Hibs are the "Second best team in the country" (http://www.scotsman.com/sport/football/teams/hibernian/hibs-are-second-best-team-in-scotland-says-neil-lennon-1-4428396). That's quite an about-face from him after calling the team 'pathetic', surely.

I wonder if he felt bad about his previous comments and this was his way of making amends.

:dunno:

Kind of contradictory, though.



Maybe he should heed the advice, "Better to Remain Silent and Be Thought a Fool than to Speak and Remove All Doubt"




....not that I do, but anyway

:wink:



Poor post, he actually says; "The first 30 minutes was pathetic and totally unacceptable" . He doesn't call the team pathetic as you are suggesting, purely the way the team started which lets be honest, it was.

WeeRussell
25-04-2017, 07:45 AM
He's wrong on both counts for me.

We're not the second best team in Scotland.

Our performance wasn't pathetic at the weekend, though the way we lost goals and started the game was somewhere in the pathetic region.

WeeRussell
25-04-2017, 07:46 AM
Poor post, he actually says; "The first 30 minutes was pathetic and totally unacceptable" . He doesn't call the team pathetic as you are suggesting, purely the way the team started which lets be honest, it was.

In that case maybe he's not wrong about both, I wa going on the assumption the OP was accurate ;)

660
25-04-2017, 07:47 AM
He said it to hibs TV right after the game but the media are coming out with it now to make it look like he regrets his original comments.

It's not contradictory to say Hibs first 30 minutes was pathetic but given we pegged back the 2nd in the league to 2-2 and probably deserved to win, we are the second best team in the country.

Keith_M
25-04-2017, 07:48 AM
Poor post, he actually says; "The first 30 minutes was pathetic and totally unacceptable" . He doesn't call the team pathetic as you are suggesting, purely the way the team started which lets be honest, it was.


OK, fair enough, but he was quite scathing about the team and not very complimentary.

I still think he's engaged in quite a bit of hyperbole to try to compensate for his previous comments.

Onion
25-04-2017, 07:53 AM
Lennon is talking nonsense for reason's only he knows. Talking up the club to encourage some players to sign new deals ? Making himself feel better ? Over-reacting to our first defeat in months ?

Winning the odd cup game, as under-dog, against Hearts or DUFC goes no where near matching Aberdeen's record in the SPL over a complete season.

TheHarpy76
25-04-2017, 07:57 AM
Given our form since the start of February,that's pretty silly talk from our manager.

Jag7
25-04-2017, 08:04 AM
Think he is way off the mark and don't understand why he said that. Aberdeen second in the premier league and in 2 cup finals .. he will be laughed at I am afraid.

calumhibee1
25-04-2017, 08:10 AM
Absolute nonsense.

Lee Marvin
25-04-2017, 08:20 AM
Whilst this is clearly not true, let's put a bit of context behind it. The interview was given about 1 hr after the game were he was obviously still very emotional.

We are around the 3rd to 5th best team just now imo, however with the right recruitment could potentially challenge for 2nd or 3rd.

Barney McGrew
25-04-2017, 08:25 AM
I can get where Lennon is coming from......our record against SPL teams and in the big games is very good, where we've struggled is against teams that put 10 or 11 men behind the ball and sit very deep.

That's a lot less likely to happen next season, and I think we'll see a team with a bit more creativity and the room to pick teams off and play football.

There's nothing to suggest we can't mount a serious challenge for second next season. Rangers have hired the Portuguese Le Guen and don't have a pot to piss in, Hertz are in a laughable freefall with Cathy in charge and won't even make the top six which leaves us, Aberdeen and St Johnstone to fight out for the top four. It would be a really disappointing season if we don't get to fourth at worst.

BegbieHSC
25-04-2017, 08:28 AM
Regardless of whether we are at present, surely this is indicative of Lennon's ambition for the club, as surely if this is the case, anything less is unacceptable?

Good times ahead I feel!

flash
25-04-2017, 08:31 AM
Talking rubbish, utter nonsense, man's a fool
Thought I had logged into Kickback by mistake.

Hibernia&Alba
25-04-2017, 08:37 AM
Did he make that remark? Seems an odd to thing to say. Aberdeen are the second best team in Scotland: second on the SPL and made two cup finals.

neil7908
25-04-2017, 09:47 AM
I'm in two minds about this.

