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The Hibs European Rollercoaster · Scots With A Mic

0:04
Welcome to the Noise, Listen to the Passion and Hamden Park.
0:08
Let's jump. Again, let's jump.
0:13
Again. Oh yes, great, done by the fish
0:17
chance. The one for Scotland?
0:28
Hello and welcome to Scott's With a Mic.
0:31
This is one of the first episodes that there's someone
0:34
from outside our content creating group and he's going to
0:37
be joining us talking about the exciting journey that Hibs are
0:41
on through European football. Hibs started last season very
0:45
poorly, but since then they've only been looking up.
0:48
We've got Sean who's going to be talking to us about all things
0:51
Hibs over the last 1218 months or so.
0:54
So very, very exciting. I'm also going to be joined by
0:58
Aaron, who's been on a lot of these episodes and he's going to
1:01
be chipping in with the odd question and odd opinion about
1:04
Hibs as well. Aaron, John, say a quick hello
1:06
to the listeners. Hello, nice to have you back.
1:08
Have to be back on. Nice to have you back on.
1:10
Nice to be back on. It's good.
1:13
It's good good to be speaking to you again, Aaron.
1:15
I feel like I don't speak to you enough.
1:17
Yeah, exactly. We don't speak at all.
1:19
Really, Joe? No, no, never, never.
1:21
And we're also joined by Sean. So Sean, do you want to say
1:25
hello and welcome to Scots with a mic for the first time?
1:28
Thank you very much. But an honor there based on the
1:31
introduction that you you just gave me there.
1:33
So yeah, take care. I'm happy to be here.
1:36
Good stuff. Really appreciate you coming on,
1:38
Sean. Sean, take us back to how it's
1:42
been since Davy Gray came and obviously had a lot of interim
1:46
positions. I think it was 3, correct me if
1:49
I'm wrong on that. And then you got off to such a
1:51
poor season at the same time as harvested last season.
1:55
And come Christmas, you were both looking like it could have
1:59
been a relegation scrap. But it's something just turned
2:03
after that 3 old draw with Aberdeen.
2:05
And since then, there's been no looking back.
2:09
Yeah, I I don't really want to look too far back because it was
2:13
it was wasn't great. But yeah, the the the four one
2:20
pump into to Dundee away LED us into that Aberdeen game.
2:26
The whole LEUN doing the keeping UPS at the side of the pitch
2:29
fiasco and Marvin Bartley being absolutely rattled, which made
2:33
for great content, of course. Yeah, at that point it looked
2:39
like it was. We needed some form of miracle
2:42
for David Gray to stay in the job.
2:44
And there had been lots of whispers at the start of the
2:48
season that even if David Gray did go on that kind of losing or
2:52
unwinnable run, that the club were going to kind of back him.
2:57
And they they kind of had to because of who he is and his
3:01
status at the club. If it wasn't going to work, it
3:05
wasn't necessarily going to fall on his head first.
3:07
It was going to fall on the boards, you know, like Malke,
3:11
Ben Kenzel at the time and and Ian Gordon.
3:15
So yeah, it was a rollercoaster start to David Gray's permanent
3:22
managerial position. But a lot of Hibs fans could
3:27
understand and see what he was trying to do and what we were
3:30
trying to do at the start of the last season.
3:33
I don't know if you remember, but it felt like every week
3:35
there was one individual error that was then costing us.
3:38
We were never getting beat by two or three goals, it was
3:40
always a one or two and for me that was one of the frustrating
3:44
things. And then that led us into that
3:47
Aberdeen game, didn't it? Well, did you see, would you see
3:49
that that Rocky Bashiri equalizer in the 95th minute, I
3:53
think it was, was probably the most important goal that's been
3:56
scored on David Gray because it was looking like if that was
4:00
going to be a defeat, maybe he could have been out of a job.
4:03
Yeah, yeah. And I think he would probably
4:06
say that now as well. Both Rocky and David Gray, I
4:11
think they would probably both admit to that, and a lot of the
4:13
players hinted at that as the weeks went on and as the results
4:17
started to build that although the players had the backing of
4:20
the manager, they didn't know if he would have even lasted that
4:24
one. So, yeah, I think in Rocky's
4:27
trajectory of a Hibs career since that moment as well met
4:30
with our form has just been something out of the ordinary.
4:34
He's been fantastic, isn't he? I can't believe he wasn't
4:37
really. No.
