HIBS new boy Joe Keenan today revealed how he has become a telly addict in his bid to drive the Easter Road outfit towards European football.
The midfield ace takes in every minute of SPL action he can on television as he brings himself up to speed on the Scottish game.
And, from what he has seen, allied to his first three league matches in a green-and-white shirt, the 25-year-old belie
ves there is no reason why Mixu Paatelainen's side shouldn't set their sights on winning a place in next season's UEFA Cup.
While admitting a shock Co-operative Insurance Cup exit at the hands of First Division Morton in an epic seven-goal thriller had come as something of a jolt to the senses, Keenan insisted he and his team-mates can bounce back from that setback – starting with tomorrow's visit from Motherwell. But the former Chelsea youth player admitted Paatelainen's players need to quickly begin taking the numerous chances they are creating, citing the string of missed openings which contributed to the midweek defeat.
He said: "Obviously Tuesday night was a big, big disappointment although you have to give credit to Morton for the way they came to Easter Road and had a go. It was really disappointing given we played as well as we did. We just have to score the goals because we are creating plenty of chances.
"That's been the case in the last couple of weeks against Falkirk and then again up at Inverness. It's pleasing in that respect but we have to go and finish them off."
Keenan agrees tomorrow's match represents a test of character.
However, he insisted Paatelainen's players had already passed that particular examination in the manner in which they fought back from two goals down to go ahead early in extra-time only to be ultimately stunned as they lost the tie in controversial circumstances, with the Hibs boss blaming referee Iain Brines for two major blunders. The Englishman said: "The season didn't start particularly well for us with that defeat at Kilmarnock but then we beat Falkirk and got a good point up at Inverness, so we are looking forward to tomorrow.
"Losing to Morton was a bit of a setback, you always want to keep that momentum going but tomorrow is a different match, a league game with three points at stake.
"We have to learn the lesson from Tuesday about closing games out. No disrespect to Morton, but we are a Premier League side and being 3-2 up in extra-time we shouldn't then go on and lose the game. But tomorrow can't come quick enough, we want to get out there and correct things."
Motherwell, who pipped Hibs, Dundee United and Aberdeen to claim third place in the SPL table and the UEFA Cup spot that went with it last term, haven't had their own troubles to seek so far this season with Mark McGhee's players taking just one point from their opening three games against Hearts, the Dons and United. The start of the season has, of course, not run smoothly for any club, with none of the SPL outfits able to boast a 100 per cent record even so early on, a fact which Keenan admitted had surprised him.
He said: "I think that's an indication of how close things could be. Traditionally Rangers and Celtic are the teams you'd be looking at to have won all three games but they haven't which will hopefully mean other clubs are going to push them a bit more."
Over the course of 38 matches it would be hard to imagine one or other of the Old Firm not taking the title, leaving the rest, Hibs included, to fight it out for the other European places.
And with that in mind, Keenan insisted that even now it was important for Paatelainen's players to take every possible point. He said: "If, at the end of the season, you miss out by a point you look back identifying where you might have won rather than drawn or drawn rather than lost, and we don't want to be doing that.
"The fact Hibs and Motherwell were involved in a fight for Europe last season makes tomorrow a massive game for us. We had a difficult pre-season but we've started the league quite well and from what I have seen I don't think there are too many sides better than us – but we need to prove it over the coming weeks."
Having signed from Australian side Melbourne Glory after spending spells in Belgium and Holland, Keenan admitted he wasn't too au fait with the Scottish game, a deficiency he has sought to quickly rectify.
He said: "I'm watching as much football as I can on television to learn about the SPL and all the clubs but from what I have seen and the teams we have played I think there is a good chance of a UEFA Cup spot. I'm really enjoying the game up here, it's played at a high tempo and like the other night there's a fantastic atmosphere.
"Hibs play a good passing game, the midfield linking up to the strikers, a style I enjoy. I think we've been a bit unlucky so far, the other night, for instance, was a combination of missed chances, great goalkeeping and some tremendous defending but if we keep creating as many opportunities it will all come together and I am sure someone will take a bit of a doing from us sooner rather than later." And Keenan believes the return of Moroccan playmaker Merouane Zemmama, who made a surprise appearance against Morton following his broken foot, allied to the signing of French striker Steve Pinau, who also scored against Morton, could prove crucial to Hibs' hopes.
He said: "I'd heard how good a player Merouane is and he has proved that since he returned to training and, of course, against Morton.
"Steve had quite a long wait for his papers to come through but an early goal will settle him down and I'm sure we'll see quite a few more from him."
Keenan's parents, John and Mary, made the journey from their Southampton home to watch their son in action on Tuesday night and while they were delighted to see him spark Hibs' fightback with his first goal for the club, he's determined to send them home happy following tomorrow's match.
He said: "My Mum and Dad came up to see me play for Hibs for the first time so it was nice to get a goal. They'll be at Easter Road again tomorrow so I'd love them to see us win before they go back down south."
The full article contains 1134 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
