HITMAN’S STAMP DUTY
BY ROSS PILCHER HIBS won’t appeal Marc McNulty’s two-game ban but gaffer Jack Ross insists he isn’t about to carpet the striker for a one-off incident.
The 27-year-old was lucky to escape a straight red card from referee Kevin Clancy during Tuesday’s Edinburgh derby for standing on Sean Clare’s back.
But the footage has been reviewed by SFA compliance officer Clare Whyte and the Scotland cap has been hit with a suspension.
Hibs could have appealed by 3pm today, which would have left McNulty available to face Aberdeen at Pittodrie tomorrow ahead of appearing in front of the independent judicial panel on Monday.
Ross admitted the broadcast footage left them with little recourse but insists it will only become a problem if McNulty repeats his mistake. He said: “I watched the game first from a high camera because I’m looking at it from a tactical point of view and what we did in the game. “Then I watched it from the broadcast footage, which is great because I’ve watched the game twice by Wednesday! “The broadcast one shows it. When I spoke post-match I genuinely wasn’t aware of it. It didn’t create much furore but the footage isn’t great from Marc’s point of view. “I only spoke to him on Thursday because the players had some time off and I was taking training with the non-starting group. I’m not being dismissive of incidents that happen but equally a lot of things happen split second in football.
“I don’t tend to get too worked up about it. I have a personality that focuses more on what I can affect, which is Saturday’s game with the players I have available, rather than use my energy to worry about what has gone before.
“If there are repetitive instances, or inappropriate or indisciplined behaviour, it gives you more of a headache. It’s miles away from that.
“In games like Tuesday there are a lot of decisions that are not in alignment with what they might normally do in all sorts of aspects, not just those type of things but in general.
“And it’s very easy, when you’re not in that position, to pass judgment and say they should have done better.
“It’s a frenetic atmosphere, it’s frantic and it’s played by human beings, not robots. It is difficult not to get caught up in it. I suppose the best players are the ones who can keep a cool head.”
McNulty’s loss could be 20-year-old Jamie Gullan’s gain. The youngster replaced McNulty on Tuesday after coming off the bench to score his first Hibs goal against Inverness the previous Friday.
And Ross has no qualms about pitching him in from the start in McNulty’s absence.
He said: “Jamie’s a relative unknown to all the defenders in the Premiership so that can be used to his advantage.”