James McPake can take leading role in Hibs defence
There are hopes James McPake will prove a good influence on younger players
HIBS boss Pat Fenlon believes new signing James McPake can become a father figure to his Easter Road kids.
Although delighted to have a squad packed with promising youngsters, Fenlon has also been keenly aware of the need for more experienced figures to lend them a guiding hand.
Sorting out his defence has been a particular priority, the recent absence through injury of club captain Ian Murray leaving him with only Sean O’Hanlon and Michael Hart as seasoned professionals in that area.
Through necessity he has often been forced to field a back four made up mostly of young players.
Paul Hanlon, although he has played more than 100 first-team games; David Stephens; Callum Booth; on-loan Celtic player Richie Towell; and newcomer George Francomb are all aged 22 or under, Fenlon admitting the lack of an older shoulder to lean on at times can make life difficult for the youngsters as they face up to the rigours of life in the SPL.
But now he’s hoping the presence of 27-year-old former Livingston stopper McPake, on loan until the end of the season from English Championship outfit Coventry City, will help ease the burden.
He said: “James can give us that bit of guidance and help around the team in relation to his knowledge of the game and his communication skills in addition to what he brings on the park.
“We have a lot of good young players here, but young players need guiding both on and off the park.”
And Fenlon believes McPake’s influence will be felt even further afield than his first team squad with a number of the club’s Under-19 squad such as Sam Stanton and Ross Caldwell now pushing for the step-up along with that side’s former captain Scott Smith who has returned from his loan spell with Brechin City.
The Easter Road boss said: “Some of the Under-19s have been around the fringes of the first team, but you need experienced professionals who know what it takes to play under a bit of pressure as we are at the moment and how to deal with it.”
And even if he isn’t wearing the captain’s armband, Fenlon believes McPake can be a leader – along with others.
He said: “You can be a captain without an armband on. Armband or not, you should be able to organise and lead a team. It’s important when we have a lot of young players to have individuals like that: not just in one position, but scattered around the team, and able to organise and able to help out when under a bit of pressure.”
Fenlon believes Tom Soares, signed on loan from Stoke City just hours after McPake agreed to return north of the Border, can similarly bring his experience to bear, the former England Under-21 cap now 25 and desperate to kick-start a career which has stalled somewhat at the Britannia Stadium.
Revealing it was pester-power which helped persuade Stoke boss Tony Pulis to agree to Soares’ move, Fenlon said: “Tom is a fantastic football player. I spoke to a few people who played with him at Crystal Palace and I think I’ve annoyed Tony over the last three or four weeks about him!
“Tom has real quality, he’s a big physical player and I think the supporters will enjoy watching him play. He’s a good player, but, again, he brings a lot of knowledge to the squad.”
Fenlon, though, isn’t content with the additions he has made, the Hibs boss adamant he’d like to add further experience before the transfer window slams shut on Tuesday night, with former Scotland midfielder Gavin Rae having caught his attention.
Currently with Dundee, the 34-year-old is believed to have a gentleman’s agreement with Dens Park manager Barry Smith that he can leave the First Division club if he receives an offer from elsewhere.
Fenlon, though, could face competition with his hometown club Aberdeen also alerted by his fine form for the Dark Blues.
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Comments
There are 88 comments to this article
Page 1 of 6
donald marr
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 12:41 PM#73 Yak ,you, along with Hannon, are my favourite contributors. Can I kindly quote you again ,for the benefit of those buffoons ,Hammy and Hen(I canae spell,or stick to one name) Broon. ... "As much as it pains me to see Hibs in their current plight, it all really isn't quite as important as you make out to be. Although, I'm glad it appears to bring you some sort of relief, however brief. " This post is however,representative of a sanity well beyond the ken of the sad ,sick,lonely ,hateful,serial posting buffoons,looking to make mischief ,on a rivals thread.
donald marr
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 10:31 AM#65 ,Hen Broon,more buffoonery," tortured imiganation" ? Tortured English more like. There is something highly immoral about Hearts massive debt.
Hammy1874
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 07:51 AMRight on cue... YAK fails to control his slabberings and jumps straight back in. Here YAK, I am not even going to put bait on the hook..... just you jump straight on. (mind and leave out the racist and bigoted comments though)
vladhibs
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 07:29 AMenjoy it while you can but methinks there is bigger problems in gorski
DonfromOz
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 11:36 PMHibs must be in the worst position they have been in for a very long time, it almost stems right back to the day when Collins was allowed to leave the club, Petrie must shoulder the blame for the mess the club is in, he may have a great set of ledgers, but thats not producing results on the field, and who wants the best stadium in Division 1!!!!!!!, which if things don't change quickly is a real option for us. Pat Fenlon must really be scratching his head, David Weir could well do a short term job for Hibs, but when you look at who has signed for St.Johnstone and St.Mirren are players saying to themselves i'm not going to a team who are going to be relegated?, or has Petrie got the purse strings wound up that tightly that Fenlon is not allowed to buy anyone? I think it's option two, Petrie should remember you have to spend money to make money, and playing in Division one won't make him any money
the2ndApril2006
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 11:19 PMFirst Green Sunday, " We`re in a mess but are doing something about it and will exist with our own stadium,training ground and above all history while Hearts will have their history cause they`ve no training ground and don`t know where they`ll be playing if anywhere in a year or so. 4th place in the worst ever SPL with treat of a European tie (maybe not even at Tynecastle) in mid July to look forward to (at best) while squad is run down to pay off debts is hardly great future". History? tell us about your history? Oh aye, you beat us 7-0 & 6-2. anything else, naw thought as much - yer on par wi they two crackers the proclaimers, ugly fookers if ever!
jambo2006
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:56 PMNo suprise there then tut-tut according to the "google" profile kak and special one are quite close and frequent the same type of bar in the earls court area, long shot but perhaps the hootsmans no1 boy could retrieve the wager money for you, after all nobody wants to see the sick kids lose out...not even the kak ?
Hen Broon
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:39 PMjambo...The special one dissapeared due to the fact that he realised he had lost his bet with me & was about to be due the sick kids £2k..........low life ........anyway time for a laugh taped sportscene.........McPake & O'Hanlon is funnier than Morecambe & wise!
Hen Broon
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:36 PMYak ..........in the unlikey event that you ever actually venture North of the border to see Hibs I would be delighted to meet you for drinks. it's only a bit of fun.....stop taking yourself so seriously.
jambo2006
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:34 PMWhats happened to harbour, cardiff, mb, sir b qc and the special one recently ? Dont s'pose you can shine some light kak ? have they been barred or having a wee rest ?
The Yak Farmer
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:25 PM#68 ... I think you mean GRANDIOSE. Stop wrestling with words you neither know the meaning ( or spelling) of because I will always pick you up on it simply because I know it annoys you. Judging by the febrile nature of your posts tonight, I'm doing a good job. Keep them coming. I'll be here all night xxxx
The Yak Farmer
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:19 PM75 - 76 ....ZZZZZZZzzzzzzz.... you're more predictable than one of yer wife's many 'headaches' over the past 40 years. Jog on old man. Have another drink. Go on have another. You'll be asking me to meet up in the pub in a minute. PMSL.
Hen Broon
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:10 PMfffffootbal.....Yak ....U do realise it's David weir (only lost once to hibs when with the famous maroon) & not doddy weir we are talking about?
Hen Broon
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:06 PMSTOP PRESS..............ffotball related post from the resident ar$ehole........what next hibs sign a centre half that is not total $hte.
The Yak Farmer
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 09:58 PM60 - I would agree that Weir would not be a bad choice.
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