Mixu backs Hibs' Bamba over his card tally

HIBS star Sol Bamba has escaped a suspension which would have seen him sit out the visit of Celtic a week on Sunday despite picking up a red card and four bookings in just ten matches, it was revealed today.

The Ivory Coast utility man has been left walking a disciplinary tightrope knowing just one more yellow card will see him incur an automatic one-game ban under the SFA's "totting up" rules.

However, Hibs boss Mixu Paatelainen believes that the big defender has been unfortunate to have picked up so many disciplinary points in such a short period of time.

Bamba has become a fans' favourite at Easter Road since his £100,000 move from Dunfermline on the final day of the summer transfer window despite being sent off on his Hibs debut against Dundee United after being booked twice.

The early bath saw Bamba sit out Hibs' next match, the 1-0 win away to Hamilton, but since then boss Mixu Paatelainen has utilised the 23-year-old's versatility, fielding him in midfield, at centre-half and at right-back.

Paatelainen said: "Sol has been a little bit unfortunate I think.

"He is a quality player, he is physically very strong and he is strong in the tackle, but as a manager that is what you want.

"Because he is so big, if someone gets in his way then maybe referees might think that he has gone in too strong but he certainly works very hard and has done well for us since he came to the club."

Whistler Charlie Richmond was the latest to add to Bamba's mounting "crime count" by cautioning him for a foul on Motherwell's Jamie O'Brien only minutes before the end of Hibs' emphatic 4-1 win at Fir Park.

However, Bamba won't face an immediate suspension as the yellow card administered by Calum Murray for deliberate handball in the 4-2 defeat by Celtic at Parkhead at the end of last month only carried a two-point penalty.

That has left Bamba with 17 disciplinary points, one short of the suspension which will come next time he transgresses, although he will be free to face Gordon Strachan's side.

Meanwhile, Paatelainen is hoping Kevin McCann can make a return to football in less than a year despite facing knee surgery.

The young defender has not played for the first team since May and will go under the knife next month to try to repair chronic knee problems.

It had been suggested that the 21-year-old would not play again for 12 months, however Paatelainen added: "Hopefully Kevin won't be out for as long as the 12 months that people have been talking about.

"We would hope that he would be back in around nine months time but we will have to wait and see how he progresses.

"He is just a young boy and obviously it is disappointing for him to be out for that length of time but the most important thing is that we get him fully fit again.

"The most frustrating thing about being injured is when you don't know what is wrong with you.

"At least now Kevin knows what he is facing and what he has to do to get back to playing football again."