I like the idea of a confident Hibs manager but we've just lost to the indisputable 2nd best team in the country. Doesn't matter how close we ran them, they've made it to 2 cup finals and are 2nd in the SPL. We've drawn 40% of our games in the second division!

This comes across as arrogance and slightly deluded. Lennon has now set the bar very high next year. I like us being ambitious but now next season anything other than 2nd place and a cup final appearance will beg the question about whether we are underachieving and bring into question Lennon's position.

We've also painted a great big target on ourselves and if we lose a couple of games early on next season there will be plenty folk sneering at us.

Deansy
25-04-2017, 09:56 AM
Who gives - Neil Lennon's 'Hibs are the second best team in the counhtry' line has done the biz on the Muppets from the PBS !!. Anyone read the fans-forum in the 'Scotsman' ? - they're going Tonto about it/him !
Hibs are second-best team in Scotland

SlickShoes
25-04-2017, 10:09 AM
Neil Lennon says hibs were pathetic and the performance of the first 30 minutes was unacceptable - people on forums go bananas.

Neil Lennon says to hibs TV we are the second best team in the country after watching us outplay the second best team in the country for most of the game - people on forums go bananas.

I don't believe we are any worse than Aberdeen, I also don't think we will finish anywhere near second next season, but I'm not frothing at the mouth if the manager thinks that and wants to believe it.

SirDavidsNapper
25-04-2017, 10:12 AM
To be honest Aberdeen are the 2nd best team in Scotland but in saying that I expected us to beat them and we really should have. Where does that put us? Who knows but until we finish 2nd in the top league we can't claim that title.

JimBHibees
25-04-2017, 10:13 AM
Dont have an issue with him saying it however he needs to back it up. Maybe more a comment for the Board to back him to get to that level.

1van Sprou7e
25-04-2017, 10:16 AM
I don't think he actually believes that, he's probably either making a statement of intent or trying to ensure that the board back him

Since90+2
25-04-2017, 10:17 AM
We are not the second best team in Scotland , Aberdeen are. On our day we can more than match everyteam in the country bar Celtic but that does not mean we have shown the consistenency required to be reqarded as the second best team in the country.

If the shoe was on the other foot and we had finished 2nd in the Premiership two years in a row and reached both cup finals we would be laughing at the Championship side making the claim.

neil7908
25-04-2017, 10:21 AM
We are not the second best team in Scotland , Aberdeen are. On our day we can more than match everyteam in the country bar Celtic but that does not mean we have shown the consistenency required to be reqarded as the second best team in the country.

If the shoe was on the other foot and we had finished 2nd in the Premiership two years in a row and reached both cup finals we would be laughing at the Championship side making the claim.

Spot on. There might be a few teams pinning Lennon's comment on the dressing room wall before we played them next year.

660
25-04-2017, 10:40 AM
I don't think he actually believes that, he's probably either making a statement of intent or trying to ensure that the board back him

This is probably the underlying reason.

I heard the jambos were furious after hearing his comments as they thought he was trying to take their title away from them until they realised he said second best team in Scotland not Edinburgh.

BroxburnHibee
25-04-2017, 10:42 AM
Whether he's right or not is a matter of opinion.

However our ambition should be for 2nd place next season.

Andy74
25-04-2017, 10:46 AM
Did he make that remark? Seems an odd to thing to say. Aberdeen are the second best team in Scotland: second on the SPL and made two cup finals.

And given he felt we were the better team on the day is he not justified in thinking he has a better team?

Sioux
25-04-2017, 11:10 AM
Too many Hibs fans want to come on here and moan and criticise about anything anyone at the club says or does. Even the stadium is getting it.

Maybe rename the forum to Dailymailprats.net

Hibernia&Alba
25-04-2017, 11:14 AM
And given he felt we were the better team on the day is he not justified in thinking he has a better team?

Not really from a one off game. It's difficult to make a claim of being the second best team in the country when in the Championship. We wouldn't be second in the SPL and we haven't made two cup finals this season. I do think the aim for next season should be to compete for second. We mightn't achieve it, but I think it's a realistic target, when you look at the state of the others beyond Aberdeen.

