DON'T try telling Hibs kid Paul Hanlon that Thursday's final game of the season has been rendered meaningless now opponents Motherwell have secured the last place in the UEFA Cup.
For, having made the breakthrough to first team football, the 18-year-old already has his eyes firmly fixed on next season and becoming a regular part of boss Mixu Paatelainen's plans. And, to that end, he has his fingers crossed he'll be given the n
od to add to the eight matches he's already played as Hibs bring down the curtain on what has been another tumultuous season at Easter Road.
He said: "I honestly didn't expect to play for the first team this season, all I wanted to do was push on and play as much reserve team football as possible. So to have played so many games has been a big bonus for me.
"I've enjoyed every game I've played in and I feel I've done fairly well in each of them."
A record of five wins, two draws and just one defeat with only two goals conceded would point to the young defender having done a touch more than all right, the only loss, coincidentally, coming against Motherwell at Fir Park.
Hanlon said: "It's not down to me but the whole team when I've played although, as a defender, to lose just two goals in eight games is a pleasing statistic, you always enjoy keeping a clean sheet.
"Thursday night's match will give us a chance to put that result at Fir Park right and, hopefully, see us take fourth place in the SPL table.
"Of course everyone is disappointed it is not the winner-takes-all showdown we had all hoped for but there's the chance we can still move up the table and we want to finish the highest we possibly can.
"I think Motherwell have surprised everyone this season but not only have they been very consistent, they have played some brilliant football at times. They deserve to have finished third and all we can do is wish them all the best in the UEFA Cup next season."
With Hibs having been in eighth place when Paatelainen took charge in mid-January following his predecessor John Collins' shock resignation, Hanlon believes the Easter Road stars can take some comfort from having kept the race for UEFA Cup football going until the second last round of fixtures.
He said: "We've had a good few ups and downs this season but to have come within touching distance of the UEFA Cup having been as low as eighth has, I think, made us all the more determined for next season.
"We gave it our best shot but sadly it wasn't enough. But we know we have it in us to turn that sort of situation around and we know that if we can be more consistent next season then we will have a really good chance of being right up there."
Hanlon was given his first start within hours of Paatelainen taking charge at Easter Road, the new manager listening to his coaching staff as he sought a replacement for the injured David Murphy at left-back for a Scottish Cup tie against Inverness Caledonian Thistle.
The youngster belied his years with a cool, composed performance which vindicated the faith placed in him and he admitted it was a gesture he'll never forget.
He said: "When a new manager comes in everyone has a fresh start, you have to impress all over again but for me I thought it would be in training and the reserves.
"But he immediately gave me my first start and I'll be forever grateful for that. I'd love to end the season by playing in the final game. As far as I am concerned it is not meaningless, there are places to be won for next season."
The suspensions picked up by Ian Murray and Martin Canning following their red cards at Celtic Park have given Paatelainen a defensive headache, one which isn't helped by the fact Chris Hogg will miss the opening match of next season should he be booked against Motherwell, a fact which may lead to him sitting it out on Thursday.
Hanlon, however, pointed out: "The gaffer also has Abdel Zarabi available, he's an Algerian internationalist so that shows the sort of stiff competition there are for places at Easter Road.
"It keeps everyone on their toes. I've had a taste of first team action and I want more. I want to finish on a high, to put my name in there and then to work hard in pre-season, hope to do well and to get more first team games."
Hibs' pre-season will include matches against English PremierLeague outfits Middlesbrough and Wigan Athletic, as well as the InterToto Cup, which will see the Edinburgh side face either HB Torshavn of the Faroe Islands or Swedish outfit Elfsborgs.
And Hanlon was clearly excited at the prospect. He said: "It would be a great experience for me to play against the likes of Middlesbrough and Wigan, while it's also good to face teams from other countries. It's all a big learning experience for someone like me but the more matches I play in then, hopefully, the better I'll get."
Having been promoted from Hibs' under-19 side, Hanlon found himself back with his younger team-mates for the recent East of Scotland Shield clash with arch-rivals Hearts, a move which didn't bother him in the slightest.
He said: "Who knows, it might have been a wee test from the management team to see how I would react but to me it was another game and I prepared for it exactly the same way as any other. The fact it was against Hearts and we won made it a good night all round. Although the rest of the squad have had almost a fortnight between matches I've had that East of Scotland Shield final and a couple of reserve games in the meantime, so I'm fit and ready to play if called upon."
The full article contains 1026 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
