Will Craig ever completely turn it round with the support ?

[worcesterhibby]

There were plenty on here who would have happily paid for a taxi out of ER for Liam Craig at the end of last season and there are very few of us who have not been critical of him on this forum (myself included). In my opinion however, Liam is gradually playing better and better in a Hibs jersey at the moment and very often seems to be involved in the moves that lead to Hibs goals. With Scott Robertson playing the "Matty Jack" role at the back of the midfield it seems to have freed up Liam to get forward more and influence games. He got his first goal of the season at the weekend, but what would he have to do for you to make him one of the first names on the team sheet ?

[Viva_Palmeiras]

Many of the recent polls are skewed due to a lack of "none of the above (please explain...)" option.

i don't think my opinion of him will change. I think he's a decent player but for whatever reason been heavily affected by the demands of the captains role at Hibs. He probably shouldn't have got the captains role and certainly not by default he needed to show the leadership qualities required.

If he hadn't been given captaincy or if TBs management and tactics hadn't been route 1 we might have formed a different view. It's like he lost his mojo and despite trying he cannot rekindle the desire.

I think he needs to hang in there, perform and score goals like the start of his Hibs career. But think he's lost the opportunity for a second/third chance with many of the support.

[Pretty Boy]

He's played well the last few weeks.

The criticism he got last season was fierce but I'd argue much of it was justified. He's a high profile player and club captain and he waa hiding last season and playing like a man who knew the writing was on the wall with regards to relegation. That's always going to take time for fans to get over.

The last few weeks has seen a manager with a clue play to his strengths, he's battled away and is gradually starting to influence games. Any praise he gets is as justified as the criticism of last season. There will always be some who will never 'forgive'. For me if he keeps playing well I'll judge him on that.

[Billy Whizz]

He has already

[monktonharp]

he was one of the main reasons we got relegated, imho. he ran about like a headless chicken at times, continually got booked when making tackles that were never "on". he then continually moaned and groaned to referees and did not act like a captain.

[MB62]

I thought he played quite well against QoSth recently, only to get back to the pub after the game where all started slagging him for being too 'side ways'.

There's no pleasing some people (that's just what Jesus said sir)

[Billy Whizz]

As an aside, hope he's fit for the weekend

[CallumLaidlaw]

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He's played well the last few weeks.

The criticism he got last season was fierce but I'd argue much of it was justified. He's a high profile player and club captain and he waa hiding last season and playing like a man who knew the writing was on the wall with regards to relegation. That's always going to take time for fans to get over.

The last few weeks has seen a manager with a clue play to his strengths, he's battled away and is gradually starting to influence games. Any praise he gets is as justified as the criticism of last season. There will always be some who will never 'forgive'. For me if he keeps playing well I'll judge him on that.

Agree with this 100%. If he gets back to playing consistently for us, then I'm happy with that. But some will never forgive.

[NAE NOOKIE]

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He's played well the last few weeks.

The criticism he got last season was fierce but I'd argue much of it was justified. He's a high profile player and club captain and he waa hiding last season and playing like a man who knew the writing was on the wall with regards to relegation. That's always going to take time for fans to get over.

The last few weeks has seen a manager with a clue play to his strengths, he's battled away and is gradually starting to influence games. Any praise he gets is as justified as the criticism of last season. There will always be some who will never 'forgive'. For me if he keeps playing well I'll judge him on that.

This

[InterviewLoI]

David Gray should be made club captain and Stevenson vice. Let Craig focus on getting back to his St. Johnstone/early Fenlon form.

[patlowe]

The use of language like "forgive" is a bit much, he didn't deliberately set out to relegate Hibs last season.

Having said that, he was really awful last season and I haven't seen anything this season to suggest he's going to be a great player for Hibs. I think he has a few decent attributes, and don't mind having him around the squad, but in the long run I don't think he has the energy or character to play at the level we want to be at. Happy to be proved wrong on this, I've absolutely nothing against the guy.

[worcesterhibby]

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David Gray should be made club captain and Stevenson vice. Let Craig focus on getting back to his St. Johnstone/early Fenlon form.

I suppose it's always a difficult judgement call as to what works better...

A) Take the captaincy away to free the pressure and let him concentrate on his duties as a member of the team.
B) Take the captaincy away and it will be a big knock to his confidence and show a lack of trust from his manager just as he is starting to regain his form.

I think these are the sorts of decisions that are impossible to make "from the outside" without knowing the player and what makes him tick. Alan Stubbs has retained him as captain..I'm happy to back him on that, at least for this season.

[worcesterhibby]

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Many of the recent polls are skewed due to a lack of "none of the above (please explain...)" option.

Point taken

[monktonharp]

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David Gray should be made club captain and Stevenson vice. Let Craig focus on getting back to his St. Johnstone/early Fenlon form.

let St Johnstone have him, for a small fee

[21.05.2016]

The first half of last season I would say he was probably our best player, but after the new year derby he was awful. I thought he completely lacked in leadership and gave the ball away far to much. Howvever, he seems now to be finding his feet again and playing far better. Still not back to his best but a huge improvement from last season.

[Nutmegged]

Will he turn it around? Who knows

Can he turn it around? Absolutely


we're a highly strung bunch at times with thirst for over expectation but deep down I also think wewe're a fair set of fans, if Liam Craig plays a big part in our promotion either through the Play-Off's this season or by winning the title next Season I'm pretty certain that fans will give him a fair crack, he went missing last year but he came here from a wee club, a club who've done well but small fry compared to Hibs, here he has this exoectation heaped on him and also given the Captains armband, I've no doubt that was a hinderence but what Professional would turn down the opportunity to be the Skipper?

