Hibs star Michael Nelson: Derby win would be perfect way to lift Easter Road early-season gloom

Gavin Berry

10 Aug 2013 13:23

THE new Hibs defender reckons both sets of players can leave their troubles behind tomorrow as they fight it out for the result that could kick-start their season.
Hibs new boy Michael Nelson Hibs new boy Michael Nelson

MICHAEL NELSON insists an Edinburgh derby battle will be the perfect therapy for the capital’s crisis clubs.

The new Hibs defender can’t wait to sample the atmosphere for the first time and hopes a much-needed win can cure their problems.

Pat Fenlon’s side have conceded 10 goals this season without finding the net after a heavy aggregate Euro defeat to Malmo and an opening-day Premiership loss to Motherwell.

And they travel to Tynecastle tomorrow to face a Hearts side who haven’t had their troubles to seek following a turbulent summer which saw them plunge into administration and hit with a 15-point penalty and a transfer embargo.

But for 90 minutes in Gorgie tomorrow lunchtime Nelson reckons both sets of players can leave all their troubles behind and fight it out for the result that could kick-start their season.

The 33-year-old said: “Whatever’s going on around the training ground, around the clubs,
whichever club that is, whether its Hibs or Hearts, goes out the window.

“It’s not going to have anything to do with what goes on with the 22 players on the pitch.

“It’s just 11 against 11 for an hour and a half. At the end of the day the form book and off-field circumstances don’t come into play in a lot of normal games, let alone in a derby.

“I don’t think any players will be going on the field and 30 minutes into the game be thinking, ‘My club’s in turmoil’. They’ll be worrying about the few thousand fans that are probably screaming at them.”

Gary Locke will be forced to field a young team this season due to the cash crisis and Nelson admits they will try to exploit that – but he’s not convinced it will work.

He said: “You always try and look for the weak points and where you can capitalise on things but that’s sometimes the beauty of youth – sometimes you don’t have that fear.

“I see it around the training ground with some of the young boys at Hibs, they just get out there and play. They’re not bothered what’s going on around them.

“It can swing both ways, sometimes it can work against you and sometimes it can work for you.

“But it’s the same with every game you play, especially when you’re away from home. You try to turn the crowd and try not to let the crowd get behind them and be their 12th man.

“If you can get at them early on and upset the crowd, get them moaning and groaning, then
hopefully that will get on to some of their players and it will help in your favour.

“It will be hard for them, there might be uncertainties and stuff like that around the place. They might think of that when they’re sitting at home, Monday to Friday, but come the weekend when it’s time to work I don’t think it will be going through their minds.”

Nelson is unbeaten against Hearts from his time with Kilmarnock and enjoyed a 3-1 win on his only visit to Tynecastle so the Englishman – who returned north of the border after a spell with
Bradford – would love a repeat.

He said: “My last time at Tynecastle was my only time there and if it goes the same way I’ll be very happy.”

Hibs boss Pat Fenlon – who has new signing Rowan Vine available again after suspension – believes matching Hearts’ physically was the key to last season’s unbeaten run.

The Leith men had been
criticised in the past for being outmuscled by the Jambos but the Irishman said: “In terms of
physicality, we matched Hearts in that department last year. We stood toe to toe.

“In the last game a little bit of football broke out but in most of them it was fairly gung-ho and hectic and in your face.

“And we probably were able to match them a little bit more for the first time in a while.

“But you can always improve in that area and it was one thing we were conscious of when we were recruiting in the summer.

“There were probably times, particularly when we went on a bit of a poor run over the winter months, where physically we weren’t a match for some teams.

“It was important we bulked up in certain positions and we’ve done that. You try to get a blend and a balance right.

“I felt when we had a shaky spell that we struggled a bit physically but a lot of the players we’ve brought in are on the big side.”

Taken from the Daily Record