STUBBS WANTS BOOKINGS SLATE WIPED FOR PLAY-OFFS
HIBS boss Alan Stubbs has become the latest to chip away at the creaking edifice of Scottish football’s disciplinary system — by attacking SFA rules carrying league bookings forward into the play-offs. The Easter Road club have one immediate concern, with star striker Jason Cummings already on five yellow cards for the season, just one booking away from automatic suspension. Stubbs insists that all slates should be wiped clean for the end-of-season promotion eliminators. He said: ‘I do think it’s wrong. The system in England is much better, where there is a cut-off date and then everything is reset. To have this running for the length of time it does is not fair on the players, especially when you count potentially six extra games at the end of the season. ‘We knew if Jason got booked on Wednesday, he would miss the first leg of the first play-off game. So, yeah, it affects us. ‘If we had rested Jason for Wednesday, maybe we wouldn’t have got a result. If we rest him tomorrow, it could be the same. ‘There are obviously things we have to take a calculated risk about. One, we tell him not to get booked in the first place, because a couple of his bookings have been for kicking the ball away or celebrating. I think he’s learned from that. You only have to look at his celebration from the Hearts game — he didn’t go off the pitch. So maybe the penny is dropping.’ Meanwhile, Stubbs insists his men could have the added incentive of a sunshine break between the end of the regular league season and their play-off if they overtake Rangers to finish second. ‘We’ve provisionally looked at something,’ said Stubbs, whose side are a point behind the Ibrox
team with two to play. ‘If we finish in second, I would like to do something with the lads. ‘There is a possibility of getting away for some sun. That’s not to say we’re going to do it but we’ve discussed it. ‘If Rangers win their last two games, it’s irrelevant.’ Hibs take on an Alloa Athletic side fighting for survival at Easter Road today, while Rangers are at home to Scottish Cup finalists and play-off outsiders Falkirk. Most would expect both of the promotion-chasing teams to win today, with next week’s closing round of fixtures — Rangers at Hearts, Hibs at Falkirk — the more likely place for an upset. But Stubbs cautioned: ‘There may be one last twist or turn. Teams at the bottom still have something to hold on to. There are only two teams with nothing to play for, apart from Hearts.’ Stubbs said adrenaline was keeping his players going, even 42 games into a season that could see them reach a half century if they go all the way to the play-off Final. That would also have a knock-on effect on pre-season, with the squad getting no more than 25 days off over the summer. Stubbs said: ‘It’s not ideal. But I can think of worse things. If being in a position to win promotion doesn’t re-energise you, then I’ve got a problem.’