Day: May 1, 2012

Beattie's the bhoy to break Hibs' hearts!

Tick tock, tick, tock … It’s been 110 years since Hibs won the Scottish Cup – and Hearts fans reckon you can make that 111! As they see it, it’s going to be Gorgie glee and not sunshine on Leith come 5pm on 19 May.

Hearts have the upper hand in derby encounters over recent seasons – the unbeaten run now stretches to ten games and you have to go back to three long years to find the last time Hibs tasted victory in an Edinburgh derby through a Riordan penalty. There are good reasons for that Hearts dominance.

When it comes to the big occasion, Hearts players rise to the challenge where Hibs seem to wilt and wither under the pressure. Hearts seem to want it more and even seem to expect it now – there’s a superiority, a swagger and a confidence when Hearts face Hibs. And in the lead-up to the most talked about Cup Final in living memory, Hearts have better players than Hibs all over the pitch.

Take the respective defences. The Hearts defence is settled, reliable and packed with experience. Hearts goalkeepers have also made the headlines for the right reasons – unlike poor old Hibs: Malkowski or Makalambay, anybody? Hearts have nothing to fear from a powder puff Hibs attack.

In midfield Hearts also hold all the aces. While Hibs’ engine room is full of lightweight players who flatter to deceive with fancy flicks and nice touches – which seldom come off – in Ian Black Hearts have a combative wee warrior (Hibs fans call him other things) who will boss, bully and dominate the centre of the park. Games like these need a grafter, a battler. Hibs don’t have one – Hearts have Ian Black.

Up front, Hearts have the edge too. Big game player Rudi Skacel has a fine record against Hibs and in Craig Beattie Hearts have a fine striker with all the attributes you need to win games. He’s sharp, has a fine shot and is good in the air. When chances come, he takes them. Hibs defence has tightened up over recent weeks, but they are still prone to the odd error and you can be sure that any weaknesses will be exposed on Hampden’s wide-open spaces. Both Hibs full-backs like to get forward but leave space at the back – and when Hearts wide players get in behind them there will be opportunities aplenty. Hearts will create chances and, with the firepower available at Gorgie, Hibs will be punished.

Yes, Hearts have had better seasons but given the ongoing wages problems and persistent reports that all is not well financially, that’s hardly surprising. Having said that, Hearts  have still had a better season than their old rivals! In Paulo Sergio Hearts have an astute young manager and, if he’s left alone to do his job without interference from ‘on high’, he’s already shown that he can get results and Sergio has a fully fit and highly motivated squad to choose from. Unlike the Hibs, Hearts have not been involved in an end of season dogfight and have had a perfect preparation in the build-up to the Cup Final.

And there’s no doubt about it, Hearts got to the final on merit – they took on Scotland’s best team by far, and not only matched Celtic but deservedly beat them. Celtic had no excuses, and how many of the current Hibs squad would get a place in that Celtic team?

Hearts face their oldest rivals on 19 May full of confidence. Better players, better form, better manager, great recent record against Hibs, fine performances at Hampden behind them – everything points to a comprehensive Hearts victory, and the sweetest cup win of them all.

Beattie’s the bhoy to break Hibs’ hearts!

Tick tock, tick, tock … It’s been 110 years since Hibs won the Scottish Cup – and Hearts fans reckon you can make that 111! As they see it, it’s going to be Gorgie glee and not sunshine on Leith come 5pm on 19 May.

Hearts have the upper hand in derby encounters over recent seasons – the unbeaten run now stretches to ten games and you have to go back to three long years to find the last time Hibs tasted victory in an Edinburgh derby through a Riordan penalty. There are good reasons for that Hearts dominance.

When it comes to the big occasion, Hearts players rise to the challenge where Hibs seem to wilt and wither under the pressure. Hearts seem to want it more and even seem to expect it now – there’s a superiority, a swagger and a confidence when Hearts face Hibs. And in the lead-up to the most talked about Cup Final in living memory, Hearts have better players than Hibs all over the pitch.

Take the respective defences. The Hearts defence is settled, reliable and packed with experience. Hearts goalkeepers have also made the headlines for the right reasons – unlike poor old Hibs: Malkowski or Makalambay, anybody? Hearts have nothing to fear from a powder puff Hibs attack.