4:38
I would always think he was a fan favorite, but some of the
4:41
performances were questionable. And then, yeah, I think that was
4:44
his first goal, that Aberdeen goal as well, correct me if I'm
4:47
wrong. Ever since that moment it's been
4:50
fantastic, both him personally and for the club.
4:52
Yeah, no, you're right. It was his first goal.
4:54
I think you're also writing what you're saying about kind of
4:57
being a fan favorite, maybe for the wrong reasons though.
5:00
He was a bit, I was a bit a cult hero for not being that great.
5:04
And people love to hate him. So therefore people love them
5:09
more. And but then since then, he was
5:13
very young when he joined the club and the whole we signed
5:15
them by mistake nonsense and things like that as well.
5:18
He's he's not had an easy run as a Hibs player at such a young
5:22
age as well. So yeah, even at the start of
5:25
last season, he wasn't getting a look into David Gray's side.
5:28
It wasn't until we changed to the back three that he then got
5:31
a look in and then got a run at game, like a run of games.
5:34
And that obviously led him and him and the club to to where
5:37
they are just now. Yeah, I'm I'm glad you covered
5:42
that in quite a lot of detail from because I didn't want to
5:45
dwell any any more on that because it was quite a poor run
5:48
what it was. But you've obviously managed to
5:50
turn it around. The Aberdeen game meant a lot
5:53
for Hibs, but it meant a lot going the other direction for
5:57
Aberdeen as well. And you could see that form that
5:59
that sent them on when you ended up finishing the league 3rd.
6:03
And Aberdeen, who at one point in the season a lot of fans were
6:06
tipping to even split the top 2 and come second ahead.
6:10
The Rangers ended up coming 5th, now third and every other year
6:16
basically, bar the one other year recently the Hibs have come
6:19
third has meant guaranteed European league phase or group
6:24
stage football. Unfortunately for Hibs again,
6:27
it's meant that you've had qualifiers to go through again,
6:30
but Aberdeen winning the cup and demoting your European place
6:34
take away from the success of coming third.
6:36
Or did you not really see it like that?
6:39
No, I absolutely did and I'm still fuming with them for it.
6:43
Yeah, you're writing what you're saying.
6:45
Guarantee group stage football pretty much every other season
6:49
unless Hibs finished third seems to be the way that it's going at
6:52
the minute. The two times that we've
6:54
finished third, we've not got the the group stage football
6:57
because of Saint Johnstone and Aberdeen.
6:59
I guess the Saint Johnstone one's more our fault because we
7:01
had a fantastic opportunity to win a cup double then as well.
7:05
But yeah, the Aberdeen win and for me they're playing Celtic in
7:11
the cup final as well. It's more often than not a
7:14
nailed on Celtic victory at Hampden.
7:18
I think that was Callum McGregor's first ever defeat in
7:20
a final as well. So it's. 1st in both senior and
7:24
youth. As well so.
7:25
Yeah, no very big surprise on the day.
7:28
It really did put a damper on it as well because we at the
7:34
Bramble had our next set of European Leith 7 clothing
7:41
prepped and ready to go. We just wanted group stage
7:44
football before we released it and then because obviously we
7:46
didn't get group stage football, we needed to tone that down a
7:48
bit and make it more a celebrity celebratory merch for the 105th
7:55
anniversary instead of celebrating group stage
7:57
football. So a lot of the fans were like
8:02
obviously over the moon that we'd finished third, but
8:05
devastated that what it meant. Like it felt like we all needed
8:11
a bit of a pick me up after that.
8:12
The whole support felt like that.
8:15
You had a great, you had a great run though.
8:17
At one point I think you went 17 league games unbeaten.
8:19
I mean that that's quite remarkable that any club outside
8:23
of Celtic and Rangers go that long unbeaten.
8:26
You know, for that length of time.
8:27
I can't remember how many months it was.
8:29
I think it might be two or three months, three months at most.
8:31
And that's quite incredible that you went on that long a run.
8:35
And you know, I think you're still on a good run personally
8:37
going into this season as well. Yeah, completely agree.
8:41
I think there, I don't think David Gray's rocked the boat too
8:45
much. Obviously we've brought in a
8:48
couple of very good signings, but I think the most important
8:53
thing that we've done over the over the summer is to get a get
8:56
rid of a lot of players and trim the squad and David Gray's
9:02
favour as well. And I think that's coincided
9:05
with, you know, the continuous running form that we've had.
