Mixu fears red tape wrangle for Hibs

Published on Thursday 14 August 2008 10:36

HIBS boss Mixu Paatelainen today revealed red tape could scupper his hopes of giving new signing Steven Pinau an Easter Road debut against Falkirk on Saturday.

Although the Edinburgh club have agreed a one-year loan deal with Italian outfit Genoa for the 20-year-old striker, Hibs have yet to gain international clearance which would allow him to face the Bairns.

Pinau, who came through the ranks with French club Monaco before joining the Serie A side on a five-year deal, was able to play as a trialist in Hibs' final pre-season match against Wigan Athletic but needs formal clearance before he can begin his SPL career.

And, after watching his side fail to find the net in the opening game of the season as they went down 1-0 to Kilmarnock, Paatelainen today admitted that if the paper work can be completed on time Pinau would immediately come into the reckoning for this weekend.

He said: "We are waiting on Steven's international clearance to come through. We still have a couple of days and if everything can be completed in time he'll certainly be in my thoughts although he is not yet fully match fit.

"On Saturday it's important we play well, hope to score goals and win. I was disappointed we did not beat Kilmarnock, we should have been two up at half-time but unfortunately we weren't.

"When you dominate matches and make chances you must score and put the opposition under pressure. If you do not, you are under pressure and that's what happened. Hopefully, we will have learned the lesson."

Hibs full-back David van Zanten is available for Saturday after the former St Mirren star required five stitches in a head wound against Killie. Paatelainen said: "David's fine, there was no concussion or anything like that."

The Easter Road manager, meanwhile, was today pondering whether to offer German goalkeeper Christian Pearson a contract after the 28-year-old played as a trialist in Monday night's reserve game against Killie. It was Pearson's second trip to Edinburgh but he has now returned, as planned, to Germany.

Paatelainen, who is looking to strengthen the goalkeeping position despite having Andy McNeil, Yves Ma-Kalambay and David Grof at his disposal, is now considering his next move. Paatelainen has already had goalkeepers Phil Imray from New Zealand and Lamine Meite from the Ivory Coast in on trial before deciding against moving for either.

He said: "Christian is a bit more experienced than what we have but we will decide over the next few days whether or not to make him an offer. But as he is a free agent at the moment I am sure he will have other options. We'll have to see how it develops."

However, Paatelainen will have to do without the services of Ma-Kalambay for at least a few more days after Belgium qualified for the quarter-finals of the Olympic football tournament with a 1-0 win over a New Zealand side which included former Hibs striker Chris Killen. The victory has ensured the Belgians a quarter-final meeting with Italy in Beijing on Saturday although, so far, Hibs star Ma-Kalambay has been confined to a seat on the bench with coach Jean Francois De Sart prefering Racing Club Genk's Logan Bailly in the three group matches against Brazil, China and the Kiwis. hjhj