Hibs players hold meeting to patch up team spirit

Published on Wednesday 22 February 2012 00:00

A GROUP of angry Hibernian players gathered in the same room together. This scenario might spell trouble for Pat Fenlon, the manager whose record since taking over from Colin Calderwood has remained stoutly unimpressive in terms of results.

David Wotherspoon has revealed that an inquest was held on Monday, the day after the Easter Road side’s 5-0 defeat to Celtic. However, Hibs supporters will be relieved to hear that this meeting was not with chairman Rod Petrie, as happened when the players sought to stage a revolt during the last months of John Collins’ reign.

These fans will also be gratified to learn that Fenlon himself was present, as were the rest of his first-team coaching staff.

Sunday’s result, Hibs’ worst home defeat in over 25 years, left them in joint last place and, as Wotherspoon noted, “it’s got to hit home now that we’re battling at the bottom”. With tonight’s rearranged league clash with Motherwell to prepare for, there was no day off for the Hibs players on Monday, as might normally have been the case. Instead, they reconvened at the club’s training complex and sought to give themselves another shake. The fact of the matter is that with just 12 matches of their league season remaining, Hibs are still struggling to push themselves away from Dunfermline, a team who have yet to win a home league match all season.

“We had a big discussion to get us going and I think it really hit home to all of us,” said Wotherspoon. “Everyone was there, everyone was involved and voicing their opinions.

“It was a real team unit,” he added. “We’re trying to be positive because we don’t want to be negative. But we know we need to give ourselves a boost and get up the table.

“After the game on Sunday, everyone was a bit down and the boys were wanting to address the situation and I believe that’s what was done. It was a good thing to be done because we got all the boys together and really showed we’re a team.”

The infamous players’ showdown with Petrie in April 2007 remains a memorable, and probably regrettable, episode in Hibs’ recent history. It saw a group of disaffected first-team players air their complaints about Collins’ style of management just six months into his reign, and only weeks after winning the Co-operative Insurance Cup. Fenlon has only been at Hibs for just over three months – indeed, his first game was against Motherwell, in the abandoned original fixture from December, which they led 1-0 – but he has learned very quickly that the problems associated with successor Calderwood’s tenure won’t be easily swept away, despite the significant freshening-up of the squad which took place during the last transfer window.

With the revolt of five years’ ago in mind, Wotherspoon was asked to outline who had attended the meeting, and whether the management knew about it and, indeed, if they were involved. The midfielder confirmed that it was an inclusive affair and that everyone was permitted to air their thoughts – be they manager, coach or player. “We just wanted a positive vibe, so we got together – and we’re all together in it,” he said. “All the staff were there voicing opinions and trying to focus on this game on Wednesday.”

Fenlon later corroborated this version of events, but admitted that words don’t amount to an awful lot unless they are accompanied by deeds on the pitch. “It’s easy enough to sit around and talk and have an opinion,” he said. “But it’s about taking that on to the park.”

Hibs can’t even be sure whether a win this evening will finally see some clear daylight between themselves and Dunfermline, who will be in action a few miles away at Celtic Park. “We don’t want to look at the bottom because we always want to be looking ahead of us, but at the moment we are there with them [Dunfermline],” said Wotherspoon.

He bemoaned the fact that Hibs have struggled to build on the few positive results achieved this season. “The two games before [the defeat to Celtic] we looked more organised and I think on Sunday we just lost a bit of discipline,” he said. “We’ve shown that we have got good performances in us and we need to show that again this week.”

Comments

There are 41 comments to this article

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 3

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next >
• Show all

41

Hen Broon

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 04:55 PM

#39 Hannon....there is an easy answer to your question.....IANFAE raised RANKIN not me!!!! I never mentioned Riordan hence no idea what you are referring to. Further I note you avoid commenting on fact that you berate me for commenting on hypothetical scenarios whilst engaging in same at your will. Your aggenda remains transparent but not important. Good luck to Hibs tonight . Although based on HEARTS current form I am clutching at straws but we could do without them going another 3 points clear.

• Report Unsuitable

40

Hannon

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 03:51 PM

#39 should read - no great loss and also Hogg and Rankin ( not Riordan)

• Report Unsuitable

39

Hannon

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 03:49 PM

#38 Get real, I in no way tried to take you to task. I merely queried why you are trying to dig up past decisions on playing staff at ER and what your real point is in doing that? Why not pick on other like Riordan,Thomson, Brown, etc. In regard to Rankin, I was suggesting he is no loss and there are differing opinions on his worth and contributions. Reference to mates was to demonstrate that others share my view in that he was no greet loss although appreciate others ( like Ian) have an opposing opinion. I have no agenda other than to query what you are trying to prove in regard to Hogg and Riordan. I suspect that you were trying to say that Hibs would be better off today with them in team. If that is so I disagree if not, apologies for picking you up wrong. You seemed keen to prolong debate with your first response to me but perhaps not. Anyway no matter must go Fir Park and more important matters are calling

• Report Unsuitable

38

Hen Broon

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 01:44 PM

#36 Hannon - You ask 'what is the point in debating an event that cannot now affect Hibs in any way?' Is that not what you are doing re highlighting Rankins inability in a one to one? Further confirming your opinion that you would chose Miller over Rankin is surely equally hypothetical.I am not sure why you(and all your mates!)and Donald think that it is innapropriate to debate previous decisions(as they can & do effect the present ) but if you do not want to debate then don't! Ianfae raised Rankin ....i made a comment...you & Donald decided to take me to task........ again both your agendas are childish & transparent but equally harmless hence I will leave it at that.

