Motherwell are going for Champions League; our livelihoods are at stake

By ALAN PATTULLO
Published on Wednesday 22 February 2012 00:00

HIBERNIAN manager Pat Fenlon recognises that recent events have granted a further edge to tonight’s rearranged Premier League clash with Motherwell at Fir Park.

For the home team, Rangers’ fall into administration and the subsequent ten-point deduction means the prospect of Champions League football coming to Fir Park is a slightly more realistic one. While one side chase the glamour, another will look to take a step away from the gutter. Fenlon has said it before, but Hibs are playing for their futures tonight. Motherwell’s lofty ambitions are in contrast to Hibs’ more basic, and perhaps more critical, needs.

“There’s a big incentive for them, but there’s a bigger incentive for us,” said Fenlon, who knows that failure to beat relegation means there will be cutbacks at Easter Road.

“You’re talking about everybody’s livelihood here, and if that’s not an incentive for people, you’re wasting your time,” he said. “People have got to realise that that’s what’s on the line here. We’ve spoken about [relegation] and the consequences of it, and if we don’t survive it’s massive for everyone, including the players, staff and everyone else. The goal is to stay in the league and whatever it takes to win football matches, that’s what we have to produce.”

Fenlon returns to where it all began tonight, since this fixture is the one he was supposed to begin his reign with in December. All was going well until the floodlights failed, leading to the game’s abandonment. Hibs were 1-0 up at the time and it’s possible to wonder whether, had circumstances been different, the Easter Road might have kicked on after starting Fenlon’s reign with a win. Instead, Hibs lost their next game at home to Rangers and have struggled. “It feels like a lifetime ago, to be honest,” shrugged Fenlon, who has added Tom Soares to the squad for tonight’s fixture.

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donald marr

Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 10:54 AM

A tough ask for us tonight,with a team still bedding down.. Still positive reactions to heavy defeats are not unknown.

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