WeeRussell
25-04-2017, 11:17 AM
Too many Hibs fans want to come on here and moan and criticise about anything anyone at the club says or does. Even the stadium is getting it.

Maybe rename the forum to Dailymailprats.net

I don't see much criticism on this thread - plenty of disagreement on the statement itself but not actually having a go at Lennon.

For those who see it as an attempt to get the board to back him... surely he'd be better saying the ambition is for 2nd best, but we're not there yet... so show me the money!!

Marco G
25-04-2017, 11:18 AM
Too many Hibs fans want to come on here and moan and criticise about anything anyone at the club says or does. Even the stadium is getting it.

Maybe rename the forum to Dailymailprats.net
Too right! Lennon correctly said we could and should have won on Saturday. He feels we have a better squad than anyone but Celtic. I could not argue with that. Don't know why so many Hibees want to talk us down.

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GreenLake
25-04-2017, 11:24 AM
Hibs could end next season by taking more points off Celtic, Aberdeen, St Johnstone and The Rangers and then be second best to the worst clubs (with the exception of Hearts who I think we will clean sweep).

TheHarpy76
25-04-2017, 11:24 AM
Too right! Lennon correctly said we could and should have won on Saturday. He feels we have a better squad than anyone but Celtic. I could not argue with that. Don't know why so many Hibees want to talk us down.

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A league season is entirely different to one off cup games.
We've won 3 league games since the start of February in what was ultimately a pretty poor championship. Do you really think that form makes us the 2nd best team in Scotland? I sure as hell don't!

WeeRussell
25-04-2017, 11:27 AM
Too right! Lennon correctly said we could and should have won on Saturday. He feels we have a better squad than anyone but Celtic. I could not argue with that. Don't know why so many Hibees want to talk us down.

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Okay, we're easily better than Aberdeen, and there's not one of their players I would take. We'd probably be better than Barcelona if it wasn't for Messi.

It's not talking the team down - it's managing to be realistic about where we are and the work ahead of us. On the basis of this season, and recent form, we will do well to finish top 6.

Let's hope the improvement is on it's way, but leave the delusions to our neighbours across the road.

PeeKay
25-04-2017, 11:28 AM
Second best team in Scotland? Debateable. THE best club in Scotland? FACT :flag:

Hibernia&Alba
25-04-2017, 11:30 AM
Second best team in Scotland? Debateable. THE best club in Scotland? FACT :flag:

There are 400,000 Hearts fans who would take you to task. They are bigger than Real Madrid, Man United and Bayern Munich combined.

Alex Trager
25-04-2017, 11:34 AM
Neil Lennon says hibs were pathetic and the performance of the first 30 minutes was unacceptable - people on forums go bananas.

Neil Lennon says to hibs TV we are the second best team in the country after watching us outplay the second best team in the country for most of the game - people on forums go bananas.

I don't believe we are any worse than Aberdeen, I also don't think we will finish anywhere near second next season, but I'm not frothing at the mouth if the manager thinks that and wants to believe it.

I am very much in this camp.

Some comments above are startling.

hughio
25-04-2017, 11:56 AM
I am very much in this camp.

Some comments above are startling.

Me to.

matty_f
25-04-2017, 12:04 PM
I think it's a big vote of confidence in the players and himself, and sets out exactly where he thinks we should be.

We're not (IMHO) the second best team in the country but I think we're in the mix for it. On our day I'd fancy us against anyone - we certainly weren't outclassed by Aberdeen or Hearts, who would both see themselves as contenders for the second best slot.

pacoluna
25-04-2017, 12:10 PM
looking forward to coming back to this thread next may when we are sitting 2nd in the league :party:

Marco G
25-04-2017, 01:31 PM
A league season is entirely different to one off cup games.
We've won 3 league games since the start of February in what was ultimately a pretty poor championship. Do you really think that form makes us the 2nd best team in Scotland? I sure as hell don't!
OK. Think the point is what our squad of players would have done in the top league. You obviously think they would have struggled. I think they would have done very well. In the league we were in (and I don't think it was a pretty poor championship) its obvious we are by far the best team, but hamstrung by injuries and bad officials, we still won with games to spare. In cup matches against premier opposition we have always looked likely winners.

