BATTLE FOR No1
Lennon warns Marciano he’s got a fight on his hands after Bain’s arrival at Hibs
“I’ll take all this competition in a positive way”
NEIL LENNON has warned Ofir Marciano he faces a fight to remain Hibernian No1 after the signing of rival keeper Scott Bain.
The heat is well and truly on the Israeli international after a furious Lennon branded him ‘unprofessional’ following his costly mistakes in a 2-1 loss to Rangers at Easter Road last month.
Now the Northern Irishman is expecting the arrival on loan of frozen-out Dundee keeper Bain to spark a positive response from his regular custodian.
‘It will give Ofir some extra impetus knowing he has real competition,’ said the former Celtic boss.
‘He had competition with Ross Laidlaw until Ross’s injury curtailed that a bit. But now he has competition again and the two of them should push each other on.’
Lennon believes it’s been a real coup to capture Scotland squad keeper Bain, who fell out of favour at Dundee after a bust-up with manager Neil McCann.
‘We’re really pleased to get Scott. He actually owes me two points because he was excellent at Dens Park when we drew 1-1 with them in August.
‘We needed a goalkeeper in after Ross got injured because young Kevin Dabrowski is still very much a development keeper.
‘Scott’s a good type. He’s an Edinburgh boy so he’s cut down his travelling time by coming here and I think he’s pleased with the move as well.’
Marciano, for his part, admits the gloves were off when he first set eyes on the man now after his starting place. At least at that stage it was simply to applaud his superb performance against Hibs at the start of the season.
Bain, who has signed until the end of the season, has wasted no time impressing his fellow goalie again on becoming his team-mate, albeit this time it was with his singing voice during an initiation ceremony at the club’s training camp in the Algarve. Marciano warned, however, that the welcoming party is well and truly over as the duo prepare to battle for the right to be Lennon’s No1.
‘Scott Bain is a great guy and a great goalkeeper,’ said the 28-year-old. ‘When we played Dundee in August he was great and I was clapping him. I always clap when the keeper on the other team makes a wonderful save, I know how to appreciate good saves. We had so many chances to win that game but for Scott.
‘When he got here he had to sing a song for his initiation into the squad. I didn’t know the song but he’s a great singer and I was applauding that as well.
‘He’s a good addition to our squad and to our team. It’s good for the goalkeeper’s union to have a good goalie who will push us both to be better.
‘I take competition in a positive way. It doesn’t matter who the other goalies are. The way I see it, I need to show my abilities and be the best I can in every game — and in every training session — for the sake of your career.’
Marciano has no issue with Lennon’s very public criticism of his performance against Rangers, when fingers were pointed at him over both Josh Windass’s equaliser and Alfredo Morelos’s winner, and insists he is his own biggest critic.
‘The manager has criticised me?’ he asked rhetorically. ‘I like to keep these conversations inside the dressing room and not for the Press. But if he decides to say things then I respect that.
‘But I have self-confidence. I know when I make mistakes and I know what to do to correct them. Hopefully I will make fewer mistakes.
‘The best way to make sure you give your best performance is to criticise yourself. All the world can criticise you and it doesn’t go into your head. But when you go to sleep at night you have to ask if you did your best, or if you can do better. This is what I try to do every day, to be better. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. But I try. As a goalkeeper you get punished for every mistake you make.
‘It’s not like a striker who can miss goals then score one and nobody remembers the misses. But that responsibility is part of the job and a keeper just has to accept that.
‘But, personally, I feel I’m having a good season. I’ve played good games and I’ve made some mistakes,’ added Marciano ahead of tomorrow’s friendly against Dutch side Willem II.
‘Every goalie makes mistakes but I’m happy with my form and I hope to keep getting better over the second part of the season.’
Marciano has enjoyed being in the top flight with Hibs, the highlight so far being the 1-0 derby victory over Hearts at Easter Road in October. That gave him added motivation to keep his place for the Scottish Cup tie between the city foes at Tynecastle on January 21.
So enjoyable was the victory singalong to Sunshine on
Leith that he’d take a draw in Gorgie in the hope of another post-game Proclaimers celebration. He said: ‘I like the derby because we haven’t lost since I’ve been here. I hope it stays like that.
‘The derby will stay with me long after I retire. I love the atmosphere. It’s amazing, especially at Tynecastle. You can really feel our fans behind us.
‘Hopefully we will finish it at Tynecastle but, if not, we’ll do it back at Easter Road and then wait for Sunshine on Leith. That’s the best moment of my season so far.
‘The derby atmosphere is nice but in Scotland it’s like that in most matches. The fans come and cheer and there are always good crowds.
‘I’ve seen a few Portuguese games on television here in the Algarve and, while it’s a good level technically, you can barely see fans in the stands.
‘Football is made by fans and in Scotland you have that great football culture.’