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Collins denies SFA approach

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Published Date:
11 December 2007
JOHN COLLINS today insisted he's had no contact from the SFA over the vacant Scotland manager's job.
The Hibs boss admits he is flattered to have been linked with the national position but says suggestions he has already been sounded out by the governing body are wide of the mark. It was reported today that Collins met with a representative of the SFA last week to discuss the possibility of filling the gap left by the departure of Alex McLeish last month.

McLeish quit his post as Scotland boss to take over at Birmingham City after failing to reach the Euro 2008 finals in Austria and Switzerland, despite victories home and away over France. Motherwell manager Mark McGhee, former United States boss Bruce Arena and Graeme Souness have also been linked with the vacancy over the past few weeks.

And Collins said today: "As always, I'm flattered to be linked with the national job, but I've no doubt they will be talking about someone else tomorrow. I have a contract with Hibs and there has definitely been no contact with anyone from the SFA."

Earlier this season, Collins was approached by Queens Park Rangers, but turned down their advances, saying at the time: "I have a job to do here and I intend to see it through.

"I never broke a contract during my playing career and I have no intention of doing so now."

Meanwhile Collins is confident that Rob Jones will be available to face Falkirk in the league this weekend after missing the club's last two matches.

The Hibs skipper was sidelined for the games against Aberdeen and Inverness after picking up a groin injury a fortnight ago, however he returned to training yesterday and is expected to make the starting line-up at Easter Road on Saturday.

Collins - who will watch Falkirk in action against Celtic at Parkhead tonight - added: "Rob was back in training yesterday, just doing some running, but we are optimistic that he will be fine for the weekend.

"He has been doing some running with the physio and we will give him a build-up programme as the week progresses.

"It's always a gradual build-up, you have to be careful with strains.

"He's been running in a straight line and as he builds up he'll be twisting and turning and then running with the ball.

"We won't rush him but he's been a big miss for us and it will be good to have him back again."

The full article contains 420 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

 
1

Mastermind.,

11/12/2007 12:22:02

John as a lifelong hibby here.. Please TAKE the scotland job.. it just aint working at easter road..

2

Al Berkid,

Leith 11/12/2007 12:26:16

Agreed

3

Big T Jambo,

11/12/2007 12:27:05

So Bathgate & Murray (it really takes two of them?) write a piece about JC being asked about the Scotland job, then CP writes in the same paper that Collins has not held any talks.

No wonder this paper is little better than a tabloid nowadays.

4

Aliistair,

NUMPTY COMMENTS B4 MINE 11/12/2007 12:36:50

Stupid comments b4 this. It aint working JC. So we have lost 4 out of 16. Best start we ad 4 seasons. IDIOTS!!!!!

Cmon JC u r doing fine.

5

Pedantic_Hibee,

11/12/2007 12:41:00

In JC I trust. 100%.

6

The Bee,

11/12/2007 12:45:21

Collins for Scotland? A-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!!!!

7

Northern Hibby.,

11/12/2007 12:46:04

SFA will wait until we have played Falkirk and then the OF over the festive period. Could be that they pick him up without the need for a fee by that time.

8

Peter 100,

11/12/2007 12:50:38

You really think that he is doing well, god I'd hate to see him doing badly

9

Bionicrab,

11/12/2007 12:53:12

Get a feckin grip ya bunch of bedwetters. Disciplinary record up, a cup in the bag, finances best in years, new training academy, need i go on? Plus its christmas! Lighten up!

10

10-1 figment if imagination. 7-0 rules,

edinburgh 11/12/2007 12:53:26

#1 & #2 -
what do you expect from JC given the playing squad he's got ? He ain't a miracle worker and he's working under severe financial strain.
I think he's doing a great job , given the restrictions he's working under. God knows what you think he should be achieving.

11

Ackey,

11/12/2007 12:56:11

IMO and as a Hibby, he still has a lot to prove at Hibs never mind Scotland.

firstly, best start in four seasons....that is great but if wasn't for the great start then would be a hell of a lot lower in league. Our recent play and players selection has been poor.

Secondly, better be a good transfer window to rescue some of the signings he's already made...some just aint working out.

12

Reasoned Debate,

11/12/2007 12:56:59

#5 Absolutely spot on. Some people are never happy. He has easily more than pass marks so far.
Give the guy a chance !

13

,

11/12/2007 12:58:49
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
14

Pedantic_Hibee,

11/12/2007 13:01:19

#16

Champions League for Hearts ?

As Bobby Brown once said, two can play that game you're playing.....

15

glasvegas hibs,

11/12/2007 13:02:57

Is it just at Easter road or do othre teams have an on-going staying /leaving debacle with press and fans. If it is not fletch it is murphy then onto jones quickly followed by collins back up the park to benji and sheils before turning to boozy for the 10th time in as many weeks.