Anyway we will soon find out who is right at the end of next season [emoji3]

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Marco G
25-04-2017, 01:34 PM
Okay, we're easily better than Aberdeen, and there's not one of their players I would take. We'd probably be better than Barcelona if it wasn't for Messi.

It's not talking the team down - it's managing to be realistic about where we are and the work ahead of us. On the basis of this season, and recent form, we will do well to finish top 6.

Let's hope the improvement is on it's way, but leave the delusions to our neighbours across the road.
Hope I am not deluded, just optimistic! But since you raised it, how many Aberdeen players, would you prefer over their Hibs opposite number? If you think we will do well to finish top six I presume it must be a lot?

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Since90+2
25-04-2017, 01:38 PM
From Aberdeen I would take Joe Lewis , Logan , Shinnie , McLean , Rooney , McGinn , Hayes and Ryan Jack. IMO they would all enhance our squad and the majority of them would be first team picks.

Dashing Bob S
25-04-2017, 01:45 PM
We're in it to win it. They are all trembling with fear because they know we are coming for them.

wookie70
25-04-2017, 01:52 PM
Did he make that remark? Seems an odd to thing to say. Aberdeen are the second best team in Scotland: second on the SPL and made two cup finals.

He said we are the second best team in the country 4 times during his Hibs TV post match interview (https://hibstv.hibernianfc.co.uk/tv/video/vod/2034). It was Cliff doing the interview so there was no baiting or provocation involved. It did sound borne out of the frustration of losing the first couple of times he said it but by the end of the interview I think he was enjoying saying. It's really funny but I can't help but like Lennon, the man, even though I disagree with so much he says and the way he conducts himself and the style of football we play. We are not the second best team in the country. We may well become that even as early as next season and no problem with him aiming for the stars. Th eproblem is he thinks we are already at the stars from his comments and that would suggest he doesn't need too much added to the squad.

Marco G
25-04-2017, 02:00 PM
From Aberdeen I would take Joe Lewis , Logan , Shinnie , McLean , Rooney , McGinn , Hayes and Ryan Jack. IMO they would all enhance our squad and the majority of them would be first team picks.
Thanks. Lewis is a loan player. I would query if Logan and Shinnie are much better than what we have. So even the second top team in the top league has only 5 players who would get a game for us.[emoji3]

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wookie70
25-04-2017, 02:02 PM
From Aberdeen I would take Joe Lewis , Logan , Shinnie , McLean , Rooney , McGinn , Hayes and Ryan Jack. IMO they would all enhance our squad and the majority of them would be first team picks.

I would take all of them and they would all be in with a chance of starting with most going straight into the first team. I would also consider Christie albeit he is not technically their player. Shinnie, Mclean, Rooney, Hayes and McGinn would walk into our team imo and Rooney up top with JC could be very productive. We have players who can be as good but are far less consistent. Dylan is up there but only plays half the games, Squirrel can be unplayable but usually for around 10 minutes a game, Bartley is a great stopper but a bit one dimensional. We have no-one as versatile as Shinnie.

NAE NOOKIE
25-04-2017, 02:06 PM
I would rather he said 'we can be the 2nd best team in Scotland' rather than 'we are the 2nd best team in Scotland' if I'm honest.

When everything is done and dusted a few weeks from now the records will show that we finished the season as the 13th best team in Scotland and that's all that really counts ..... our cup record over the last few seasons shows that any premiership club facing a fixture against Hibs has good reason to worry about the result, there is no doubt we have the players to take on anybody in Scotland with a good chance of winning, barring Celtic. The question of how far behind them we are will only be answered when we face them ... a good bit is my guess, but that doesn't mean much because so is everybody else.

Beating teams in one off games is one thing, doing it over the lengthy period of a league campaign is quite another ...... Aberdeen have proved they can do that, we have not and that's in a division lower than them .... until we can prove that we are capable of putting together a run of games in the top division where we win consistently then we can not claim to be the 2nd best team in Scotland.

With the right signings in the summer and retaining the players we need to then yes we definitely have the potential to be the 2nd best team ..... until that happens and we have proved we can win in the premiership on a regular basis I would be happier if we just shut up about it and waited to do our talking on the pitch.