9:08
And more importantly, the lively sum of our performances have
9:11
been very, very good. I'm not going to talk about like
9:15
the Bolton friendly because that's a nothing, nothing game.
9:17
But the competitive fixtures, our performances other than our
9:22
45 minutes at the at the weekend there have been very, very
9:25
strong, especially against the level of opposition we've been
9:28
against. It's really interesting that
9:32
you're saying how David Gray what it's keep the same vibe at
9:36
the squad and in your words, not rock the boat too much.
9:40
Fast forwards a a wee bit the seat.
9:41
The close season isn't nearly as long as it used to be and
9:46
there's been a few games in Scottish European season this
9:51
this month or six weeks. It's been whatever has where
9:54
I've really feared for not just a coefficient, but maybe we can
10:00
look from the outside looking into Scottish Football League,
10:03
AZ, the Dundee United a few years ago.
10:06
And obviously we're so Dundee United going away to Austria.
10:09
And I really feared what that could be like.
10:12
And I have to admit I did feel what Mitchell and could do to
10:14
Hibbs at one point as well. And I remember I was out for the
10:19
day on our end. I remember and I checked and
10:22
just in the ferry before I was coming back and I saw that Hibs
10:26
are ahead in Denmark and it was an early goal and I've seen this
10:31
too many times as a Celtic fan. We scored away to PSG or
10:34
whatever it is, a 7/1 or whatever it is.
10:37
I thought it's a good start but can they hold it?
10:41
And it finished one each. And then I'd already bought a
10:45
ticket to go and see the second leg because I'm working in
10:48
Edinburgh as it is shown and the performance that Hibs put in.
10:52
I read a few things from journalists saying that Mitch
10:54
Lander were the better team, they were fitter, their quality
10:58
showing through. I genuinely think neither team
11:00
could have complained if they had gone out that night and I
11:04
thought Hibs put in a performance to be proud of.
11:08
How sore one was it to take two weeks ago?
11:13
Or did you just take the silver line of the performance and just
11:18
accept that you were going into the Conference League now?
11:22
I think it's a sore one to take because of the nature of how the
11:26
two ties transpired. I think for me that's the most
11:29
frustrating thing. I did think going into that
11:33
first leg that we were going to get comfortably beat.
11:38
Certainly performance wise. I expected it to at least for
11:41
them to win by at least two. And then the fact that we took
11:45
the lead and probably had a a good chance to go 2 up.
11:48
And then you've got Martin Boyle's offside goal where you
11:51
could argue it doesn't need to be offside.
11:53
And that first half performance over there in the first leg was
11:57
very, very strong. But then again in the
11:59
second-half we weren't as great. We let them back in it and they
12:02
obviously scored one of their three wonder goals that they did
12:07
across the two legs. So to go out an extra time,
12:13
sorry, I at home when you could argue all three of the goals
12:19
that they have scored are of top, top quality and just going
12:23
to show as well. Yeah, it's.
12:26
In the last minute as well, like I think you might had like
12:28
another minute to go like around the time, but you know, really,
12:32
you know, you'll be down on your the players will be down feeling
12:35
gutted. And you know, they've got a
12:36
great performance that night. I was watching the game at home
12:39
and it was really, really good. And you could argue that both
12:42
teams, you know, I think penalties would have been the
12:44
fairest way to go that night. And it was a better quality that
12:47
maybe, you know, if somebody was going to win it, it was going to
12:49
be a better quality or it was going to be a mistake.
12:52
You know, it was it was going to be either the two and it was
12:54
just, you know, you want to like appreciate it because you'll
12:58
know you don't mind glues into a bit of brilliance.
13:00
Spend the last minute, though. It's you know, it's hard one to
13:03
take isn't. It it's a very Hibs way to do
13:06
things, if we're being honest here, to go toe to toe with what
13:11
was a Champions League slash Europa League side of such
13:16
quality, regardless of how poor you could probably say they were
13:20
or how good we were or whatever way you want to look at I think
13:23
you. Were good or they were bad or.
13:25
I think it was no. Difference.
13:27
For me, I think it was a mixture, they both across the
13:29
two legs. But yeah, you're right, their
13:31
quality shown through in the end.
13:32
And if it did go either way, you you can't grumble.
