FOR RUSSIA WITH LOVE...
Aussie striker Maclaren is targeting a strong finish to get in mix for World Cup
JAMIE MACLAREN will never get sick of playing the top six. He’d already scored against Rangers at Ibrox and netted the clincher in an Edinburgh derby during his short loan spell with Hibernian.
So feeling poorly before the visit of the champions in the first of five huge post-split contests stood little chance of preventing the Australian forward from enhancing his big-game record.
Maclaren was kept apart from Neil Lennon’s squad during the final preparations for the visit of Celtic as he dealt with the debilitating effects of a stomach bug.
Then he kept his promise to the manager to survive a strengthsapping afternoon and topped off a heroic effort with the 24th-minute opener.
‘I didn’t travel with the boys to the team hotel because I was sick,’ explained the striker. ‘But I was in touch with the staff and saying: “Don’t rule me out. I really wanted to play in this game”.
‘I woke up on Saturday morning and went for a walk. I felt a little bit better but I had no energy from the start. I wasn’t well but adrenaline kicks in.
‘When I scored, the adrenaline came but I had nothing in the tank by 70 minutes.
‘I was honest with the manager before the game. He didn’t want me to let myself or my team-mates down. I told him I’d give him everything for as long as I could. He gave me trust and I gave it back. ‘It’s important to have a manager
who believes in you and
This game was on TV in Australia, so it is great to be in the headlines Neil does with me. He gives everyone a sense of belief, whoever you’re playing against. Celtic will be champions but we were the better side.
‘We always play better against teams who try to win the game. And, as a striker, you want to score in the big moments.
‘It was a fantastic performance from start to finish from us. We should be really proud of our performance.’
Maclaren is part of a double act in attack, recruited in January by Lennon, that has helped spark a stunning second half of the season for the Easter Road club.
With the 24-year-old’s pace plus the firepower and physique of Florian Kamberi, Lennon has unleashed a nightmare duo for top-flight defences to handle.
Currently, they are riding the wave of positivity to challenge Rangers and Aberdeen for the runnersup place. Looking further ahead, the Hibs fans would love to see permanent moves completed.
Maclaren, who is desperate to force his way into the Australia squad for the World Cup finals, explained that his exit from German second-tier strugglers Darmstadt 98 could be eased if his parent club go down.
‘I’d love to keep the partnership with Flo going,’ he said. ‘Like any striker, you want to play regularly and enjoy your football. I’ve enjoyed it thoroughly here since my first game at Hibs.
‘Myself and Flo have hit it off. It seems to be that when he doesn’t score, I do. We complement each other. But there’s four games to go and that’s all I’m contracted to Hibs for.
‘That’s all I can think about. It might come down to Darmstadt’s position. If they’re relegated, a clause kicks in but it’s outwith my control. I have to worry about myself.
‘If my performances are good, good things will happen. So far, being here has been great for me. This could be the biggest few months of my career.
‘These games are beamed around the world, so they’re good to score in when you’ve got a World Cup to think about. This game was on TV in Australia, so it’s great to be in the headlines.’
Kamberi, 23, used his power to unsettle the Celtic defence once again before setting up substitute Vykintas Slivka for the second Hibs goal.
Lennon acknowledged that his Swiss striker’s superb form means there will be rivals for his signature but stressed that Hibs were sure to attempt to trigger the option they own for a transfer.
‘The more he plays, the more we want do that,’ said the Easter Road boss. ‘I’d imagine there will be a lot of interest in Kamberi but we have the option and, at the minute, we’re in control of that situation.
‘There’s a set fee. It’s something we’d like to look at but we’ve got four games to go and that will depend on how the season finishes as well. That will dictate how much money we can or can’t spend.
‘Maclaren could be a difficult one because he’s contracted to Darmstadt but we’re very pleased with what he’s brought — the two of them have been excellent, as have the stalwarts.
‘(Lewis) Stevenson and (Paul) Hanlon were excellent, as was (Efe) Ambrose. He seems to play his best games against Celtic. I could not fault any of them and that’s what you need.’ The victory means Hibs have matched champions-elect Celtic in their league meetings this season with a win apiece and two draws. As for their ambitions in the table, the top-flight newcomers are breathing down the necks of both Rangers and Aberdeen in the race for second place. When asked if those teams should be fearful of Hibs, Lennon said: ‘I hope so. It puts pressure on the teams around us and that’s all we can ask. ‘No one has been talking about us. It’s all been about Kilmarnock and teams not doing so well. ‘We’ve been largely under the radar. One defeat in 16 and that was Celtic away, which is never easy. We’re in a good vein of form — and we needed to be here.’
Hibs were everything Rangers were not last week against Celtic as Lennon ordered his men, recalled Danny Swanson, in his first start since December 30, to throttle the impact of Scott Brown.
‘We had a few guys missing but the likes of Swanson and (Steven) Whittaker, who came in for us did a sterling job and the subs gave us life when we needed it,’ added the Northern Irishman.
‘We didn’t want Browny dictating the game and you have to go and get in his face and take the ball off him. Too many people dance around him and don’t get close. We didn’t want that.
‘We had to press aggressively within the laws of the game and I thought we did that pretty well.
‘We watched the game against them at Easter Road and we were passive. They were passing round about us and we didn’t want that to happen again.
‘If you let them play, they wear you down and tire you out. We tried to press them in high areas and force the issue and there was quality at the end of it.
‘All round, it was a great team performance and our goalkeeper was magnificent as well. They can be very happy.’