Marciano injury presents Lennon with dilemma

0 Ofir Marciano: Finger injury. Hibernian could face a goalkeeping headache ahead of next season with Ofir Marciano absent as the players returned for pre-season.

The Israel goalkeeper and Hibs No 1 did not report for pre-season training at the Edinburgh club yesterday as he continues to recover from a finger injury. Manager Neil Lennon revealed earlier in the month that the stopper could need surgery on the finger after he was forced to pull out of an Israel squad to face Argentina before the World Cup.

With their Europa League qualifying campaign due to start in just over three weeks – Hibs will discover their first qualifying round opponents at tomorrow’s draw in Nyon – it leaves Lennon short on options in goal after Cammy Bell departed the club at the end of the season. Bell has since signed for Championship side Partick Thistle.

Ross Laidlaw remains on the books at Easter Road but has not played since October after suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery and ruled him out of the remainder of the season, while Kevin Dabrowski remains inexperienced and untested. The club’s other option is Dabrowski’s fellow Under-20 goalkeeper Patrick Martin.

Striker Florian Kamberi is expected to join up with the rest of the squad later in the week after making his loan move from Grasshoppers permanent. Scotland pair John Mcginn and Lewis Stevenson have been given extra time off following international duty.