Hibee - Comments

The United players always used to talk highly of him didn't they? Anyway, by the time he pitched up at Lazio last christmas he was a shadow of his former self, he never seemed close to match fit and looked totally out of his depth.

Mine probably gets used 5/6 times a year, as you said it mainly sees the light of day at weddings but I've also worn it to ceilidhs, birthdays (usually our older relatives) and a couple of times at Scotland games.

I've also worn it on a couple of foreign stag weekends, pretty much every European country loves Scots and it's a great ice breaker with the ladies, especially when there's a dozen of you all wearing them.

Not sure the boots match...

I actually need a new kilt myself, my current one is 9/10 years old and I'm a bit bored of it.

You lot scraped a draw in the end, with the later league start Italian teams are usually a step behind with their fitness.

By the way, who was in that Arsenal 11 that was torn apart 7-0 by Luton?

If your best prospects fit into the tactics your first team use I'd keep using them for the Reserves and U18's. If they are being shoehorned into positions they aren't comfortable in or that don't make the most of their attributes I'd turn it off.

Do any of your young players, especially the best prospects, have the Rst indicator against them? If you find your best prospects are being overworked by playing U18 and Reserve games I'd maybe try moving them to the reseves so their only playing for one side. You can also try fleshing out the Reserves by making your fringe first team players eligable, they maintain match fitness and there's less chance of the U18's getting called up.

The main thing as Crane said is that your kids are progressing, just keep an eye on their attributes, the training reports and make sure they don't feel overworked.

Typical Inter, they had someone sent off in a game against a local side during their training camp as well.

Typically that article fails to mention that Mauri did nothing wrong, he's been betting on tennis and basketball so the only thing they could charge him with was failing to report illegal betting. Whether he knew it was going on or not is a different matter.

The Italian teams are a week or two behind the English fitness wise so there's little point in trying to make it competitive, they may as well field the reserves and let them get some minutes under their belts.

That Petagna kid that got their third's meant to be a real talent as well.

God knows, I guess the Swedes aren't the brightest race...

Seems a Malmo fan accidentally bought a Hibs season ticket rather than one for the game, when Hibs found out they refunded his money and published the story on their twitter account. A good number of the comments were Hibbies saying they thought they'd bought season tickets by mistake as well and could they get a refund?

Yep, the same. Seems he died of a cardiac arrest - link

I'm pretty sure they registered the Nereo Rocco as their stadium this season... Personally I assumed the Friulli was going to stay open and they'd use the main stand and the one opposite while the curva were redeveloped. Given the state of the place it's probably wise to choose somewhere else, the scale of the work means the whole place will be a building site like you said, it's not like doing one stand where you can just fence it off.

Winners: Juventus
Second: Milan
Third: Napoli
Fourth: Inter
Fifth: Fiorentina

Overachievers: Verona
Underachievers: Torino

Relegated: Sassuolo, Livorno, Torino
Promoted: Palermo, Empoli, Novara

Coppa Italia: Lazio (why not...)

Capocannoniere: Mario Gomez.


As has been discussed above it's difficult to look past Juventus for the title, they've improved their forward line and while I wouldn't expect either to break the 20 goal barrier given the demands Conte puts on his forwards they'll still be a big upgrade on what they had last season.

I actually think Milan will have a decent season in 13/14, they finished last season well and should they get into the CL I think we'll see one or two more signings, not to mention Honda's potential arrival in the winter. Balotelli and El Sharaawy working together will be key for them.

Napoli are an interesting one, a huge Cavani shaped hole has been partly filled by Higuain and their other attacking signings give them a lot of flexability. The midfield's as good as ever but even with Albiol that defense looks a bit suspect. It'll also be interesting to see how they balance Europe and Serie A.

Inter are my dark horses this season, they were dreadful last season but to be honest if you put a rookie manager in charge of any other side and took away 8/9 players the result would probably be the same. With the young lads coming in they have a few more options up front and providing everybody stays fit I can see them doing well, with no Europe and nobody caring about the Coppa they can focus solely on Serie A.

Like Napoli Fiorentina have an excellent and flexable attack coupled with an average defense and at the time of writing no goalkeeper to speak of. Another side that'll be looking to balance Europe and Serie A I can see them flying out of the blocks but stumbling a bit around New Year when the fixtures start to bite.

Just outside that list Roma have added some good players like Benatia & Strootman with some odd ones in Maicon & De Sanctis, the key for them as it usually is these days will be adapting to a new coach and new system. Lazio have added a bit of depth and variety to the midfield with Biglia and Anderson and early fixtures indicate we could be using a back 3 more often which suits the players better than a back 4. Striker depth is an issue though, Klose can only manage 20/25 league games + Europe and neither Floccari or Kozak have shown they can fill his boots. Then we have Udinese, as usual they've lost players, look weak on paper and will no doubt start slowly, perhaps with some European humiliation thrown in but they seem to be the anti-Lazio though and come alive after the New Year so I wouldn't be surprised to see them in 7th or 8th.

