Hibernian 0 - 0 Dunfermline: The Hibernian play is turning into Macbeth without the laughs. The last twist in the plot occurred when the leading actor pulled out and was replaced at the post-match press conference.

"Maybe they let that slip through their minds during the week but deep down they know whatever I ask them to do is for their benefit as individuals and a collective unit."
Collins could not, however, find 10 minutes for newspaper reporters. This will hardly bring the general public out on to bottom team of the league.

After a game that will now be replayed on Tuesday, April 24, Craig was escorted in to face the press and had to repeat the reason for Collins' absence to an incredulous press.
He did, however, address the turmoil at the club, saying: "Every day you go into the club, issues will crop up. I'm not saying there aren't issues to sort out but that's all I'm going to say.

"Most clubs like to keep things in-house and any problems that we have had, or will have in the future, will be kept in-house.
"It's been a tough week. Football is the best job in the world, but it can get tough.

The tougher it gets, the more you try to stand up.
anything. We've got through the week and we've still got a chance to win the tie.

"
the pressure, Craig replied: "Absolutely not. I've worked with him for five months and he shows every sign of being a meticulous planner, a searcher of high standards.
"He accepts that he will make mistakes in the future, but he is just another young manager making his way in the game.

If you are asking me what the signs are, I think the signs are very positive."
Michael Stewart, one of the alleged ringleaders in the protest movement, was absent from the squad yesterday, but Craig denied team selection was influenced by off-field problems.
reasons," he said.

"Michael has been in the team and on the bench on occasions in the last six to eight weeks, as have another four or five.
"It was a football decision to leave out Shelton Martis, Dean Shiels, Ross Campbell and Michael Stewart.
"We, at this moment in time, feel that we can call upon any player at the club and feel that we will get a response.

"
in this limited ambition. And quickly.
If the knives are out for Collins, the match itself resembled a duel in the sun with broadswords rather than rapiers being the weapon of choice.

Subtlety was missing but there was almost a surfeit of effort. This produced a match of frantic thrusts and counter-thrusts.
The coup de grace was never applied, largely because of the excellence of Andy McNeil in the Hibernian goal and Sol Bamba in the Dunfermline defence.

A lack of assured finishing also made a significant contribution to a blank scoresheet.
The match is easily summarised. Dunfermline had the better of the first half, Hibs dominated much of the second.

The game started at a Grand National gallop and ended with players scattered on the ground like fallen runners through a mixture of exhaustion and exasperation.
Jim McIntyre's feet. He walked unsteadily off and was kept indoors at half-time because he was suffering from double vision.

It was his double save, though, that kept Hibs in the Scottish Cup.
A McIntyre flick allowed Jamie McCunnie time to shoot but the midfielder's uncon-vincing effort rebounded from a post. Jim O'Brien volleyed smartly but McNeil splendidly tipped the shot away.

The Hibernian goalkeeper was also at his athletic best when he tipped a rasping Phil McGuire volley over the bar.
These significant stops were divided by a good save from Dorus de Vries, the Dunfermline custodian, after a vicious Scott Brown shot.
In the second half, Hibs increased their presence in the match after McGuire had nullified much of the threat from Brown in the first half and Bamba and Scott Wilson had kept the industrious Hibs front two in line.

Collins immediately paired Brown and Ivan Sproule on the right side after the restart and this caused Dunfermline considerable vexation.
cutback and Steven Fletcher being denied by a block yards from goal. Sproule was then wasteful when he engineered space on the edge of the box.

The Northern Irish winger as he continued to stretch Dunfermline with his pace and trickery.
Perhaps, though, the best chance fell to Dunfermline. The ever-willing McIntyre robbed Guillaume Beuzelin and released the tricky Adam Hamill.

The on-loan Liverpool winger turned the Hibs defence before playing a neat ball to Gary Mason, who blasted high and wide from a central position 12 yards out.
As Hibs continued to exert pressure without producing solid chances, Dunfermline were restricted to set-pieces in an attacking sense and did not force Simon Brown, the substitute goalkeeper, to make a significant save, though he did almost make a mess of a corner.
The last act of a match that was slowly wilting in the heat was Bamba's header off the line after Abdessalam Benjelloun slammed a shot into the turf with just eight minutes left.

of wiping sweat from brows. There may, though, be blood and tears at Easter Road later this week.
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John Collins did infact leave Hampden and meet up with his family at the main door of the south stand.

I am not surprised though that he did not have time to meet with the press, especially when 9/10 of the questions are about events off the park!! The press throughout the week tried their best to get the story but Hibs quite rightly decided it best to keep it in house, yet the press won't let it lie.

Hibs had just played in the semi-final of the major domestic cup yet I would wager that all the press were huddled in a corner discussing why certain players were left out and whether they had any part to play in any dressing room problems. It's time to move on guys, the story is over. [italic][bold]Move on[/bold][/italic]

Phil, now you know what it's been like to be a Hearts fan over the last couple of seasons.

