Source: FOOTYMAD
Hibs Can't Be That Bad
Peter Houston says Hibs are not as bad as the table suggests. However, he really hopes they are especially for tonight Ahead of tonight’s game against the Easter Road side, Dundee United manager Peter Houston believes Hibs are a much better side than their current form suggests and backs manager Colin Calderwood to get them to play their way out of the relegation quagmire at bottom end of the table. Houston watched Hibs lose to Aberdeen on Boxing Day after his game against Hamilton was called off and he believes it is only a matter of time before the former Scotland defender stamps his mark on the Easter Road players. Dundee United have been out of live action for a period of five-weeks and Calderwood will be hoping to take advantage of any rustiness, and Houston knows his men will have to be on top form. He said: "When our game against Hamilton went off I took the opportunity to go to see Hibs against Aberdeen. The game could have gone either way at times and Hibs played well in stages. One thing I always think about them is when they click they are a formidable side. Colin has not had the best start there but he's still learning about the players and he'll get there, no doubt about that because he's a top coach. On their day they are good enough to beat anyone - as they proved when they went to Ibrox and won. When you have guys like Derek Riordan, John Rankin, Liam Miller and youngsters like David Wotherspoon then you have quality right through the team. They have a strong squad and I think it's only a matter of time before they hit a run. They are dangerous and having lost last weekend they will be desperate to put things right again, so we've got to be wary of them." Houston has had to arrange bounce games between his squad to keep them ticking over during the big freeze and believes his players' eagerness to get back into action will see them through. He said: "It has been a long time since we played but having watched the players in training I sense a real hunger to get going again. We have played plenty of bounce games but the one thing we haven't done is have the competitiveness of a real game. I have spoken to them about it and emphasised that we need to start the game at a real tempo. If we do that then with the enthusiasm I'm expecting them to show after such a lay off then we'll be fine." Houston signed up promising youngsters Dale Hilson, Stuart Armstrong and Ross Smith on new deals on Monday and tipped them to make their mark at Tannadice over the next few months. He went on: "I'm delighted to get the three young lads signed up again. Dale Hilson has played a few times, he's effective out wide and can play through the middle. He's on loan at Forfar and Dick Campbell has been raving about him so he's going to stay there. Playing in competitive games, with points at stake and bonuses to win, has been really good for him and he's come on for that. He'll break into the first team in the next year or so. The same goes for Stuart Armstrong, who has played against Killie and for the Scotland Under-21s. With the schedule we've got coming up I think he'll be starting in the first team at some point soon. The final one is Ross Smith and he's another player I think has a bright future. He's been injured but is back now and I can see him pushing as well. The future for Dundee United - and most of the clubs in the SPL - is rearing your own young players and this is a sign of our intent to do that." Editor Ger Harley (ger@scottishfitba.net)Admin Team (admin@scottishfitba.net)This is Scottish-Fitba.Net
