Three is out - but Mixu is upbeat

Defeat to Celtic sees Motherwell clinch UEFA Cup spot, but fact that Hibs were even in the hunt is a credit to manager's input.

AND so, as we long suspected, it is to be the InterToto rather than the UEFA Cup for Hibs next season. Disappointing as it might be, that the Easter Road outfit were able to cling to the hope of overhauling Motherwell in third place was of great credit to Mixu Paatelainen and his players.

When the big Finn took charge in early January, a top-six place even looked a long shot for a side which had plunged from briefly topping the SPL table to eighth place and one incapable of, as skipper Rob Jones put it, "being able to buy a win".

Hibs, in fact, did manage one victory during that dismal three-month period, albeit one over Gretna, a point easily overlooked given Jones and his team-mates picked up a mere seven points out of a possible 36.

That dire run, coupled to a miserable away record which saw Hibs win just four of their 19 games "on the road" and the inability to hold on to a lead against both Dundee United and Aberdeen in the first of their two matches following the "split", did, in the end, prove fatal to Hibs' aspirations.

Paatelainen, least of all, will today begrudge Motherwell, beset with problems of their own in the second half of the season, their success, the Hibs manager having repeatedly stated that the side which finished third would be deserving of European football.

Hibs, of course, will have their own taste of that stage, in UEFA's Cinderella tournament rather than the trophy for which Rangers will do battle with Zenit St Petersburg in Manchester in 48 hours time, but there's no doubt that players and fans alike will look upon the InterToto as very much second prize even if it carries the carrot of progress to the more senior competition.

As such Paatelainen's players will have barely a month in which to rest following their final game of the season against Motherwell on Thursday week before they return to prepare to face either Torshavn from the Faroe Islands or Swedish outfit Elfsborgs on the first weekend of July with the smart money being on the latter.

No doubt much thought will be given by both management and players alike over the shortened holiday as to what might have been, although they may well reflect on the potential evident within their ranks evidenced by the fact that, given all their shortcomings over the past ten months, they have proved themselves capable of operating at the top end of the table.

The transformation since Paatelainen took over following the shock departure of his predecessor John Collins has been remarkable, the big Finn having stamped his own authority on a squad which will be further reshaped to his liking over the summer months, the imminent arrival of David Van Zanten from St Mirren being the first of several anticipated arrivals.

The intervening period will also afford fans to pick over the bones of the season, to reflect on the ifs and buts before they, once again, look forward to the coming season with the renewed hope which fills the supporters of every club as kick-off looms.

Fans being what they are will focus on the shortcomings, but, for Paatelainen, it will be a case of accentuating the positives as even he has confessed to believing a challenge for third place – the opportunity of fourth being enough for the UEFA Cup having been removed by Celtic's departure from the Scottish Cup – to be beyond the players he had inherited.

He said: "It's disappointing to have missed out on third, but it has been a big bonus that we have been challenging for it. Back in January, I felt that having two clubs, Motherwell and Dundee United, so far ahead of us made it too big an ask.

"But credit to the players: they worked hard, applied themselves in training and matches and we gave ourselves a chance."

Paatelainen highlighted the "stupidity" which saw Hibs surrender leads against both Dundee United and Aberdeen which would have gone a long way to confirming a winner-takes-all showdown with Motherwell at Easter Road on the final day of the season, but, as the statistics prove, those were only contributory factors to the Edinburgh side ultimately falling short. As such, Hibs went into this match at Celtic Park fully aware Motherwell's controversial victory over the Dons meant at least a point had to be taken from a side embroiled in an epic title tussle with Rangers if their Euro dream was to remain alive for another few days.

Arguably, Celtic had more to lose than Hibs and, in the opening minutes, it looked as if that might prove to be the case. Paatelainen's decision to go with a 4-5-1 formation, which, on paper, looked a defensive set-up, but, in reality, proved otherwise, almost did the trick as Hoops goalkeeper Artur Boruc, perhaps to his surprise, found himself far busier than his counterpart Andy McNeil at the other end.

The Pole was forced to race out of his area to clear at the feet of Ross Campbell, beat away a near post effort from Dean Shiels and then tip over a rising shot from Steven Fletcher, although McNeil did pull off a great save to claw away a net-bound header from ex-Hibs captain Gary Caldwell.

As ever, though, just as Hibs thought they had the sanctuary of the half-time break in their sights, Celtic struck, Stephen McManus arriving late to power home Shunsuke Nakamura's corner, the Japanese star almost adding a second with a stunning free-kick which crashed back off McNeil's left-hand post with the goalkeeper beaten.

Even so, with only a goal in it, there was a nervousness around Celtic Park, everyone aware that one goal for Hibs would dramatically change the complexion of the title race.

Hibs continued to knock the ball around with some panache, but, as Paatelainen admitted, they did little to pose any further threat to Boruc's goal.

He said: "I felt we passed the ball okay and got into situations from which we could have hurt them, but in the last third it was the same as last week (against Rangers]: we were a bit blunt and hence we never scored."

Paatelainen revealed he was on the point of replacing right-back Martin Canning with Colin Nish to go all out for that vital goal when the former Gretna star, already booked, went in with his studs showing on Barry Robson. A red card was inevitable and, a man down, Hibs conceded a second goal, Scott McDonald, surprisingly not booked despite being repeatedly warned by referee Dougie McDonald about diving, finding himself free to nod home.

The Hibs boss said: "I didn't see what Martin did, I was speaking to the player who was about to come on when Donald Park (his assistant] told me Martin was coming off anyway."

Worse was to follow with Ian Murray tripping McGeady and earning a straight red, much to the astonishment of most within the ground given the Celtic winger was many yards from goal and with a number of Hibs players between him and McNeil.

Paatelainen, however, appeared to have little complaint, suggesting, as an experienced player, Murray could have been a bit more cute in impeding McGeady rather than the blatant and cynical swing he had at him.

It was the second time in only three games Hibs had finished with nine men, another factor which Paatelainen will no doubt ponder between now and late June.