Rumours, innuendo, mountains out of molehills and pressmen taking the hump.

you two sound like you,ve never read a newspaper before. im assuming you are familiar with the concepts: tabloid, journalist,story and sales. ive got news for you, this type of journalism has been happening for over a hundred years and will merrily continue on for many to come.

and heres further news. its not only smalltime scottish football clubs that are targeted, but celebritys, politicians, members of the public ,civil servants,educators, and( wait for it) even royalty. so next time some nasty man tells tales about hibs dont get offended.

be grateful they are even mentioned . after all, hibs dont really do a lot most of the time.

Wolfie, I am not niave enough to know that when a story breaks that the tabloids, especially the red tops will go all out for a sensational. The incident was last week and came to light after the Pars SPL match with us.

This story is dragging it's heals and the media will get nothing from Hibs, unless Mr petrie comes out and makes a statement. Believe it or not, there was a match in the major domestic cup competition yesterday, yet when we pick up a newspaper all we see is turmoil at Hibs!!

Quite frankly I for one am bored to tears with it and would rather read a report on the game itself. The media, you would think would get the hint that after a certain period of time that they are not going to get the answers they want, yet they spend the whole press conference asking idiotic questions that are either going to be deflected or given a completely different answer. All the newspapers are doing is alienating themselves from both club and fans.

Just ask the Daily Record who can't even give away their evening edition to the people of Edinburgh!!

[quote][bold]Tam[/bold] wrote: Phil, now you know what it's been like to be a Hearts fan over the last couple of seasons. Rumours, innuendo, mountains out of molehills and pressmen taking the hump.[/quote] Tam, we have heard the saying about the media circus, well it looks like the clowns are refusing to go away.

They certainly don't like anyone challenging the dominance of the Old Firm. There are presently 2 trophies in Edinburgh and here's hoping it stays that way come the end of May :-)

i can see why hibs fans are upset.

but is anyone really suprised. this is the nature of the press. they can be very useful or very destructive.

be thankful it hasnt degenerated to the levels you get in england...

...

yet. and whoever plays celtic in the final good luck to them. we could do with some new names( outside of the old firm) on the scottish cup, for the good of our game.

The article begins with the sentence: The Hibernian play is turning into Macbeth without the laughs. Macbeth is a tragedy and not a comedy.

The last time I read or saw Macbeth, there were no laughs whatsoever. Mr McDonald, stick to writing about football and don't try and be clever by introducing literary references. You just end up looking foolish.

Good luck to John Collins.If certain sections of the press treat decent football people with direspect then they will get what they project.

Problem is they then through their dummies out the pram.Agree with Phil,Fidelio etc etc above.Move on from this tedious story and stop trying to be clever with references to Shakespeare.

...

it's a tragedy not a comedy.Who's the editor allowing this inaccurate guff to be printed??

?

[quote][bold]broomageboy[/bold] wrote: Fidelio, Last time I watched it was a few years ago at the Edinburgh Festival, laugh I thought my pants would never dry. Suppose it depends on the performance, maybe we could rename Collins MacBeth, there does seem to be a number of knives aimed at him.

[/quote] Broomageboy, are you not confusing Macbeth with Julius Caesar? It was the Roman Emperor who suffered the night of the long knives, not Macbeth.

On a slight diversion, though entirely connected, where is the sense in or the justification for having replays for Scottish Cup semi-finals? I can see the point in earlier rounds, where a team which has achieved a draw away from home, gets the chance to take the game to their own stadium. I can understand the joy of a lower division club winnng the chance of going to a replay at an SPL ground, with all the financial rewards that go with it.

But why have replays for the semi-finals? After all, they are played at neutral venues, so what is wrong with allowing extra-time and penalties, as happens in the final, no less. I think it is all about money.

The SFA makes more money out of replays. But what of the long-suffering fans who have to fork-out double the expense for a midweek replay, just to see a conclusion which could easily have been achieved on the original weekend game.

Why should John Collins speak to the print media after all the drivel that has been written about him in the last week? Go stuff yourselves.

If Hibs fans feel hard done by, welcome to reality.

Throughout last season John Hartson had a raft of reporters camped outside his house in the hope of following up on the story of his separation from his wife. But hey, don't let the truth get in the way of statements like :- They certainly don't like anyone challenging the dominance of the Old Firm. Its all a big west coast conspiracy you see.

Collins?

This guy is an immature fool. He just shows off and then shows off again. His days are numbered.

People detest show offs. No need for it. If only he could see the way he really looks.

Fidelio, it's called irony. Describing the situation as MacBeth without the laughs is showing just how desperately unfunny it is.

Oh, and there is a knife-pointing scene in MacBeth - have you actually read/seen it?

Given Collins has won Hibs first trophy that wasn't in Black and White i think he has every right to be[italic] 'showing off'[/italic] , whatever that means. He is the manager and his results on the park have been good, most fans and players will be satisfied.

They are on the verge of a second final in the same season. If I were a player or a fan its clear that he is doing something right.

Looks like JC is encountering the same problems faced by Paul le Guen - professional footballers resisting new methods they don't like. Difference is, Collins has won something.