Is getting a bit boring all this out talk.

16

Naeboz,

11/12/2007 13:03:18

#17

As Whitney Houston once said- 'Get tae ya Tosser!'

17

Bobby Blue Eyes,

Down Gorgie Road! 11/12/2007 13:07:46

thank heavens for that!!

he who talks from his nose would not be welcome!

18

hibee4life,

11/12/2007 13:10:26

take the job i agree with 1 and 2 it isnt working for u now u won the cis cup with mowbrays team and ahave sold and brought in p*sh ever since (kerr, obrien etc) we had a gd start but we have now been found out and dont play gd football anymore i used 2 enjoy watching us but now we keep goin behiind at home and have only scored 6 away goals so get the job and hibs appoint yogi or mcghee

19

Bobby Blue Eyes,

Down Gorgie Road! 11/12/2007 13:20:51

oopps hibs must have lost the last 2 games or something!! the calls for collins head have started

20

Taras Shevchenko,

11/12/2007 13:21:26

11. Bionicrab - is that you shooting your mouth off again calling people on here names?

Try posting without being a bigman .... because we all know the only way you are a big man is with the expert help of greggs the baker.

21

Taras Shevchenko,

11/12/2007 13:25:18

Not Chocolate Johnny. No way.

For me an international manager should be someone with a distinguished career in management rather someone who wants to hone their skills at the country's expense.

22

WE ARE WE ARE WE ARE THE HEARTS,

11/12/2007 13:28:34

Average manager at best - not up to the Scotland job. Cant see the likes of Ferguson, Hartley, Fletcher taking too well to this guy parading around with his 6 pack out challenging them to oush up contests.

But then I'm not too sure who is at the moment

23

Jim W,

11/12/2007 13:31:05

#13 Ackey - you're at it again.

If yer auntie had baws and that!!

"If it wasn't for the great start" is irrelevant as we HAVE had a great start compared to what most would have predicted!!

Jings I'd hate to see the reaction from some Hibs fans if we had had a poor start!!

24

Hibernia,

11/12/2007 13:31:34

#24 like Rix, Valdas or Anatoly......no hang on a minute how about Frail??????

25

Bobby Blue Eyes,

Down Gorgie Road! 11/12/2007 13:38:01

#27 whata sh!t comment! i dont think he suggested any of those names.

Collins simply isnt experienced enough for the job. hes had one bloody post in his carear with a team that hasnt been in europe.

26

Mastermind.,

11/12/2007 13:47:31

post 4- More chance of me becoming pope - than rankgers winning title..

27

Mastermind.,

11/12/2007 13:49:32

Put ihis way i might not be a collins fan at the moment..It would take 20 frail's to be anywhere near johnny boy collins..

28

Bobby Blue Eyes,

Down Gorgie Road! 11/12/2007 13:51:13

#30

why bring looks into this! :oP

29

McMillar,

Fife 11/12/2007 13:55:27

Prob a future Scotland manager once he has been somewhere else. 5 yrs maybe. Could be good.

30

NYC Hibee,

11/12/2007 13:55:51

Please take the Scotland job. There's players at ER that want to be there but can't stand Collins - that's why we are going to lose what decent players we have left.
I fear things are going to get a lot worse before Collins leaves and we can get someone with man management skills in.

31

GrahamH,

11/12/2007 14:07:55

Hi Colleen - got a scoop for you.

I haven't been approached either and just asked the guy opposite and neither has he.

I have heard (cannot confirm for sure though) that Gordon Brown nor Tony Blair have either - so that could be 5 scoops for you today!

32

Happyhibee1956,

Southampton 11/12/2007 14:13:26

#1,2 and33 to name others on this board.

I agree.

John, thanks very much. now getayfu and take that knob petrie with you.

33

Happyhibee1956,

Southampton 11/12/2007 14:15:28

oop meant #32, sorry.

I've never seen an intelliigent comment from 33 yet.

34

stanton4,

11/12/2007 14:19:34

Collins fails the basic test that requires him to be a hun !

pity !!

35

Taras Shevchenko,

11/12/2007 14:19:52

#33 that made me burst out laughing...cheers for that.

36

Taras Shevchenko,

11/12/2007 14:22:24

I don't want McGhee to get the Scotland manager job - imagine the number of times that McGhee would let his OF pals get away with faking that their players had 'knocks' and not incur bad press about it?

37

Silence of the Yams,

11/12/2007 14:28:15

Collins is a Tim, no chance of Scotland job!