• Report Unsuitable

37

WBB

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 01:06 PM

I think the players had a meeting to discuss how they were going to approach PF and ask him to stop spitting. How many times does that guy spit during a game. It is absolutely unbelieveable not to mention disgusting to watch. I tuned in to watch the Hibs game v Celtic and honestly I could not bear to watch him. Is he for real?

• Report Unsuitable

36

Hannon

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 01:03 PM

#30 Tott - What is the point in debating an event that cannot now affect Hibs in any way? Rankin was released by Calderwood, his replacements were released by the new Manager who decided for whatever reason he did not want certain players from the Calderwood tenure. In my opinion it is too early to judge the comparison between the players brought in by Fenlon and the likes of Rankin and to be more specific it serves no purpose and definitely does not help Hibs current plight. What do you and Ian hope to achieve by suggesting Hibs made a mistake releasing Rankin, its done over and from what I know from most of my mates Rankin is not missed by any of us. He had his time and moved on. What do you hope to achieve by debating this issue? Its fruitless, its about as sensible as me saying would the current Hearts side be better if it had Willie Wallace, Donald Ford, Drew Busby, Willie Bauld, Jimmy Wardhaugh? Rankin and Hogg are away - a muted thanks for your contribution and all the best for future careers, meantime - Osbourne Claros, McPake and Hanlon get the finger out and start performing, coaching manual or not- thats what is important to me and should be to Ian. - As far as I am concerned your views and those of all other non Hibs fans are quite frankly irrelevant in relation to Hibs.

• Report Unsuitable

35

donald marr

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:06 PM

Plank ,your opinion on Black is plain wrong. Only you and his mother think him Scotland class. You are biased . Try and recognize this.

• Report Unsuitable

34

De Vries Scores Four

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 12:05 PM

#33 - Thanks for your positive post. A couple of things..... Are you Scottish? ......... Where about has the Scottish league been declared "officially the worst professional league in the world ". I would like to see where that has been officially and factually confirmed. Also, I dont think there is one poster on here that is particularly proud of the Scottish game at the moment but it is 'The Scottish game'. We are scottish, live in scotland and support our local teams (well, some of us) which again, are SCOTTISH. I cant commute to Old Trafford or The San Siro every second weekend but im glad you can. Keep hunting for glory!

• Report Unsuitable

33

the unbiased view

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:39 AM

what a sad place to watch football, Scotland has become officially the worst professional league in the world and all the posters on here have to say is pure comedy as they allow the bigger picture to go sailing past their little minds. rangers will be playing in the spl next year of that there is no doubt whilst either dunfermline or hibs will go down to a lower division and in the case of hibs we are talking about a club that has played its financial game by the book with a balance sheet placed in the top 10 in the entire uk in terms of football clubs. add to that a capital city that has won 8 championships in their combined historys yoy guys might begin to get my drift. scottish football - WHATS THE POINT !

• Report Unsuitable

32

MrHibs07-1973

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:13 AM

Comment removed by moderator

31

clamhan

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:07 AM

#20 "a league that's even less credible than our own." For how much longer ?

• Report Unsuitable

30

Hen Broon

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:06 AM

#27 Donald ...it is all about opinions. My opinion on Ian Black has nothing to do with my opinion on Rankine,Hogg or any other player. Prior to injury Terry Butcher felt Hogg was good enough to play in a team with a better defensive record than Hibs with his replacements in place & Peter Houston thinks Rankin is good enough for the team looking to get into Europe. Hence my opinion is shared by others.HANNON..... with all due respect it is not pointless if the subject matter is whether or not Hibs off loaded better players than they procured to replace them. In terms of Hibs current issues clearly no more relivant than whether or not he was any good on one to ones or whether you would choose Miller over rankin.

• Report Unsuitable

29

First Green

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 11:02 AM

I think we miss Miller more than Rankin. LM was criticised for his workrate but had some quality that hasn`t really been replaced. Anyway no point in worrying about past players and hopefully Fenlon has some good targets for next season once relegation issue is resolved. With so many managerial changes we`ve got used to new managers bringing in new and getting rid of old (in fact we`ve demanded signings by new managers) when reality is that because of financial restrictions, bad luck with injuries etc or bad judgement by managers we`ve often ended up with weaker squad. Fall in general standard at Hibs in last few years and in SPL in general too. I was glad when Hearts signed Ian Black because at the time I didn`t think he was good enough for us. I still don`t rate him and hope we`ll sign better but sadly he`d probably get a game for us . Wwe can`t expect Fenlon or anyone else to build a good new team in six months and we`ll have to accept mediocre Black type players till we find quality again.

• Report Unsuitable

28

donald marr

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:44 AM

#26 Well put as usual Hannon. It seems some players are just destined to play well at certain clubs and not at others. Personally I recall always seeming to play well at certain grounds and poorly at others.No doubt it's all in the mind.

• Report Unsuitable

27

donald marr

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:34 AM

#14 Hogg was finished at Easter Road,making mistakes all over the place,every week. You as usual don't have a clue what you're talking about. Why should anyone believe a serial poster ,who touts Ian Black for Scotland?

• Report Unsuitable

Order by:

• Newest first
• |
• Oldest first

Page 1 of 3

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next >
• Show all

Logged in as:

Comment here. Start typing your comment here:

Post comment

Please adhere to our Community guidelines

Your view

Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.