BOSS IS NO PANIC MERCHANT
Stubbs will keep a cool head in play-off battle at Ibrox after learning from managerial masters Two sides should go up – but we’re first
THE stakes couldn’t be higher for Alan Stubbs as he takes his Hibs side to Ibrox tonight for the first leg of their play-off semi.
But the Englishman will remain calmness personified – no matter how heated things get on the pitch.
And that’s because he has learned the art of controlling his emotions from Martin O’Neill, David Moyes and Roberto Martinez.
Stubbs played under O’Neill at Celtic before moving on to boyhood heroes Everton where he worked with Moyes then Spaniard Martinez.
All three taught him how to be chilled when the pressure is on which goes a long way to explaining the Scouser’s cool demeanour come game day.
Stubbs rarely loses the plot with his team because he has so much confidence in them.
And he believes they will repay his trust by seeing off Gers to move a giant step closer to a Premiership return.
He said: “When you looked at Martin O’Neill bouncing around on the touchline you would not think he was like that but before every game he was very calm.
“Martin gave the players confidence to go out on to the pitch and deliver.
“He then got himself embroiled in the atmosphere but always in a good way.
“Martin is a very intelligent man. Even though he was like that on the touchline he was very clever intellectually.
“David Moyes probably got better as time went on at Everton and grew into being a similar manager to Martin.
“Roberto is very calm on the sidelines at all times.
“I suppose working with those kinds of people has to help. If it doesn’t then you haven’t listened properly.
“People can see I’m relaxed. I hide my nerves very well! No, I am very calm.
“If I was a player and I saw my coach was really nervous then it would not portray what you want.
“The reason I am calm about it all is because the players give me confidence.
“They can make mistakes but it is all about responding, about not making the next one.
“Listen, I can get angry. It is not rosy in the garden all the time and I can lose the plot.
“But there have not been many occasions when I’ve had to lose the plot this season.
“If you are frantic you lose focus and you can start to make mistakes.
“When everything is going off all around you then you have to be the calmest person.
“You have to be able to spot things and make decisions.
“You cannot do that if you get caught up in the whole thing. We’re just glad the waiting is finally over.
“We’ve been waiting to see who we were going to get in the play-offs and now we’re ready.”
Stubbs was at Ibrox on Sunday as Gers edged past Queen of the South to line up their clash with Hibs.
He heard the fans boo their side off at half-time after falling 1-0 behind before Lee Wallace’s strike sealed a 3-2 aggregate win for Stuart McCall’s men.
The Easter Road gaffer hopes there are more catcalls tonight but knows McCall’s men have the character to respond after playing under pressure for almost the entire season.
The former Celtic star said: “Rangers started the game really well.
“They created four or five opportunities then Queens more or less scored with their first forage forward.
“There was a little bit of an edge but the players have probably played under that for most of the season.
“I thought the Rangers supporters were booing me in TV studio.
“They can boo me all they like in our game, I am just too far away to be within touching distance on the touchline! “I hope they are booing. “As footballers you have to deal with both sides of the coin. You can’t just always take the cheers and the plaudits.
“When the chips are down you have to be able to turn it around on the pitch.
“Rangers have big players who have been in those situations before.
“It was close against Queens but I always felt Rangers were going to score and would come through the tie. Now it has the makings of two great games. I’m really excited and can’t wait for them both.”
Hibs have won twice at Ibrox already this season, easing to a 3-1 triumph back in September before grinding out a 2-0 victory in February.
Stubbs has played attacking football all season and insists they won’t change their swashbuckling style tonight.
He admits the Hibees don’t know how to play any other way and his biggest problem could be trying to rein his men in.
Stubbs said: “We’re not going to change our style now.
“We’ve tried to play on the front foot all season.
“The fact that we have two games to try and progress to the play-off final is not going to change us too much.
“I don’t think it would suit the players.
“It is fantastic to be able to walk out as a player in front of 50,000 fans – it does not get any better than that.
“There is a lot more riding on these two games now.
“There’s definitely an element of possibly having to rein the players in a bit though. Whether we find ourselves in front or whether we are drawing there may be an element of consolidating what you have and making sure you bring it back here rather than trying to score another goal.
“We will monitor that as the game goes on.
“It will be a nice position to be in if we’re having to do that but we know it’s going to be a very difficult game.
“It’s the match that people were anticipating for the semi-final.
“The two-legged aspect to the tie definitely changes the game.
“No matter what happens on Wednesday we’re going to have another bite at the cherry on Saturday at Easter Road. “It doesn’t change what we want to do though.
“We want to go to Ibrox and come back with a result.
“It’s very difficult to ask a team to go into the away tie and try to come out of there with a draw or hang in there and get some sort of result to bring back to your own stadium.
“It’s much better if you go there and try to win.” LIAMLI CRAIG readily admits theth Scottish game needs RangersR as well as Hibs in theth Premiership.
But he’s determined to delayde the top-flight return of theth Light Blues for another 12 months at least.
The 28- year- old Hibs skippersk is optimistic they canca beat Rangers for an unprecedentedun fourth time thisth season.
And Craig said: “It’s importantim we go and finish stronglyst and get promoted.
“Neither club wants to spend another season in the Championship.
“And Scottish football needs a strong Hibs, Hearts
ANTHONY HAGGERTY There haven’t been many occasions when I’ve had to lose the plot ALAN STUBBS