Glory, Glory to the Hibees?

Given the enormous amount of football-related blogs which have appeared over the last year or two, finding a good one can be a tricky business. The fact that so many fans are now able to give voice to their opinions is one of the very best things about the worldwide web; but equally, without commercial expertise in publicising a particular blog, too often these opinions are invariably drowned out in the midst of so many others.

One such blog which doesn't appear to have been publicised much, but represents an excellent read, is We Love Fitba, a round-up of the weekly goings-on north of the border. Its articles are frequently well-written, amusing and thought-provoking, and given its author was kind enough to review my blog a week or two back, the least I can do is return the favour.

The man behind We Love Fitba is a Hibernian supporter - though thankfully, he doesn't go in for the tiresome, childish "ma team's bigger/better than yours" nonsense which frequently disfigures messageboard debate. Admittedly, there are one or two regular digs in the direction of Hearts: but even this Jambo would cheerfully acknowledge that the constant Romanov-inspired chaos down Gorgie way can hardly be ignored by any budding journalist or blogger. And there will surely be more in the way of this when his blog is next updated: because Hibs fans awoke this morning with the delighted feeling inspired by their team dumping a sorry excuse for a Hearts side out of the CIS Cup at Easter Road last night.

In some respects, Hibs have become everything that Hearts are not over recent years: accepting that, in the absence of a sugardaddy suddenly emerging, any attempt to challenge the Old Firm would represent financial suicide, they are now a byword for economic stability in the Scottish game: posting a profit in their most recent set of financial results, and concentrating their energies in bringing through young Scottish talent, to be sold on for profit to bigger clubs when the time is right. Derek Riordan, Garry O'Connor, Ian Murray and Gary Caldwell have all rapidly developed at the club, before leaving over the past eighteen months or so; and although, thanks to the Old Firm's continued capacity to poach players from rival clubs, only O'Connor actually fetched a fee, it is to Hibs' credit that they have largely been able to maintain their on-field progress in the absence of these individuals.

Much of this has been down to Tony Mowbray, who arrived at the club in Summer 2004, at a time when its supporters had been left deeply disenchanted both by the results and dreadful quality of football presided over by his hapless predecessor, Bobby Williamson. True, a talented group of youngsters had begun to emerge during Williamson's final year at the club, but it is inconceivable he would have led them to the same degree of success as Mowbray would enjoy: the former Kilmarnock and Plymouth boss being as clear a case as one could imagine of a square peg in a round managerial hole, with his notorious remark that those Hibees who wanted a more entertaining style of play from their team should "go to the cinema" proving the straw that broke the camel's back.

Into this breach stepped Mowbray, who thanks to his lack of prior experience in management represented a considerable gamble, and whose appointment was regarded as deeply underwhelming by many fans: but he won them over in no time with a brand of exciting, attacking football which, against all predictions, rapidly turned his side into the 'best of the rest' (an epithet which continued to apply even as Hearts detached themselves from the pack last season: although the reward was now merely 4th spot in the SPL, rather than third). Mowbray's classy, dignified manner also impressed, and represented a refreshing change from the kind of graceless whingeing which all too many managers are guilty of nowadays, both north and south of the border.

Of course, he was only able to prioritise in producing an attractive product above all else by deliberately keeping expectations low, and emphasising how large the gap to the Old Firm remained: it is questionable whether such a strategy would have been as successful at a club with a more demanding board or set of supporters. We'll soon find out, though, given he has recently been recruited by West Bromwich Albion: and despite an unconvincing start, this writer strongly suspects he will prove the man not only to take the Baggies back into the top flight, but - thanks to the football he believes in being far more ambitious than that presided over by Gary Megson or Bryan Robson - keep them there as well.

Hibs, meanwhile, are left trying to build upon the legacy Mowbray has left, in the guise of their new boss, John Collins: a wonderful player and deep thinker on the game, but who once more must be considered a risk given this is his first job in management too. For the question remains whether it was merely Mowbray's success which was responsible for the stability and excellent reputation the club now enjoys, or in fact, that it is much more deep-rooted, a consequence of chairman Rod Petrie's clever stewardship, and bound to continue seamlessly under whoever the manager might be.

Thanks to last night's victory, Collins now has an immediate and wonderful opportunity to make his mark: indeed, to cast himself in the fans' eyes as not just a playing legend, but a managerial one too. For with both halves of the Old Firm and Hearts now out of the competition, Hibs must surely be considered clear favourites to go on and win what would be only their second piece of silverware in the last 34 years: indeed, only Jim Jefferies' equally cheaply-assembled and attractive young Kilmarnock side appear capable of stopping them. But then, Hibs are also the club who, having played brilliantly in eliminating both Celtic and Rangers from this same tournament three seasons ago, then fell listlessly in the final to little Livingston; and missed glorious opportunities to reach the final of the Scottish Cup - the competition which has tormented the club for more than a century - in both 2000 and 2005 by losing to Aberdeen and Dundee United sides which had spent their seasons battling relegation.

Whenever Hearts fans have gloried in their team's second-place finish and triumph in the Scottish Cup last season, Hibs supporters have invariably retorted that in the first case, Rangers were (indeed, still are) a shambles; and in the second, that the Jambos were enormously fortunate both in their draw, and in scrambling past tiny Gretna on penalties in the final. True - though this argument has always struck me as a little strange, considering it was their own team which was summarily dismissed, 4-0, in the semi-finals, in what had been billed as the biggest Edinburgh derby for over a century. But now the boot is on the other foot: for it is inconceivable that any Hibee could continue to refer to their great rivals' 'easy' path to Cup glory last season if their club does not now take advantage of a draw which would appear just as simple to negotiate.

There is only so long a set of supporters (and especially those of a club with the status of one of Scotland's unquestioned big five) can continue to settle merely for attractive football, but no silverware: and one can't help but wonder how the fans will react if their team now fails once more to deliver something tangible. The defeat of Hearts, although hugely important in terms of bragging rights in the city, will essentially mean nothing if it does not lead to ultimate triumph in the competition. Although it pains this Jambo to say it, the prudent policy followed by the club in recent years, and the entertaining, promising side developed by Mowbray, deserves real reward: it is up to Collins and his team to ensure that the gaping opportunity provided by the remainder of this season's CIS Cup is now grasped.