Pat Fenlon puts Pars’ woe aside to keep focus on Hibs’ own situation

THE shock news from East End Park that Rangers going into administration had caused Dunfermline Athletic to delay its monthly wage pay-out did not faze the manager of the Pars’ rivals across the Forth.

Nothing in football surprises Pat Fenlon of Hibs any more: “It’s a funny game,” as he said.

The financial collapse of a club is not a new experience for Fenlon as he went through it as manager of Shelbourne and Bohemians in Ireland. “I have been in that situation twice and I could probably give them a few tips on it,” said Fenlon. He was not offering his services, however, as Planet Football is a dog-eat-dog world.

“It’s similar to the Rangers thing, it doesn’t mean anything to me at the moment to be honest,” said the manager. “I have just got my head focused on what we are trying to do here, staying in the league and getting ourselves up the table, that’s what it’s all about at the moment.

“Whatever goes on anywhere else I can’t influence it, but I can certainly influence what goes on here. It’s difficult to comment because I am not the type who wants to have a say in other people’s troubles or whatever is going on. I think you need to manage your own affairs and manage your own club. There’s enough in that for me to be worrying about rather than what’s going on anywhere else.

“I’ve been through it so I know what it’s like, and I’m just thankful I’m not in that situation. I’m sure if we were in that position other clubs would not be too worried about us, so I’m not focused on it.

Unusually for those who dwell in the goldfish bowl that is football, Fenlon sees the bigger picture: “It’s not just football. It’s across the board.

“Look at our own country, Italy, Spain, Greece, Portugal, everywhere financially has problems. That seems to be where the world is at the moment and people just have to roll up their sleeves and dig in and try and come through it. It’s not just football-related.”

Perhaps it was his time running his own business in Dublin while playing and managing clubs in the League of Ireland that gave Fenlon the more rounded experience which Hibs perhaps saw in him.

He explained: “I ran a contract cleaning business in Dublin for 16 years, so I have a little bit of knowledge of the business side which should help. “It’s probably a question you need to ask the people who run the club, but I think, if you’re employing anybody, you look at all their attributes and try and bring them all to the table.”

Is he a better manager for those all-round experiences?

“It’s hard to say,” said Fenlon. “I suppose you learn how to deal with situations, and how to help people when that happens, but hopefully I won’t come across that again.

“Maybe what happened to me previously is what stands me as a manager and maybe that’s why I am here.

“The attraction of the job is that Hibs is a fantastic football club and is run right on and off the pitch. Maybe not so much on, to be honest, and that’s what we’re trying to resolve.”

Getting things right on the pitch means a win against fellow lurkers in the bottom six, Danny Lennon’s St Mirren. The superb victory over Kilmarnock will look a lot better if Hibs can follow it up with a win at home. “We’ve got a big job on our hands,” said Fenlon, “and the important thing is that if we can win this week then last week becomes a great win for us. If we don’t then it becomes an okay win but, if we can back it up with a home win and things go for us elsewhere, well then it’s fantastic. That is really the focus we have looked at this week.”

Fenlon was pleased to report that Callum Booth was back in training today but won’t be considered for tomorrow’s match as it was his first day back. “Tom Soares took a bit of a knock and didn’t train today so we’ll see how he is tomorrow,” said Fenlon. “Ian Murray and Danny Galbraith are both still out, but other than that we should have everybody available.”

Mentioning Soares on loan from Stoke City, Fenlon revealed his loan signing strategy: “We are conscious that the players we’re looking to get on loan have a point to prove and are looking to stay here or get a move elsewhere. “We’ve probably not taken players on loan who were sitting comfortably in the reserves and not too worried about their future. They’re in a similar situation to the rest of the players here who are out of contract and who are looking to keep their living going and earn some money next season.

“Their characters as well are important. Some of the ones we have brought in are good characters around the place which helps.”