13:37
I'm not overly too. It's still a sore one to take
13:40
because it's such a Hibs way to to go out and and lose that late
13:44
goal. But because of the quality that
13:46
we were up against and the quality of the goal, it's like,
13:48
right, cool, fair enough. It's then a case of let's go and
13:52
pick ourselves up against what again is another good, good
13:57
site. Maybe not now, but historically.
14:00
They've always been a good historic.
14:01
I haven't never a big name. As soon as you heard that they
14:03
were going to get Paris and Belgrade, you know, you know,
14:07
I'd just seen it. And they're not the star team
14:09
that they were not even 10 years ago, maybe long before that.
14:13
But it's still the quality of the name.
14:15
It's still, you know, it's still like, Oh my God, this could be,
14:18
you know, it's basically going to Serbia as well on a midweek
14:22
in front of, you know, Serbia is difficult enough anyway.
14:25
Doesn't matter where you go in Belgrade because the fans are
14:28
going to be right on top of you. You know, it's a hostile
14:30
atmosphere. It's such a difficult draw and
14:33
you managed to, you know, a fantastic result over there.
14:37
Did you think that you could have got the result that you
14:39
did? No, I certainly didn't.
14:45
I think Partisan are a side where they've now only got 1
14:49
international star in their squad and they finished 27
14:52
points behind the the the league leaders.
14:56
So you're right, they're certainly not what they once
14:59
were. And I went into again skeptical
15:04
because as a Hibbs fan I try and not get too optimistic because
15:07
it never works that well for me. You should be a wreath Rover
15:11
supporter like we feel. I feel exactly the same.
15:15
Yeah, I've got. Don't be a wreath Rover
15:16
supporter. I've got a mate that's already
15:19
supporting, he's the exact same. But yeah, I like I was of the
15:24
opinion that if we go over there and you know, the the classic
15:28
meme for last season with a Hearts fan who's like, I'll take
15:31
a one nil defeat now. That's kind of how I felt going
15:34
into that. I also felt the same for
15:36
Michelin. But because of the lively
15:37
performance we'll set ourselves up for, you're kind of going up
15:40
over there thinking we could maybe do them a wee bit and
15:43
maybe cause them a wee bit a scare.
15:45
And that's exactly what we've done.
15:47
You know, the only thing that I'm no concerned about is that
15:49
they then went then went and won 7 two at the weekend.
15:51
So yeah, we've maybe poked the beer a wee bit.
15:55
No, I think, sorry, I think what I was a wee bit worried about,
16:02
as you would be as a fan of any team.
16:05
I'm, I'm not a HIB support, but I'll try and see it through that
16:08
lens, especially when I'm at the game and I'm at the game
16:11
tomorrow for what it's worth. And I'm just a quick say no, I'm
16:14
very glad the Mitchland game didn't go to penalties.
16:17
I'd have missed the last train back to Fife and same goes for
16:20
tomorrow night. But I.
16:22
Would Listen listen the train. That might do you a favour.
16:26
You've you've, you've jinped it, Julie.
16:28
You've jinped it. Sorry, sorry, no.
16:31
You're the one that should apologise to yourself.
16:32
No, you're right, you're right. But what are what my worry was,
16:40
and it would be a first himself in this position and I'm sure
16:43
any other football fan would feel the same, was that such a
16:46
big blow solely on Lake Certigans?
16:49
Bayern Munich would really put the team off for the following
16:54
fixtures, but it seems that hasn't been the case with Hibbs.
16:57
They got a really, really impressive result away to see
17:02
what they were a number of years ago, as you touched on, but a
17:05
historically hostile place to visit and Martin Boyle made that
17:09
clear and he got a fantastic result over there with Hibs.
17:14
And it's we're at the point now. It's actually a big, big
17:19
disappointment if Hibs don't go through tomorrow because they're
17:22
bringing a two goal lead back to Easter Road and if it's anything
17:25
like it was for the Metrolands game, the place will be
17:28
bouncing. Yeah, you're right.
17:31
You're right. And I think what should
17:36
hopefully work in our favor is that there's next to no Partisan
17:39
fans coming over because apparently it's been quite
17:42
difficult for them to get visas. And even then, obviously the the
17:46
Michelin fans were in the bottom corner, next to the corner flag.
17:50
We've stuck the Partisan fans up in the top left.
17:52
If you're looking at the the South stand, the top left, the
17:56
two smallest sections that are way up there as well.
17:59
So again, you're looking at another potential record
18:03
European attendance for for Hibbs at home.
18:07
How big is that? Can make a difference?
