Hibs best placed to beat the rest

GRANT BREBNER insisted today Hibs have what it takes to emulate Capital rivals Hearts and finish third in the SPL for a second successive season.

The Jambos bucked the trend the year before last by finishing third two seasons running, becoming the first team to achieve that since Celtic at the end of the 1992/93 campaign.

Dundee United ace Brebner is well aware of the difficulties facing Tony Mowbray’s men having himself failed to achieve consecutive third-place finishes during his time in Leith.

The former Manchester United starlet was part of the Easter Road side that qualified for the UEFA Cup in season 2000/01 but couldn’t do the same the following year.

He and his team-mates succeeded in setting up two glamour games against AEK Athens with Hibs giving the Greek giants the fright of their lives with a stirring display in Edinburgh. However, the Hibees’ league displays failed to match those of the season before and the club ended up going through three managers as firstly Alex McLeish jumped ship to Rangers, his replacement Franck Sauzee was sacked after just 69 days in the job before Bobby Williamson just steered them clear of relegation.

A season that had started with such high hopes eventually ended with a disappointing tenth-place finish.

But while Brebner and co fell short of making it as ‘the best of the rest’ two seasons running he believes Tony Mowbray’s current crop of promising youngsters have what it takes.

"Some teams have struggled to finish third in successive seasons but Hearts proved it is possible and there’s no reason why Hibs can’t do it," he said.

"When we finished third we had a great team but lost a few guys in the summer which hurt us the following season. Had we kept the full squad together I think we might have had a chance.

"I think the current crop of players at Hibs though are more than capable of doing it again as it looks as though they are going to keep their squad together as well as maybe adding a couple of guys.

"They thoroughly deserved to be third last season. They were maybe the surprise package up until Christmas but after that people knew what to expect yet they were still going to places like Parkhead and winning 3-1.

"When we finished third and qualified for Europe it gave all the players a huge boost. Realistically you are playing in a league of ten teams with the Old Firm playing in a mini league of two so in finishing third we showed we were the best of the rest.

"The current Hibs side are quite young and they will thrive on the confidence they got from finishing third."

One problem that Leith’s young guns could find this year is that teams will come to the Capital and try to make life difficult for them by sitting in.

But should this happen Brebner feels they are well suited to breaking teams down.

"It may be that some teams will go to Easter Road and try and sit in and that’s something that the Hibs players will have to try and adjust to.

"I know that at Dundee United we certainly wouldn’t do that as we go into every game determined to win.

"What Hibs have in their favour though is that they are a very attack-minded side, almost cavalier at times, and that will mean they will always score goals.

"Their strengths are going forward so I wouldn’t see it being a problem if teams do play defensively against them."

European competition may also stretch Hibs’ squad if they manage to qualify for the lucrative group stages of the UEFA Cup with a series of midweek matches.

But Brebner is well aware it is a situation they would rather have to contend with than not.

"I suppose if they qualify for the group stages the games will come thick and fast then. They don’t have the biggest of squads although the same could be said for Dundee United if we qualify for the group stages.

"However, the Hibs players are all young, fit lads and I’m sure they will want to play at that level if they can.

"The prospect of playing in a group stage is really exciting. I’m a wee bit older and I’m very excited so the young guys at Hibs, who have never played in Europe before, must be really excited too.

"I suppose it could even work in their favour as the boys will be playing for places in the European games."

But while Brebner believes the Hibees have the quality to build on the success of last term he admitted that he and his Tannadice team-mates are hoping to pip them to Scotland’s ‘best of the rest’ tag.

United suffered a hugely disappointing season last term but with the appointment of Gordon Chisholm as manager there were signs of recovery towards the end of the last campaign.

Brebner and his team-mates shocked many by reaching the final of the Tennent’s Scottish Cup and also dragged themselves clear of relegation when at one stage they had looked destined for the drop.

They have already bolstered their squad with the signing of striker Lee Miller who enjoyed a successful loan spell with Hearts and Brebner admitted the club are approaching the new season with optimism.

"We underachieved last year and we know that. We don’t want to bump our gums about what we will do this year but I guess that everyone outside the Old Firm wants to try and finish third.

"We want to try and pick up where we left off as we had a good end to the season. We feel we have a good squad of players and we will just have to see what the season brings.

"But we are looking forward to the games getting underway and trying to prove ourselves."

Taken from the Scotsman