The best of the rest will probably be Catania who despite losing Lodi will be solid enough, a Cassano inspired Parma and I think we could see good seasons from Genoa and Atalanta. I also think Verona will be closer to 10th than the relegation spots.

Finally the relegations spots, Sassuolo will probably put up a better fight than Pescara last season but I can't see them reaching 17th, same for Livorno who's squad is starting to look like an Inter B side. Torino have lost their best defender and their main goal threat, not to mention their keeper copping a 3 year ban for his part in match fixing in his Bari days. With all that I can see them succuming to second season syndrome. Samp look weaker as well and could be in for a tough year, Cagliari's stadium situation is still going on and could impact them on the field and Chievo have been oddly active this window with murmers of 'changing the system' which goes against the 'if it aint broke don't fix it' approach that has seen them play terrible calcio but overachieve year after year.

I've said it before and I'll no doubt say it again, just when you think you've seen it all with Hibs they have to go and do something like this... It was like one of those horrible FM games where every shot went in.

The worst part is 7-0 used to be our score, the biggest ever Derby win, now it'll always have a double meaning.

Constant walked off during the Sassuolo game after apparently hearing racist chants from the crowd. I don't think anyone else heard anything though as Milan just brought on a sub and Galliani's told him he can't just leave the field whenever he wants, it's up to the ref to make the call.

PSG have signed Marquinhos from Roma for €35m, it'd be great to see him and Silva together but he's also got the quality to replace him.

There were stories a few days ago about Atalanta fans going on a 'rampage' in a tank and running over cars that were Roma or Brescia coloured. Turns out it was a little more organised than that but their newest signing was actually inside the tank at the time - Link

Got tickets for Sunday

I think there's a talented player in there but he struggled to show what he could do last season. He's been on the fringes of the national side for a while now, that and the Juve move show he's rated by those who know a lot more than the likes of us.

Juve will be a big step up for him and it'll be interesting to see how he gets on, my only concern is how much playing time he'll get, at his age he really needs to be playing week in week out rather than a few games here and there. On the other hand Barzagli isn't getting any younger and Chiellini will no doubt get hurt at some point so he'll have chances to make a mark.

Yep, the deal should be done in the next few days. I wouldn't say he's way too good for Sunderland, he's a pretty good player, hard working, versatile but nothing out of the ordinary. He exceeded expectations at the Confederations Cup, I mean most people in Italy were questioning why he was even called up before it started.

I'd say it's a fair price, since his injury he's not looked the same player, he's still very good but there's something missing.
Fiorentina will no doubt be delighted to get €30m for him especially as the two they bought with that money, Gomez & Rossi, will more than make up for losing him.



Here's one for our Serie A followers, after 15 years in Italy Seb Frey has moved to Bursaspor. In his prime Frey was such an underrated keeper, he could have played at a higher level and I'm sure some kind of falling out hamstrung his international career. In the last year to 18 months however he was an overweight liability, sad how quickly he fell...

Looks like Hibs are facing Malmo, these games are always so difficult for the Scottish sides as the lack of fitness and match sharpness really shows this early in the season.

He's top of our shopping list of forwards but it looks like any bid will be a loan with an option to buy at the end of the season.

Inter are meant to be after him as well.

Sounds interesting, he seems the type that would use a book to settle old scores.

I'm working my way through Celine's Journey To The End Of The Night, I wasn't sure what to expect before starting but as it had influenced a lot of writers I like I thought I'd give it a go, turns out it's really easy to read and you fly through it.

The actual sum they want is €25m after agents fees etc so the Barca bid might not have been high enough. Southampton seem to be the main English club that are targeting Osvaldo now.

Lazio fans have been hiring banner planes all summer and having them go over the city and up and down the beaches...

Staying with Roma, I've just read an odd story about a Roman radio station overhearing a conversation between two of Roma's directors - one had called the station and hadn't hung up it seems... Anyway, they really want Osvaldo to go and ordered him back to training ASAP so the fans have a chance to shout abuse at him. He's still on holiday in the US for some reason.
They also said Marquinhos would be sold if a €25m bid comes in and DDR is on the market as well.

It sounds too stupid to br true but in Italy you never know.

Don't forget Savic and Tomovic...

Roncaglia is an odd one, he was right up there with the best defenders in the league prior to the winter break then his form just went to hell.

Add a top CB and they are almost there. If, and it's a big if, Gomez hits the ground running and Rossi gets back to his old self they'll certainly be contenders for second, with the stiker situation sorted 13/14 is Juve's Scudetto to lose.

The general opinion is Arsenal aren't that keen on Suarez and the bid is an attempt to hurry up the Higuain deal. I daresay he's an option if negotiations do fall apart but at the moment they aren't that serious about him.