18:09
How big is that? Like you're breaking records?
18:12
I think you broke a record for the league as well last season
18:16
if I'm right and seen. As well.
18:17
So you've been. Breaking record left, right and
18:18
centre. Yeah, it's as a Hibbs fan, it's
18:23
normally the wrong records that were they're breaking in Europe.
18:27
So it's pleasing that we're able to do one on a positive note
18:29
this time around. But yeah, user, user, right.
18:33
It would be a very, very disappointing outcome if we even
18:37
let partisan back into into the tie, considering the factors
18:42
that are at play here regarding the two goal lead and the the
18:46
levelly support that we're going to have once again.
18:49
And and hopefully we're we're able to kind of not shut up shop
18:55
early doors, but more kind of nullify them more than anything
18:58
else and prevent them from being able to do what they would.
19:02
They done last week very, very well, which was counted on us
19:06
and and getting behind. They did have a lot of promise
19:10
and attacks again, the the likes of Ohora, Iredale and Rocky were
19:16
immense last week as well. And I'm hoping that although
19:20
Jordan Smith had a shaky weekend against Kilmarnock, he's able to
19:25
kind of, you know, shrug that off and go again because
19:29
although he might be the most #2 looking goalkeeper I've ever
19:32
seen in my life, he's been a very, very strong number one
19:35
since he came into the side. And what about coming into
19:43
Thursday? You obviously mentioned Jordan
19:46
Smith. There you go, you got a draw
19:50
against Kilmarnock and that'll be disappointing, but I mean,
19:53
that wonder goal from Ben Brannon was something else.
19:56
How how do you feel about Thursday?
19:58
I was talking to. Is my dad there about the
20:01
possibilities of Celtic going to Kazakhstan?
20:04
And we said that a one goal lead is better than having a two goal
20:08
lead and things like that. How?
20:11
It's maybe a two-part question here but I'm sure you can answer
20:14
both. How do you think Hibs will come
20:16
into the game tomorrow or he'll be today by the time listeners
20:20
are listening to us and what do you think they should do?
20:26
What I think they should do as I think they should go for a fast,
20:31
strong start and get an early goal.
20:35
David Greese already spoke about treating it as if it's nil, nil
20:38
and it's one thing to say that, but subconsciously him and the
20:41
players won't be treating it like that.
20:44
I think if we do what we've done similar in the second-half away
20:49
to Michelin or the same level of performance that we've done at
20:53
home to them, then we're in for a long, tough night.
20:58
Because I do think Partisan will come at us with everything that
21:01
they've got and they're coming off the back of a fantastic
21:03
result at the weekend. So what I think we should do is
21:08
start strong and try and kill the tie off as early as we can
21:10
and get a goal similar to what we should have done last week
21:13
when they were down to 10 men. But what I think will happen is
21:18
that I think it'll be a cagey 1st 1520 minutes.
21:21
And I think as soon as Partisan got a couple of early attempts
21:24
at goal, I think that could maybe silence the crowd a little
21:27
bit. And then we could be in for a
21:31
certainly a shaky first half. And I'm hoping that David Gray
21:34
on the side of of learnt from what you could potentially class
21:38
as mistakes in regards to the way that they set up at home to
21:41
Mitchell and and then the second-half of the first leg
21:44
away to Mitchell and as well. And Sean, you were talking about
21:49
possible progression and I completely agree.
21:52
I'll, I'll ask you the first question, then we can look
21:55
beyond that first. I know it's a total cliche and
21:58
this is just my opinion, but tomorrow I think first goal is
22:01
completely key. Yeah, no, I do.
22:06
I completely agree. And that's why I'm hoping that
22:09
we start strong and start fast and we get that goal because if
22:13
it sets it 2 nil to us, it doesn't matter when that first
22:17
goal comes and it doesn't matter how together this group of
22:20
players are. And it doesn't matter how good
22:22
our lively performances a club has been since the turn of the
22:25
year or since December last year.
22:27
Hibs as a club are notoriously nervous and notorious for, well,
22:34
I'm not going to say the term, but for bottling things from
22:36
time to time. So regardless of whether it's
22:39
two nil and they score in the 1st 10 minutes or the last 10
22:43
minutes, that crowd is then going to get shakier and shakier
22:46
as the game goes on, which is why I completely agree and the
22:49
first goal will be pivotal tomorrow and I'm just hoping it
22:53
goes in our favour. Magic and you're facing the
22:59
winner of Larnaca and Ledger war.