38

Greenanwhite1,

11/12/2007 14:28:29

Taras, is that you making a sensible post again?
Like I said yesterday, you should take the moral high ground and ignore the bionic crustacean. He is utterly incapable of posting something logical and topical. Therefore as one who is so obviously educationally challenged as he is, we should not collude to his inane mutterings nor give credence to the utter insensibility of his postings.
Now, with reference to the article. I'm not particularly pro or against J.C. but I do think that it may be too soon for him. As I stated on a posting elsewhere. The next Scotland Manager will be someone who is getting more money or sees it as a step up from their present position

39

glasvegas hibs,

11/12/2007 14:54:47

How many times has Alex Ferguson been told his tatics in man management were over the top i.e kicking a boot at beckhams head, fell out with keane time and time again as well as many others less reported, but is still respected as one of the top managers in the game. OK so JC has nowhere near the credentials of AF but then he is young in managerial terms. In his 1st job and season won a cup, followed by back to back wins against Celtic (end of last season inc.) this season so far hibs have remained unbeaten by OF and taken 4 out of 6 points from our biggest rivals.

That is someone to look to in a few years, a good few years at that. Is crazy to think anyone at that age and still learning would walk out of the day to day runnings of a football team. Old news being dragged out far to long.

40

Greenanwhite1,

11/12/2007 15:22:19

Maybe he's not Hibernian minded like Bobby Williamson or Alex Miller were

41

Mastermind.,

11/12/2007 15:49:22

How those yams not got red necks for being on hibs thread..
look what's going down at gorgie..
teams seventh and dropping..
players are diminishing quicker than titanic..

42

c mains hibby,

east 11/12/2007 15:51:49

Alex millar and Blobby williamson for Scotland job

43

glasvegas hibs,

11/12/2007 15:58:37

no.43 & 45 Hibs glory days with them in charge and lets not forget the legend that was Duffy. Makes you remember that the myth is bigger than the legend, be happy with what we got, when Hibs are in bleak times they really are bleak.

Thankfully it looks like we have stormed that era out and have came out of it fit as a fiddle on and off the park.

44

JuniorJ03,

Edinburgh 11/12/2007 16:01:03

Collins would turn the national squad in to a bunch of average no hopers, just like what hes done at Hibs. He won the cup utilising players that were already there - then just because of a petty fall out - he empties the lot of them in the following months.

Those who actually attend the games week in week out can see that he has ridden his luck this season and that the results in recent weeks come as no surprise. He has allowed his arrogant personality to get in the way managing the team like he should.

His purchases have been diabolocal thus far, just like this squad selection.

As a life long Hibee, I would love it if he took the Scotland job, and took TC with him. As a lifelong Scotland fan, I would despair if he was even offered the national team job.

45

Mastermind.,

11/12/2007 16:06:06

What about frail ' the pink panther ' for scotland job.

46

JAL to Easter Road,

11/12/2007 16:09:09

#42 spot on as usual. Why are we wasting our time going on about whether he should or should not be Scotland manager at this time? He's only got a year in management and has a lot of growing up to do, as anyone would. I'm still waiting for someone to tell me how any other first year manager compares. Really.

47

Reasoned Debate,

11/12/2007 16:10:44

JC was never a contender and would not take the job even if he was. he has a job to do at ER and I for one like what he is trying to do. He cleared out the lazy and subversives at ER and we are better team without them. Michael Stewart was hopeless and never fit and no matter how well he is playing at Tynie (overstated I think) we are still better off without him and the others who JC culled. Stewart never got over being left out of the CIS final and it was no surprise that he was outed as one of the ringleaders no matter how much he denies it.
Having lost so many good players, Collins has done a good job so far. All the normal pundits predicted hard times for Hibs this season.
Report Card so far: Has started well and shows potential to progress. Keep it up John !!

48

JAL to Easter Road,

11/12/2007 16:12:47

Right so it seems that this article is actually JC reporting on Rob Jones but that only filled a few lines so she added a whole bit about the Scotland job, a moot point. Well, we were all taken in weren't we. Got our attention as intended.

49

sweet f a,

11/12/2007 16:16:16

Trouble in paradise eh? So Hibs fans ARE just like all other football fans after all. I was getting worried, what with all their daily sanctimonious comments on here, that they had lost every true football fan's ability to be unreasonably fickle and hyper-critical.

50

glasvegas hibs,

11/12/2007 16:19:30

I thought a lot of them were wantaways because of the wages at hibs and the lure of better cushions on the bench at ibollox and parkheid the baw. I think the extra work involved under JC put it into perspective for them. Maybe after a full season in charge would be a good time to attempt an assessment on the credentials, and even then it is not really best when so many new players came in. Dont think all was a waste, Morais and Gatheussi look not to bad Morais in particular, Noubissie was only one getting stuck in on Sat see how he turns out further down line.