In midfield Hearts also hold all the aces. While Hibs’ engine room is full of lightweight players who flatter to deceive with fancy flicks and nice touches – which seldom come off – in Ian Black Hearts have a combative wee warrior (Hibs fans call him other things) who will boss, bully and dominate the centre of the park. Games like these need a grafter, a battler. Hibs don’t have one – Hearts have Ian Black.

Up front, Hearts have the edge too. Big game player Rudi Skacel has a fine record against Hibs and in Craig Beattie Hearts have a fine striker with all the attributes you need to win games. He’s sharp, has a fine shot and is good in the air. When chances come, he takes them. Hibs defence has tightened up over recent weeks, but they are still prone to the odd error and you can be sure that any weaknesses will be exposed on Hampden’s wide-open spaces. Both Hibs full-backs like to get forward but leave space at the back – and when Hearts wide players get in behind them there will be opportunities aplenty. Hearts will create chances and, with the firepower available at Gorgie, Hibs will be punished.

Yes, Hearts have had better seasons but given the ongoing wages problems and persistent reports that all is not well financially, that’s hardly surprising. Having said that, Hearts  have still had a better season than their old rivals! In Paulo Sergio Hearts have an astute young manager and, if he’s left alone to do his job without interference from ‘on high’, he’s already shown that he can get results and Sergio has a fully fit and highly motivated squad to choose from. Unlike the Hibs, Hearts have not been involved in an end of season dogfight and have had a perfect preparation in the build-up to the Cup Final.

And there’s no doubt about it, Hearts got to the final on merit – they took on Scotland’s best team by far, and not only matched Celtic but deservedly beat them. Celtic had no excuses, and how many of the current Hibs squad would get a place in that Celtic team?

Hearts face their oldest rivals on 19 May full of confidence. Better players, better form, better manager, great recent record against Hibs, fine performances at Hampden behind them – everything points to a comprehensive Hearts victory, and the sweetest cup win of them all.

Hibs heroes to end Hampden hoodoo

 

And if you know your history … yes, we know, it’s 110 years since Hibs won the Scottish Cup and long-suffering Hibees could be forgiven for staying in their beds on 19 May, or maybe take the opportunity to enjoy that long-awaited weekend break in Kazahkstan. After all, Hibs don’t beat Hearts. And they certainly don’t win the Scottish Cup.

It was somehow inevitable that, following Hibs semi-final victory over Aberdeen, city rivals Hearts would triumph over Celtic in the other tie. It was meant to be.

And yet Hibs could surprise us all – their own fans included. Granted, this is probably the worst ever Hibs team to contest a final, but the Hampden showpiece is an opportunity to put wretched League form behind them and go out and actually enjoy the occasion. There is no pressure on the Easter Road men – they have nothing to lose; they are expected to lose.

Half the HIbs squad is out of contract at the end of this season – what better opportunity to put yourself in the shop window, or securing yourself a new contract, than by being part of a cup winning team?

Hibs have been poor all season – correction, for seasons – and their current SPL plight is no surprise. They are not in a false position – they thoroughly deserve to be where they are, scrapping it out with Dunfermline for Premier League survival. They just haven’t been good enough.

But they have been a different proposition in the cup. Granted, they have had some luck in the draw but they have done all they have had to do, and they have reached the final on merit. In Leigh Griffiths and Gary O’Connor they do have strikers who can take their chances and who can prove a handful for the Hearts defence.

And in James McPake the Hibees at last have a leader of the pitch, a real captain who will nail his colours to the mast and who will battle for the cause to the end. He’s the type of motivator Hibs have been sorely missing – and the Cup Final is a day for big hearts and big men. McPake may just inspire his men to glory.

So it could just be Hibs day. Some very ordinary players could well become club legends over the course of ninety (or, God forbid, 120) minutes. It’s unlikely to be pretty or even enjoyable; forget a 7-0 or a 6-2, a sclaffed tap-in in the 89th minute for an ill-deserved 1-0 would do! The only thing that matters is the name on the trophy after the game. Given the topsy-turvy nature of Scottish football this season, that name could just be Hibernian FC – and how sweet would it be to end that Hampden hoodoo against your oldest rivals?

For Hibs, it’s the biggest game in the club’s illustrious history. And for the fans, the most important match of their lives. As one long-suffering Hibs fan said: ‘for them, it’s just another game. But for us, it means everything’.