23:03
So I think when most neutrals are outsiders to that tie, so
23:09
that you're expecting it to be Larnaca, but Larnaca shocks most
23:13
people and beat Ledger 41 and Cyprus.
23:17
Now maybe I'm just being a football lover because I love a
23:22
comeback, but I'm still not writing off Ledger.
23:25
The three goes down, but they're at home.
23:27
Everyone knows what the Polish and specifically the Ledger
23:30
supporters like. I'm not writing them off
23:32
completely, but Sean, is there a team that you'd rather get?
23:36
Well, the fact that we played the losers of the tie should
23:39
probably come in our favour and not the winners because the
23:43
winner goes through to the Europa, I'm pretty certain.
23:48
But as European playoff, yeah. As the as the losers that we
23:51
face. So I can't even sit here and say
23:56
that either or as as a good away day, because they would both be
24:00
just as good as each other for different reasons.
24:04
I guess for the the stature of the club, you would obviously
24:08
rather face a war salt than Larnaca.
24:13
They would both definitely be great trips away, that's for
24:15
sure. But yeah, Larnaca did shock us.
24:22
I see us people within Scottish football looking at that with
24:26
their 41 victory. But looking at the stats, it
24:29
does look like it was quite an even match.
24:33
Larnaca only had one extra shot and a little bit more possession
24:37
and then Legia, so it just on the face of it, looking at the
24:41
stats, looks as if they'd maybe just taken their chances a wee
24:44
bit more. And Legia are heavy favourites
24:46
to win tomorrow. And I know winning and
24:49
qualifying are different things because of the result, but I
24:53
don't think that tie is over. Personally I would probably
24:59
prefer Larnika, but at the minute it does look like it
25:05
would be Legia that we're playing.
25:07
This is pure preparation on my part.
25:09
What time is kick off in that game tomorrow, Sean?
25:12
I'm fairly certainly kicks off the exact same time.
25:15
Yeah, so. Yeah.
25:15
All right. Kicks off the.
25:17
Same time I was just. I was just wondering if you
25:19
would know going into the tie here you'd get.
25:21
No, that the only show only. 21 have 4:00 if you'd have 4K
25:25
Easter Rd. booking their flight used to pull in just before
25:28
kickoff starts or something. No, the, the, the only two,
25:33
well, I say the only two ties, they're obviously playing in the
25:35
Europa League. But the, the only tie tomorrow
25:38
in the Europa League that is 8:00 is is that one, all the
25:41
other ones are early. So it kicks off the same time as
25:44
us. So it's not as if any of us can
25:46
do some, some extra prep. I know some people have some
25:49
people have jumped the gun and and booked some flights to
25:52
Poland, which again, like we were speaking about earlier on,
25:56
wouldn't be a a bad trip even if you end up going there.
26:02
And. Sounds like I would never become
26:05
trap, you know, going into another game though.
26:07
That's just me though, because I.
26:08
Don't have a dangerous. No, no, I'm, I'm a jinx.
26:12
You know, I was picking tickets for, you know, when I was on
26:15
Scotland duties thinking, OK, we're going to have this team,
26:17
we're going to have that team. And then you do, you know, the
26:20
exact opposite happens. You're like, oh shit.
26:24
Sean, I know we're looking way, way into the future here.
26:27
We're assuming that you progress tomorrow and progress again
26:30
inside the learner currently, Joe.
26:32
But just hypothetically, if Hibs were to make it into the league
26:38
phase over the Conference League, one, what would that
26:41
mean for the club? And two, what would your
26:44
expectations be for it? Humongous and to qualify would
26:49
be the short answer to both of those questions.
26:51
Amazing. Yeah.
26:54
Listen, obviously Harts and Aberdeen have done it in recent
26:58
years, and I'm not one for certain saying a lot of Harts,
27:04
Hibbs and Aberdeen fans online, I'll compare this and compare
27:07
that, whether it's how far each other have went in Europe or a
27:10
tendencies or trophies or whatever.
27:13
And it's all a good laugh here or there.
27:16
But from a club's perspective, it would be humongous for us to
27:19
be able to qualify to a European group stage regardless of
27:21
whether it was the Europa League or the Europa Conference.
27:26
So yeah, and I think that would just take the club to a level
27:30
where the Gordons have wanted to try and get us to.