51

Reasoned Debate,

11/12/2007 16:29:32

Main culprits were Stewart, Sproule, Whittaker and Jones. 3 have gone and I think Jones will be off in January or end of season at the latest. In saying that Jones has knuckled down and been sorely missed in the last to games. There such a thing as redemtion after all. Keep it going JC !!!

52

exile-lad,

Easter Road 11/12/2007 16:55:00

24 WE ARE WE ARE WE ARE THE HEARTS what about your manager for the job ............oh who is he again is Frail is some popov chap who is in charge down in the slums again ? you idiots lose 3 games on the trot an you have a new head coach get a life scumbo

JC Doing ok at hibs .....

53

Jambo Number 1,

11/12/2007 17:07:43

#55

Aye, right enough, he was doing a fine job of continuing Hibs record of never having scored a goal in Inverness in the hisory of the SPL, what a legend, no goals in Inverness let alone wins!!

And I suspect he will continue your fine Scottish cup record later in the season.

I'd think it won't be too long before Hearts sail past Hibs in the league, when was the last time you won a game?

54

Jamboree,

11/12/2007 18:05:15

I think Colleen needs to find some new sources for her articles - this has GOT to be a wind-up?

55

mrhibs07,

in ma truck 11/12/2007 18:40:59

#56 the last game we won was against gretna. So speaking of records. When was the last time you beat gretna. The team at the bottom of the league. Same old ha ha hearts. In fact have you ever beaten them over 90 minutes? No i didn't think so. P!ss off you sad scumbo. Oh and at least we have a manager who sits in the dugout every week. Not like your sad muppet.

56

jmcmil,

WSM 11/12/2007 19:13:25

I'm bemused by some Hibs fans. JC is learning his trade. They're calling for him to go.

Fletcher is in the same category, Stevenson is in the same category, perhaps even Benji and Zemmama and many others.

They (the fans) are always spouting about our youngsters coming through.

Why are they prepared to give players a chance to learn and not a young (in managerial experience terms) manager who has a pretty good record so far, the same chance.

Maybe they (the fans) became experts in whatever they do without making any mistakes, underperforming, testing, trialling and just plain taking chances and learning from experience.

Give the man a chance. Take a new look in a couple of months chance. He's already put us in a position that very few expected this season.

57

JohninIreland,

11/12/2007 20:02:29

Please SFA offer JohnCollins the job. I'm looking after Hibernians interests by saying this, as quite frankly John, you haven't got a clue what you are doing. From what I understand, few of the players have any confidence in you, possibly because you listen too much to Tommy Craig. Your supposed rotation system is a joke, allowing no-one to develop (young or old). Take it John,if offered,and allow us ,at Easter Road, the privilage of getting someone who knows what they are doing.

58

Ancient Hibee,

newington 11/12/2007 20:05:05

I propose (as I haven't yet been approached)a tartan fax machine and we'll qualify for everything.as for turning Scotland into average no hopers-some of us think that would be an improvement.

I can't understand the 21st century jessies that seem to think that players must love their boss-Turnbull?Stein?Clough?Ferguson?-the pl;ayers were petrified.If any of Turnbulls players had complained to the chairman he would have got his behind kicked never mind the players.

Although a lot of the posts are pretendy"lifelong Hibs supporters"the fact is that this will probably be our best league season for a number of years.Collins will realise now that the reason Craig has remained mostly a coach is that he is a poor judge of a player and will react accordingly-in the meantime he is loyal in public as long as the players (the team is fitter than for a long time)give 100% even if some of them are not of the required standard.

59

Hibs fc,

11/12/2007 23:00:34

Speaking to donald trump tonight' he was telling me he's not persuing highland golf venture'
And was interested in helping hibernian fc become one of the greatest club's like they were in 50's and 60's' Nothing concrete as yet but im meeting the guy in the four in the hand at 6-30 tomorrow. we'll see how it go's from there.

60

Hibern IAN,

11/12/2007 23:21:54

#46 Glashalfemptyvegas

And Hibs are currently storming down the league! Lets hope for a miracle and a turnaround in the players performance. Collins would show true management skill if he went against Craig now and ditched Kerr and restructured the midfield. By all accounts Noubisse made a strong start on Saturday but was not helped by Kerr or Stevenson. Later, when Bouzy came on he was giving the ball away too.

61

glasvegas hibs,

12/12/2007 09:55:20

NO.64 notfullshiling Ian.

Don't get ur Glass half empty jibe, think that is ur way of looking at things.

Typically exaggerated there "storming down the leauge", I thought we had dropped only one position to 4th even on a bad run, only takes a couple good results and thats us back well n truly in it.

However agreed on Collins standing up and dropping Kerr, along with couple others.


 

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