PRIORITIES ARE ON THE HOME STRAIGHT FOR HIBS
Cup might be sacred but Alan is craving big time
WERE Alan Stubbs to end Hibernian’s 114-year yearning for the Scottish Cup, there would be cries for a statue of the Scouser to be cast and mounted on the concourse outside Easter Road.
Yet, while the manager is fully immersed in the almost sacred significance attached to the club’s pursuit of the old trophy, he insists his ultimate priority for this season is to win promotion back to the top flight of Scottish football.
The next seven days promise to yield a significant impact on both fronts but, while supporters eye next Saturday’s semi-final against Dundee United with excitement and anticipation, Stubbs is inclined to view Tuesday night’s Championship clash with Falkirk as the more important fixture — especially with the second-placed Bairns six points ahead of Hibs in the table.
‘There are two different ways to look at it. One is emotional and the other one is professional and I think the professional mindset would be the league and the emotional one would be the Scottish Cup. That’s probably the best way to describe it.
‘You couldn’t not consider the Scottish Cup a success, but the No1 aim is the league and the priority is getting promotion.’
There is little doubt the club’s chief executive Leeann Dempster would agree. Having backed Stubbs with the funds to build up a deep squad for his second season in charge, the Hibs board would baulk at a third year starved of the revenue streams that flow from being part of the top flight.
Yet, with Rangers having ultimately romped to a comfortable Championship title win, the task of getting up is less than straightforward.
Hibs’ hopes of finishing second, the league spot that offers a shorter route through the end-of-season play-offs, took another huge dent yesterday with a 1-0 loss at Alloa.
Were Hibs to finish below Peter Houston’s team and also make it to the Scottish Cup Final, they would face an intense May schedule which could stretch to seven matches beyond the conclusion of the Championship season.
‘I think in an ideal world we would like to play the fewest amount of games as possible in the play-offs and still get to the Final,’ continued Stubbs. ‘But, as we saw last season, only having to play four games does not guarantee promotion.
‘Second place is not going to guarantee us promotion or even a better chance. I would like to finish second, I’m not denying that. But if we have to play six games, so be it. We are not under any illusion, we are prepared to do whatever we have to do to try to get promotion.’
Hibs have already tasted cup disappointment this season courtesy of their League Cup Final defeat to Ross County but have otherwise fared well against top-flight teams in knockout competition.
United were one of three Premiership sides beaten en route to that Final and there has also been the notable achievement of knocking out both holders Inverness Caley Thistle and Edinburgh rivals Hearts in the bigger tournament.
Stubbs believes his old Bolton team-mate Mixu Paatelainen has subsequently given United a genuine chance of avoiding the drop.
‘I have watched Dundee United a number of times,’ he continued. ‘They have probably been more consistent over the last two months than when Mixu first went in. They look more of a threat now. I have to say they are a stronger team from the last time we played them.’
After the form collapse that saw four consecutive league defeats allow Rangers to wrap up the title early, Hibs have rallied in the past two games, with the return of defender Paul Hanlon from injury helping to steady the ship.
One of the unsung players in Stubbs’ squad, the centre-half has been a key figure in the club’s biggest games this season but he is out of contract at the end of the campaign, with no sign of a new deal being struck.
‘We want him to be here,’ said the manager. ‘We have had discussions and they are still ongoing but we are at the stage of the season where the most important thing is us concentrating on what is ahead. We’re seven weeks from the end of the season and I don’t think it’s the right time for us to be talking about contracts.
‘We are just happy that Paul is back with us for the run-in. He reads the game well and he understands as a defender that it is no fluke or coincidence that good defenders find themselves in the right place at the right time.
‘The only way you can do that is by reading the game very well. Paul has certainly become more of a dominant presence at centre-back, which I wanted him to be, because the other side of the game, reading it, passing, that understanding side is good anyway.
‘I wanted him to be more of a presence and he has worked a lot in the gym. He is a stronger player now than the one I inherited.’
Emotional mindset is the Cup and the professional one is league