27:32
And it would give us a point to try and stand and stick to in
27:37
the future saying, listen, this is capable, we have been able to
27:40
do this, we can achieve it and why can't we go and achieve it
27:43
again? And Ian Gordon has been very
27:46
passionate about the club and about driving the club forward
27:49
and he's keen to make sure that we can consistently not only
27:53
qualify for Europe but try and get into the group stages.
27:56
As for where I think that our expectations would be, I think
28:01
the club would would come out if they were asked the question and
28:04
just say compete and and do ourselves.
28:08
I would. Answer those, isn't it?
28:09
Yeah. But but, but deep down, if you
28:11
look at how Hearts got on last year, where they had six points
28:16
for their first, I think it was at what, two games?
28:18
And then they did one point or or another win or something like
28:21
that to qualify. And they come up against part
28:24
timers for some nob de country in the middle of nowhere and
28:28
they could and they couldn't even beat them.
28:31
It kind of summed that up to the point where.
28:33
You enjoyed that a bit too much, Sean, didn't you?
28:36
Absolutely did. Sorry to listeners in that
28:38
country. That was a that was a hate
28:41
watch. Like I've never had one before
28:42
that night when when hearts couldn't get that result.
28:45
But did you sit? Down for 90 minutes.
28:48
No, I definitely did not. You're.
28:50
On your phone? What, You're just looking at the
28:52
scores like, come on, come on. I think, I don't think it would
28:57
be out with the realms of possibility with the new format,
28:59
which I'm a big fan of within European competitions where
29:02
depending on the teams that are in the tournament and depending
29:06
on the luck of the draw, similar to what Hearts had last year,
29:10
any Scottish side would be and with a real chance of getting
29:14
into that, the realms of potentially qualifying.
29:17
And it's not cheeky to say that. And I'm not being like cocky or
29:23
overconfident. I think if you just look at the
29:25
format of the competition now, when even if you look at Aston
29:29
Villa making it as far as they did in the Champions League,
29:31
albeit they're a very good side at the beginning of the season,
29:35
they had no divine right to be anywhere near that part of the
29:38
tournament. And if you look at some of the
29:40
teams that have qualified through this new format in the
29:43
Europa, in the Conference and the Champions League, I don't
29:47
see why any Scottish side, including Hibs, if we were to
29:49
get there, could be within a real chance of getting getting
29:52
through, I think. There was some.
29:53
Part timers. To the conference, didn't they?
29:55
Last year there was some part timers and they went through in
29:57
the conference league and they just blew everybody away because
30:02
it's how big a deal that is. You know, it would be fantastic
30:05
to see Hibs get through into league phase and you know, we
30:09
want all of our teams to do well.
30:10
You know, we've got Celtic, Rangers and Aberdeen already
30:14
there. We want to see how Dan, we want
30:15
to see Dundee United get there. I mean, how good.
30:17
Would it be I was about to ask you that Aaron you've you've
30:19
answered the question I was about to ask you from a Scottish
30:22
football perspective is getting the hopes to up for Dundee
30:27
United. I'd love them to do it tomorrow
30:28
but it's going to. It's a really tough ask, but how
30:32
big would it be for the coefficient for Scottish
30:35
football to have five teams in European league phase football
30:41
and possibly two of them in the Champions League?
30:44
I know it's just, you know, a couple of years ago it was
30:47
unthinkable, you know, before the coefficient, when the
30:50
coefficient with that good to have three teams in the in the
30:53
group stages of the Champions League in the Europa League.
30:56
Now we've got, you know, 3 guaranteed.
30:59
We could have four, we might have 5.
31:01
You know, it'd be fantastic to have all five of them in there
31:04
and people might. No, I think the Conference
31:07
League is a brilliant competition, which for me it's
31:10
our I prefer it to the Europa League because if you get in
31:13
there, it looks like you get better away trips and you know,
31:17
just you know, this is me because coming out as a fan
31:19
wanting anything, just look at some of the places that you can
31:21
go to, You know, who wants to go to Spain or you know, France and
31:25
all that in the Champions League.
31:25
No, we want to go to, you know, all these other countries, you
31:29
know, that are out there. It would be fantastic to have,
31:33
you know, four and possibly 5 all and it's good to have three,
31:36
but we want to be cheeky. We want more, we want four, we
31:40
want 5. And no, I'm back in Hibbs today,
31:43
I'm back in Dundee United to do it.
31:44
I'm back in our guys all the way.
