Frankie 8,136 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Andy examines the re-emergence of Hibs and what it means for bored Scottish football fans in this interesting pre-Xmas article! http://www.gersnetonline.co.uk/2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=187:hats-off-to-the-hibees-the-return-of-event-football&catid=1:articles&Itemid=67 Last week's round of SPL games saw Hibs extend their unbeaten run to 12 matches, which if not a club record must be the best sequence they have had for decades. This Saturday, though, they face the might of a resurgent Rangers, keen to slap down their challenge. I don't know about you, but I'm really looking forward to this game. Just as I was when Hibs, at the start of their good run, came to Ibrox and despite being fairly outplayed, grafted hard and earned a 1-1 draw. Just as I was when the Ibrox side travelled to Tannadice last week to play the then-hotly tipped Dundee United. What a difference from the usual predictable, dreary same as it ever was SPL fare. Great credit must go to both United and Hibs - or should it? For all they have done is assemble a decent squad (in Hibs' case, a good squad), get them playing to a system and have been consistent against the more mediocre sides, like Kilmarnock or Celtic. This is what should be expected EVERY year from at least two teams from Hearts, Hibs, Dundee Utd, and even Aberdeen - they have the support and the infrastructure to deliver such. They shoud be ashamed, bluntly, of their collective performances over the last decade and more. Yes, Rangers and Celtic will still divide the honours between them, yes, they will be a distance away from the others and yes, their best players have been plundered for other teams - but 25 points or more? Ridiculous. Even allowing for a haul of zero points against the Old Firm (and that doesn't usually happen) they should be more than capable of staying within a dozen points of so. But let that pass: this is supposed to be a tribute, not a complaint. The return of games you actually look forward to is bliss, to me. Even Old Firm games don't get me especially excited any more - there's too many of them, the quality is often bloody awful and the sanitised atmosphere has removed the pleasure to be gained from shrieking for 2 hours. So I offer tribute to Hibs, for (at last!) raising their game and making the trip to Easter Road something to shout about. I firmly believe that Rangers will win; but that's not the point. The only way up for Scottish football is for teams outwith Rangers and Celtic to offer a consistent challenge. To give THEIR fans something to believe in, to cheer for, most importantly to turn up for. If two of the three medium sized teams could consistently perform, they would find themselves becoming bigger businesses, find their stadia filling, and they would find Scottish football becoming more attractive to TV revenue streams. It's not rocket science, you find yourself bewildered as to why none of them have managed it before. Be that as it may. Well done to Hibs for their unbeaten run. Well done, too, to United for at least having a go. The game this weekend ought to looked forward to by fans, players and media alike. It's not often the Scottish league calender throws up a 'Super Sunday' type of game: let's hope it's a Christmas cracker. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totti 0 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I don't think Hibs are any better than they were a few seasons ago, if as good. The old firm are just much worse. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
calscot 0 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I think the point is that Hibs have been well ahead of the rest and putting in strings of results - something SPL teams haven't done for a while. The rest of the SPL are usually miles behind the OF due to taking points off each other all the time. That's completely irrelevant to how good or bad the OF are. There are 114 points to play for, a lower team who becomes a cut above the rest could lose 24 points to the OF and another 10 points say to the rest and still end up with 80pts, with the champions usually averaging high 80's to low 90's. I keep thinking how good a combined Edinburgh team would be if you combined the crowds of the two teams into one, giving up to 30k a week and an income almost 2/3 that of the OF teams. That would make our league more competitive and interesting with 24 much more attractive games to look forward to. Shame it never happened 20 years ago and never will... 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewarty 1,876 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I don't think Hibs are any better than they were a few seasons ago, if as good. The old firm are just much worse. I reckon its a combination of Yogi Hughes injecting some of his enthusiasm and a young Hibs team to play with confidence as well as the OF declining. That said, if we continue to play as we have the last couple of weeks, they should hold no fears for us. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,390 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I reckon its a combination of Yogi Hughes injecting some of his enthusiasm and a young Hibs team to play with confidence as well as the OF declining. That said, if we continue to play as we have the last couple of weeks, they should hold no fears for us. Agreed. If we can continue to play as we have been recently then we will blow away anyone in the SPL,long may our form continue 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewarty 1,876 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Agreed. If we can continue to play as we have been recently then we will blow away anyone in the SPL,long may our form continue Your agreeing with me far too much Ian. Should I be worried? 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I don't think Hibs are any better than they were a few seasons ago, if as good. The old firm are just much worse. I mentioned in another thread that after 15 games we were 2points worse off than last year. Celtic were about 5 or 6. Hibs were a good 6 points up on the third placed team at that point last year (which was Hearts iirc, not Hibs anyway). So Hibs have started a damn sight better than last season. Add in a 12 game unbeaten streak and I think it is fair to say that whilst the OF are a bit worse, Hibs are also much improved. A combination of factors. Andy writes an excellent piece that seems to reflect a growing optimism for the rest of the season (after the Euro disaster) across a number of forums and yet again your replies leave people contemplating the worst. Mind you a man with such a high opinion of Aaron but who doesn't seem to rate a single current Rangers eomployee can't be much fun to talk to. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian1964 10,390 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 your agreeing with me far too much ian. Should i be worried? agreed agreed 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Ally 0 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 For further reference: http://www.rangers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/tables/0,,5~20071223,00.html In the 07/08 Season we had 35 points after 16 games (we now have 37). Celtic had 37 after 18 games (the table on the official site shows up after each of our fixtures, we must have had a couple of postponements to account for Celtic having played 2 more games). This year they are on 33 after 16 games. 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Totti 0 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 (edited) I mentioned in another thread that after 15 games we were 2points worse off than last year. Celtic were about 5 or 6. Hibs were a good 6 points up on the third placed team at that point last year (which was Hearts iirc, not Hibs anyway). So Hibs have started a damn sight better than last season. Add in a 12 game unbeaten streak and I think it is fair to say that whilst the OF are a bit worse, Hibs are also much improved. A combination of factors. Andy writes an excellent piece that seems to reflect a growing optimism for the rest of the season (after the Euro disaster) across a number of forums and yet again your replies leave people contemplating the worst. Mind you a man with such a high opinion of Aaron but who doesn't seem to rate a single current Rangers eomployee can't be much fun to talk to. When have I ever stated I had a high regard for Aaron? I simply wanted him to get more of a chance, particularly at a time when we rarely ever see any good performances in the wide areas. We persisted with the likes of McCulloch and Lafferty putting terrible performance after terrible performance in when all the while we had some natural wide players that could be getting a shot - ones who looked quite good too. As for our points total last year, not sure what the relevance is. We were pish then too. The old firm have not suddenly just got poor, it's been happening for years. Edited December 23, 2009 by Totti 0 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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