Source: Team_Talk
Stack still 'bitter' over Republic woe
And the Hibernian goalkeeper believes the only way he will get over Thierry Henry's handball against the Republic of Ireland will be by taking three Scottish Premier League points at St Mirren on Saturday.[LNB]The 28-year-old is one a handful of Irish players in Hibs' first-team squad who were devastated by France's World Cup play-off victory, with striker Anthony Stokes actually in the Stade de France on Wednesday night.[LNB]Former Under-21 international Stack said: "I was at home watching it on the sofa; threw the controller a few times and woke the kids up from shouting at that TV.[LNB]"If it was Robbie Keane, would we be talking about it? Of course we wouldn't be talking about it.[LNB]"Ireland would be in the World Cup and we'd all be down the pub drinking Guinness.[LNB]"But, unfortunately, that's not the case; we're all drowning our sorrows."[LNB]He added: "I can't believe you get four linesmen in a Europa League game and you get a World Cup qualifier and you can't put the same refereeing strategy in place. Just bitter, really, bitter."[LNB]Hibs' other Irish contingent include Liam Miller - who missed the play-off through injury - Patrick Cregg and Kurtis Byrne.[LNB]Stack said: "Me, Pag, Kurtis Byrne, Stokesy, Miller - there's a few Irish here.[LNB]"I was disappointed for the likes of Stokesy and Liam Miller because I genuinely felt, with a good season here, they certainly would have been part of that squad."[LNB]Stack reckons the way for him and his team-mates to get over the result is winning at St Mirren Park.[LNB]"That's probably the only thing that's going to cheer me up, if we go over there and win," he said.[LNB]Stack also has international ambitions on his own but knows he will have to stay a part of the Hibs first team for much longer than the four months he has been at Easter Road.[LNB]After a career spent on the bench at most of his clubs, he is just relishing first-team football.[LNB]"I've had eight clubs and I'm 28," said the former Arsenal trainee. "I've gone out to play football because that's what I love doing.[LNB]"You work hard all week Monday to Friday and just to have that light at the end of the tunnel knowing that you're playing on Saturday in front of 10,000 to 25,000, it's nice to have that.[LNB]"Winning a game, the excitement after the game, you actually feel part of it.[LNB]"Before, I've been part of teams where we've had success and we've won leagues.[LNB]"It's just not quite the same if you don't feel as though you brought much to the table."[LNB]Stack knows exactly how Yves Ma-Kalambay is feeling right now but insists the goalkeeping rivals are close colleagues.[LNB]He said: "We get on great, we talk, we have a craic together in training, we work hard, we push each other hard."[LNB]He added: "I'm not here to be everyone's best mate; I'm here to be number one and that's where I'm going to stay."[LNB]Third-placed Hibs have not won at St Mirren for 10 years but Stack said: "In the last 10 years, how many Hibs teams have been there with the form that we've been in?"[LNB]Meanwhile, manager John Hughes has confirmed he is running the rule over Iceland defender Haraldur Freyr, who has impressed during a week-long trial with the club.[LNB][LNB]