31:47
Yeah, yeah. And guys, I really appreciate
31:50
you coming on. I've loved talking to you, Sean.
31:53
It's been a pleasure to have you on for the first time.
31:56
If you make it through this round or to the league phase,
31:59
well, no doubt have you or someone else from someone else
32:02
from Heads Ramble on Quick Show to Heads Ramble.
32:06
They've been excellent in communication and getting
32:09
getting you guys on, so be sure to follow them on on your
32:12
socials at the Hibbs Ramble on Twitter.
32:16
Have you guys got anything else to add Sean first?
32:19
No, not at all. Thanks for having me on guys.
32:21
It's been a pleasure. Aaron, have you got any more to
32:24
add? I've got a couple of things to
32:26
add. Just want to just go off the
32:30
Hibbs record and just talk about Lena Miller, just because we
32:33
don't know when the next podcast is going to be.
32:36
I think we've talked about him before on on these podcasts.
32:40
Brilliant move, brilliant move. Eudanese, fantastic club.
32:44
You know, not maybe the the high profile club that they once were
32:48
maybe 10 years ago. So with him, who was his name?
32:52
Canal. No, this is no language.
32:53
Student and. Also, Alexis Sanchez when they
32:59
were there together. I'm just thinking it's a
33:02
brilliant move for him. Tweet them this afternoon from
33:06
the boy who used to host Football Italia on Channel 4 and
33:10
he was on the Goal show on TNT Sports.
33:13
Jane Richardson. He's seen how great a move it is
33:17
for him and he thinks it could be a good steady, steady place
33:21
for him to go and learn and develop.
33:23
Hopefully the similar situation of Lewis Ferguson, Bologna, you
33:27
know, a good place to start and who knows where you can go from
33:30
here. I know there's some people who
33:32
think that maybe this is a holding off point for them, for
33:35
him maybe going to Watford in the future.
33:37
I don't think that's going to happen.
33:38
I think he's going to be in Italy.
33:40
I think he's going to be, you'd be easy for a while and then
33:43
you'll hopefully fingers crossed everything goes well, goes on to
33:46
a much bigger club compared to you and easy.
33:49
So yeah, great move for him. 2030.
33:52
I think the deal is until and we've been waiting for this time
33:56
for a while. We know that.
33:58
I think there was a time where we didn't know who he was going
34:01
to go to and we had a feeling he was going to go to early because
34:04
of how well all our guys are doing over there and it's a
34:06
great move. Excellent and thank you very
34:13
much for your assistance in this episode, Aaron.
34:15
Always fun having a wee Co host with me as well folks.
34:19
We'll try and this is purely me guessing here.
34:22
I'm guessing we're going to try and get another podcast recorded
34:25
next week. So look out for that and we'll
34:28
be talking about how Scottishable is looking to go
34:31
into the playoffs next week. It's been confirmed that Celtic
34:34
have Kirat Almaty so that is a long, long journey for Celtic
34:41
fans to have. I've just found on Twitter one
34:44
person that is doing it and it is a 13 hour journey each way
34:49
so. You get to Los Angeles quicker
34:52
than that, surely. No, I know it lands in it lands
34:56
in Kazakhstan at 3:50 in the morning.
34:58
God's sake. But I, I, I, I doubt.
35:01
I doubt it's good. I'd love to see a vlog of that
35:04
journal. I would love to see a trip, You
35:05
know, I've said it for people. I think this is a better trip
35:08
compared to grass, lava, you know, from a Scottish well, from
35:13
a Scottish people perspective though, I don't know.
35:15
Kazakhstan always gives me shivers.
35:17
So yeah. You know, even.
35:19
The name of it wasn't long ago I watched Graham Cheney's OG
35:23
against Maribor. I I mean, I know that I know
35:26
that's not a Kazakhstan, but I was.
35:29
I've just been thinking back to a few of the horror shows
35:31
recently and I'm talking about Celtic in Europe too much folks.
35:40
I apologize but my dad was saying announced 5 nil would be
35:43
nice at home. I'm thinking one that's a bit
35:45
optimistic to rent a Stana 5 nil up and we're still 4141 down to
35:51
20 minutes to go so. Next positive.
35:56
Vibes. So we're going for positive
35:57
vibes, so nothing's guaranteed. But with Aberdeen coming into it
36:00
as well next week, there's going to be so much to talk about.
36:02
So can't wait to talk to you all about that next week.
36:05
And until next time, take care folks.