Stevie reveals the secret of his success
Stevie Mallan has been hailed as the new Lubo Moravcik by Hibs manager Neil Lennon. And the 22-year-old has revealed how he learned his set-piece craft in the unlikely, modest surroundings of Beechwood Park, home of junior giants, Auchinleck Talbot. The Easter Road midfielder has netted nine goals this season, and all of them has been from outside the box. His strike rate prompted his manager to make comparisons between Mallan and Slovakian playmaker Moravcik, who was famed for his set-piece deliveries and the sweet way he struck a ball. Mallan’s dad, Stevie senior, was a stalwart for Queen of the South, Clyde and Arbroath before moving to the juniors. His son has revealed: “From the ages of around 7-14, I would go and watch all of my dad’s games. “He was with Glenafton, then Auchinleck Talbot and I used to take part in the warm-up. I would get the chance to do some shooting and warm-up the goalies. It helped them, and for me it was a way to practice. “The Talbot manager, Tommy Sloan, used to give me balls and send me away to work the keepers, and I would hit shots from the edge of the box and hit free-kicks. “All of the Talbot boys would stand and watch, as did a lot of the locals, so I started making a name for myself.” Mallan, who is set to feature for Scotland Under-21s against England at Tynecastle on Tuesday, admits he was thrilled to hear Lennon talk him up. But rather than Moravick, Mallan’s idol was another player who was famed for his technique. He said: “When I was growing up, Paul Scholes was my hero more than David Beckham because he was more my height! “I loved his goals and his shooting ability. “Everyone has their own technique. Some go for power, and hitting a ball was something I kept working on. “I’ve shown some of the boys what I do, and they haven’t been able to do it. It’s all down to practice. “Being compared to someone like Lubo by the manager is far better than being slaughtered!”