Midfield Maestro Looks For Team Effort

23 May 2013 17:11
Russell Latapy can see what a single player can do but all involved have to be at their best to create chances

Russell Latapy believes a win for Hibs in Sunday's Scottish Cup final will be down to a team effort rather than one individual. The former Easter Road favourite knows much of the focus will be on Hibs' Leigh Griffiths' display against Celtic at Hampden. However, Latapy, who played for Hibs between 1998 and 2001, says his old club club has a far better chance of ending a 111-year wait for the trophy if the whole team pulls together.He said: "Leigh Griffiths has had a fantastic season and he has helped the team get to where they are. But it is always a team game and I'm sure he would agree that without his team-mates they wouldn't be in the final. I think it's more of a team effort from what I've seen. I don't want to single out too many players. I think it's more important to play as a unit. I think if they do that, it's their best chance of getting a result."Griffiths, like Latapy before him, has courted controversy off the pitch in the past but the ex-midfielder believes the plaudits he has earned this term show he is now maturing when playing. He said: "With the season he has been having so far, he has been concentrating on his football. As young players, you do what you like to do best and a lot of things come along with that and it's easy sometimes to get side-tracked. But fair play to him, he has been knocking in the goals and his team is in the final. It says in one way that whatever else is happening, it's not affecting what he is doing on the pitch."Latapy will be at the national stadium on Sunday to watch what he expects to be a much longed for Hibs win in the final. He said: "It's always a very interesting game. It's a competition with a lot of history. It's one that I've always personally enjoyed and I'm looking forward to the game. I think it's going to be a difficult game for Hibs but it's a cup final and I'm hoping we can get a good result. As far as goals are concerned, these two teams always produce a fair amount of goals. It's difficult to predict the goals - but a Hibs victory for sure."

Source: ScottishFitba

Source: FOOTYMAD