He drowned in the sea of expectancy last year and you could see his game webt to bits, in this league he is a step ahead the majority of his opponents, hos manager is playing him in a morw familiar role and he now has a far better squad of players around him now IMO and that in turn should help.

[patlowe]

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The first half of last season I would say he was probably our best player, but after the new year derby he was awful. I thought he completely lacked in leadership and gave the ball away far to much. Howvever, he seems now to be finding his feet again and playing far better. Still not back to his best but a huge improvement from last season.

I personally didn't think he was that great in the first half of the season but at least he made some significant contributions I guess. Where I do agree is that after a very brief upturn in form when Butcher came in, his play completely deteriorated, admittedly as the team's did. From then on, his performances tended to consist of 'control, turn, hoof, repeat', it was eye-bleeding stuff and so poor that I just assumed it was what TB/MM were asking him to do. If they weren't then unfortunately I have to conclude that he just may not have the quality, leadership or composure to cope when the going really gets tough.

[Smartie]

I'm delighted to be the first one to select the first option.

He's made mistakes - no doubt about it - and played a part in a relegation campaign. It's a long way back from there.

But he's made a huge contribution to our last 2 games - the kind of games we were struggling in earlier this season. He's been immense at Ibrox twice already this season and has contributed well in others. He's been dropped and then responded in the best way possible each time. It will be interesting to see what happens when McGeoch is fit again but I think Craig is versatile enough to play any of the 4 "diamond" positions we play at the moment.

His positive contributions during games are normally greeted with silence whereas his negative ones are met with howls of derision. I think he is showing leadership right now and I don't think that he does hide at all.

Most of all he has the backing of our manager and Stubbs has shown enough to me in his short time at Easter Road that he deserves our support and respect. If Craig is good enough in his eyes to be his leader on the park then he's good enough for me.

[Waxy]

He has to chip in with a few goals.

[Seven up]

If he scores the winner in the Scottish Cup Final then just maybe.....

[Dashing Bob S]

Decent player, who was almost destroyed by Butcher making him the captain he so manifestly wasn't. Maybe he's grown into the role, if Stubbs thinks so, then fine. Time to get over it, get behind him and encourage his rehabilitation. Really don't see the point of a support doing anything other than supporting a team. Sure, we are paying good money and entitled to criticise, but dwelling on the past when there will always be a slew of fixtures ahead to anticipate, seems the ultimate exercise in futility.

[patlowe]

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Decent player, who was almost destroyed by Butcher making him the captain he so manifestly wasn't. Maybe he's grown into the role, if Stubbs thinks so, then fine. Time to get over it, get behind him and encourage his rehabilitation. Really don't see the point of a support doing anything other than supporting a team. Sure, we are paying good money and entitled to criticise, but dwelling on the past when there will always be a slew of fixtures ahead to anticipate, seems the ultimate exercise in futility.

"You have to know the past to understand the present"

[3pm]

IMO, he cannot turn it round.

[Danderhall Hibs]

Written off too soon. Them making him captain then dropping him all the time destroyed his confidence completely.

Hopefully he can come good, although some of the folk that sit in the f5 round me won't ever forgive. At the last home game he got the blame for something Gray done and got no credit for playing the exact same pass that Allan later played. Of course Allan received close to a standing ovation for his pass.

[Golden Bear]

I hope so, the fact that he elected to stay at ER proves that he really does care to right last season's wrongs.

The Manager rates him and he rates the Manager and I think he'll go on to become the good player we all suspect he is.

[snedzuk]

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I'm delighted to be the first one to select the first option.

He's made mistakes - no doubt about it - and played a part in a relegation campaign. It's a long way back from there.

But he's made a huge contribution to our last 2 games - the kind of games we were struggling in earlier this season. He's been immense at Ibrox twice already this season and has contributed well in others. He's been dropped and then responded in the best way possible each time. It will be interesting to see what happens when McGeoch is fit again but I think Craig is versatile enough to play any of the 4 "diamond" positions we play at the moment.

His positive contributions during games are normally greeted with silence whereas his negative ones are met with howls of derision. I think he is showing leadership right now and I don't think that he does hide at all.

Most of all he has the backing of our manager and Stubbs has shown enough to me in his short time at Easter Road that he deserves our support and respect. If Craig is good enough in his eyes to be his leader on the park then he's good enough for me.

Completely agree with this - especially the highlighted bit. When hes been dropped his attitude with the other subs has been good plus I still remember his impassioned speech shortly after Stubbs took over about wanting to repay supporters. Ive always thought there was a player inside Liam Craig trying desparately to get out and I think were now starting to see that player. At the smaller grounds this season the players can obviously hear pretty clearly and it would be good to have some support and encouragement e.g. 'great goal Liam' when he's six feet away rather than some of the stuff I've heard this season.

[7Hero]

failed in the "premier" league. Doing "OK" in the mickey mouse league.

Jury still out..

Lift the scottish cup ?

LEGEND..


christ i'm fickle...

[Sir David Gray]

Liam Craig's a good player.

We haven't seen him play as well as we would have liked during his time with us so far but he's definitely one to keep hold of.

[greenlex]

Absolutely no danger. If Lewis Stevenson can't Liam Craig has no chane

[Pretty Boy]

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Absolutely no danger. If Lewis Stevenson can't Liam Craig has no chane

Has Lewis not turned it round? If he ever had to.

Every Hibs fan I know rates Lewis and a hell of a lot of people on here do as well. There's a vocal minority who don't but I'm pretty confident that a minority, and a small one at that, is exactly what they are.