'Collins could not, however, find 10 minutes for newspaper reporters.

' What arrogance from the press yet again. You go in the same huff with Gordon Strachan every time he doesn't dance like the puppet you want him to be. You are not entitled to know everything nor are those you are focussed on obliged to do all you want.

You were there to get post match response from the club - not a person. You got that! Dry your eyes.

As is listed above - he genuinely was meeting his family. Far higher on his priority list than you! The story should never have been about John Collins.

We know he was always the professional as a player with ref. to his fitness etc. I suspect the fuss is that he wanted his players to have the same dedication instead of being a bunch of lazy b's.

I didn't see it but if you believe the somments about them all being dead at the end of the game then he's right isn't he. Part reason why Celtic and Rangers win some games is 'cause they have the fitness to last 90 minutes far better than the other teams. I wonder why - John Collins knows why and is trying to do something about it.

The press should be criticising the players, not the manager. P.S.

Hearts are a pub team (even if they did win) - at least in terms of team selection - seems to be decided on a whim over a pint - nothing methodical about it. Get wise. JC was using it motivationally.

Again why is this being cast up against him? Only 'cause it sounds good. It was great because it set up some cracking - and amusing - banter.

You think he's going to lose sleep cause they took the huff. He'll only be sorry because they won the last game.

It would be helpful if they scrapped replays and just went into extra-time. This gives both Hibs and Dunfermline less recovery time from their league matches this week, and another unnecessary fixture ahead of the releagtion six-pointer at Love Street. Plus extra-time's more exciting.

Is there something in the Edinburgh water, first of all we have the joke that is Tynecastle, yes rumour innuendo and more which a lot of unfortunately proved to be true, now we have Hibs who quite rightly won a trophy this season, a trophy that in real terms means nothing, by that i mean no European football now going into self destruct, a side with some promising talent who do play some really good football now about to be ruined by a inexperienced arrogant egotist.

Hibs are mongo's That's all

For a match report this is a poor piece by MacDonald that demonstrates journalist's petulance more than anything else.

Journalists do tend to view themselves and their profession as the centre of the universe. Thus we have MacDonald's very obvious pique that Collins could not find 10 minutes for newspaper reporters . Oh dear!

If the knives are out for Collins...

he goes on to add. Well, whose knives would those be? Journalists like MacDonald we have to presume.

Not, I think, Collins' employer, and certainly not the Hibs fans who yesterday gave such clear support for John Collins that it must have made MacDonald and other men of the press squirm.

Hibs are just doing what Rangers couldn't with Le Guen, pushing through contemporary European practice on fitness, health and diet, and good for them. It will continue us in good stead as we develope the best young football team in Scotland. I dont see what the problem is about Hibs Asst Manager taking a press conference.

This is such a total NON-STORY.

OK, so the story of the dressing room row last weekend breaks with suggestions of player discontent.

Now, how would the HIbs fans have reacted if it wasn't followed up? They would have cited west coast bias, no? Also, they were in the papers - as were Dunfermline, Celtic and St Johnstone - all last week as part of the build up to showpiece matches.

Surely the circumstances at the club impinge on preparations? In fact, Collins admitted as much saying it had been a tough week. And another thing.

Journalist, I always understood, went to press conferences and the like as representatives of the public, the fans, so they know what is happening at their club. Surely by refusing to speak, the club are depriving their supporters of information, not just the press?

Hugh MacDonald you should be ashamed of yourself.

Abusing your position to make open threats to John Collins about his need to communicate with you if he wants to keep his job is pretty low in my book. So TV got the story and you hacks didnt. Your right in one thing in your article, the public neither noticed or cared, so stop taking liberties by using limited column inches to make childish threats.

[quote][bold]Phil McCracken[/bold] wrote: John Collins did infact leave Hampden and meet up with his family at the main door of the south stand. I am not surprised though that he did not have time to meet with the press, especially when 9/10 of the questions are about events off the park!

! The press throughout the week tried their best to get the story but Hibs quite rightly decided it best to keep it in house, yet the press won't let it lie. Hibs had just played in the semi-final of the major domestic cup yet I would wager that all the press were huddled in a corner discussing why certain players were left out and whether they had any part to play in any dressing room problems.

It's time to move on guys, the story is over. [italic][bold]Move on[/bold][/italic] [/quote] nice name!

[quote][bold]balfur[/bold] wrote: [quote][bold]Phil McCracken[/bold] wrote: John Collins did infact leave Hampden and meet up with his family at the main door of the south stand. I am not surprised though that he did not have time to meet with the press, especially when 9/10 of the questions are about events off the park!!

The press throughout the week tried their best to get the story but Hibs quite rightly decided it best to keep it in house, yet the press won\\\'t let it lie. Hibs had just played in the semi-final of the major domestic cup yet I would wager that all the press were huddled in a corner discussing why certain players were left out and whether they had any part to play in any dressing room problems. It\\\'s time to move on guys, the story is over.

[italic][bold]Move on[/bold][/italic] [/quote] nice name![/quote] Was nearly Ben Doonigan :-)