Rangers Running Scared

[Gunnerhibby]

With the transfer window firmly closed, Hibs can now concentrate on advancing to the 5th round of the Tennents Scottish Cup, with tomorrows eagerly awaited clash with Rangers at Ibrox.

The good news for Hibs fans is Scott Brown, injured in last weeks derby, now has a chance of making the game, after being ruled out by Julien Brelliers attempted 'mutilation' of Scotty's ankle.

Hibs go into tomorrows clash with the Bluenose Huns having given them two good humperings already this season, 0-3 and 2-1. Ivan Sproule claiming a legendary 'hat-trick' in the first game at Ibrox, and the Hibees deadly strike duo, Derek Riordan and Garry O'Connor, nailing them in the second match at Easter Road.

Top Hibee: Derek Riordan

Tony Mowbray will have a squad of players that will include Ivan Sproule, David Murphy, Kevin Thomson, Steven Whittaker, Garry O'Connor, Steven Fletcher, Steven Glass and Mikey Stewart.
Saturdays cup-tie will also see Derek Riordan line up against the Huns after a disgraceful attempt to disrupt Tony Mowbrays match preparations by using the west coast-based media to unsettle their top striker.

A 'transfer bid', which was leaked to the Glasgow press on the last day of the transfer window, put pressure on the Hibs board to sell Derek, but the resolve of Rod Petrie and Tony Mowbray showed through, and what can only be described as a pittance of an offer was flatly refused.

But this did'nt stop the 'unbiased' reporting of a situation that was blown all out of proportion.

Hacks such as Keith Jackson(Daily Record) claimed it was "a done deal", even going to the extent of revealing part of a phone conversation between David Murray and Rod Petrie, to prove his lies were in fact true.

Chic Young, that jolly little clown who loves to get close to Alex McLeish in the dugout, told all us TV licence payers, Derek "would be a Hun by lunchtime", then hastily edited his BBC article once the window had closed, to mirror the 'facts' as they appeared. Ho Ho Ho!!

Jackson, Young & Traynor

And last, but certainly not least, the Master of Baiters, Jim Traynor. "How dare Hibs refuse to sell Derek, its just not on. Their only doing it to spite Rangers", he told his reader.
According to this "journalist", this was the worst business deal Hibs had done, or not as the case may be, in many a year. By refusing to sell the player they[Hibs] had done themselves out of much-needed finances.

Hmm! Is that right Mr Traynor? Lets examine the offer more closely, eh?

A total of £470,000 for a player who has scored 50+ goals in two and a half seasons. Seems a bargain for Rangers does it not? Especially when it would take them 2-3 years to finally settle up with Hibs.

So who is it a bad deal for? I always thought the days of some 'Del-boy' agent selling Egil Ostenstaad to the Huns were gone. It seems that Del Trotter now has a position at Ibrox, doing transfer negotiations.

Whilst Hibs may be in 'financial difficulties', we are now at a manageable level, and the need to "bite the hand off" anyone putting in the slightest offer are over. The days are gone when we will be held to ransom by Scotlands Shame. The refusal to sell to the Huns puts out a message of defiance saying, "NO we will not sell just because you say so". This will hopefully bring a different approach from other clubs who have the ambition to build their team from their own youth programme, rather than buy in from other clubs when your own has obvious deficiences.

In truth, the deal was nothing more than an attempt to put pressure on Hibs before tomorrows cup-tie and disrupt the team preparations by unsettling their top striker. A disgraceful tactic from a club under pressure, and who's manager will no doubt be emptied by the seasons end, aided and abetted by the Mo, Larry and Curly of the Scottish media.