Since90+2
25-04-2017, 02:11 PM
I would disagree that Shinnie and Logan are not better than what we have but its all about opinions.

Aberdeen have played the exact same amount of league games as us this season and have more points , have scored more goals and have a better goal difference than us despite us playing in a lower league against inferior opposition. They also reached the league cup final and although it was a tight game at the weekend also knocked us out on the way to the Scottish cup final. The facts all point to the conclusion that they are currently a better side than we are.

Like I said in an earlier post if the the roles were reserved not one person on here would give any credence to the theory the Championship winners were better than us.

Next season is a different matter if we make the correct signings.

Waxy
25-04-2017, 02:22 PM
Beat Rangers the last couple of times we've played them. Beat Aberdeen last year and saturday was anyones game. Beat St Johnstone. Jambos? Yer havin a laugh? And all while we were in the championship.

Franck Stanton
25-04-2017, 02:55 PM
I would disagree that Shinnie and Logan are not better than what we have but its all about opinions.

Aberdeen have played the exact same amount of league games as us this season and have more points , have scored more goals and have a better goal difference than us despite us playing in a lower league against inferior opposition. They also reached the league cup final and although it was a tight game at the weekend also knocked us out on the way to the Scottish cup final. The facts all point to the conclusion that they are currently a better side than we are.

Like I said in an earlier post if the the roles were reserved not one person on here would give any credence to the theory the Championship winners were better than us.

Next season is a different matter if we make the correct signings.


Most sensible post on this topic. Well said.

Del Boy
25-04-2017, 03:47 PM
I would disagree that Shinnie and Logan are not better than what we have but its all about opinions.

Aberdeen have played the exact same amount of league games as us this season and have more points , have scored more goals and have a better goal difference than us despite us playing in a lower league against inferior opposition. They also reached the league cup final and although it was a tight game at the weekend also knocked us out on the way to the Scottish cup final. The facts all point to the conclusion that they are currently a better side than we are.

Like I said in an earlier post if the the roles were reserved not one person on here would give any credence to the theory the Championship winners were better than us.

Next season is a different matter if we make the correct signings.

Spot on.

neil7908
25-04-2017, 03:59 PM
I would disagree that Shinnie and Logan are not better than what we have but its all about opinions.

Aberdeen have played the exact same amount of league games as us this season and have more points , have scored more goals and have a better goal difference than us despite us playing in a lower league against inferior opposition. They also reached the league cup final and although it was a tight game at the weekend also knocked us out on the way to the Scottish cup final. The facts all point to the conclusion that they are currently a better side than we are.

Like I said in an earlier post if the the roles were reserved not one person on here would give any credence to the theory the Championship winners were better than us.

Next season is a different matter if we make the correct signings.

100%.

Sir David Gray
25-04-2017, 04:03 PM
I think it's refreshing to hear that from a Hibs manager.

We all know Celtic are in a league of their own but I see no reason why we can't be aiming for second place next season, unless Sevco get their act together.

wookie70
25-04-2017, 04:14 PM
I think it's refreshing to hear that from a Hibs manager.

We all know Celtic are in a league of their own but I see no reason why we can't be aiming for second place next season, unless Sevco get their act together.

He is not saying we are aiming for being the second best team he said we are the second best team. I don't think anyone disagrees that we should be aiming for second best.

IlDiavola
25-04-2017, 04:57 PM
There's positivity and there's ridiculousness...

Zazu62
25-04-2017, 05:01 PM
You've got to love Neil Lennon, he just does/says what he wants. Long may it continue he's a class act imo

hibbydog
25-04-2017, 05:08 PM
We are not the 2nd best team in the country.

If anyone thinks we are, just look at the league tables.

I think Lennon meant that we have potential to be 2nd best, which we absolutely should be aiming for

IlDiavola
25-04-2017, 05:09 PM
You've got to love Neil Lennon, he just does/says what he wants. Long may it continue he's a class act imo

I like Lennon but there is no way he is classy.

ekhibee
25-04-2017, 08:26 PM
Watch the first part of this programme, in which Lennon is interviewed (5.47-6.21)

https://youtu.be/MwECcZhlCBg